Valentine’s Day Pillow Covers DIY

My name is Lisa and I have a fabric addiction.

Like most crafty people, my supplies quickly pile up. Here is the perfect pillow cover project to dip into the current fabric stash and use what you have. Conveniently, this makes room for future fabric additions. I wouldn’t say that I’m a fabric hoarder….let’s just save labeling for the paint cans and not people, shall we?

If you don’t have a fabric stash yet, welcome to the dark side. Just don’t use the fabric shears on paper and we’ll be good.

A soft fine wale gray corduroy backs the classic red and cream french ticking. Add some cute trim and adorable hand stitched wool felt hearts and you have yourself a simple and stylish Valentine’s Day pillow cover. I added zipper closures because I happened to have zippers on hand.

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Supplies

• Fabric- Size of the pillow plus seam allowances, front and back (times the number of pillows to be made)
• Trim- for 2, 20 inch pillows, roughly 4.5 yards
• Felt scraps- featured here are red wool felt scraps, enough for 2 large and 2 smaller hearts
• Rustic Wool Thread, or embroidery floss
• Thread that coordinates with the fabric
• Zipper(s), coordinating with the fabric
• Measuring tape
• Fabric shears
• Fabric pins
• Quilting needle, or a needle with a larger eye

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Instructions

Step 1:

Gather supplies. I raided my fabric stash. Remember that post about making a reversible table runner? (Link at the end of this post) The remaining red striped French ticking fabric was used for the fronts of these pillows. Gray fine waled corduroy was used for the backs. I also found some left over red wool felt from a project done many years ago. Pretty sure being able to use what I have been holding on to only justifies my fabric addictions, so be it.

TIP: Determine what type of pillow closure will work best for your pillow or skill level prior to cutting out fabric. See the Halloween Pillow Covers link below for closure ideas and instructions.

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Step 2:

Measure your pillow form, or look on the tag to determine the size. Be sure to add at least a half inch on each side for seam allowances.

Example: My pillow is 20 x 20 inches, so I cut my fabric 21 x 21 inches square.

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Step 3:

Using the calculated measurements, cut the back piece of pillow from the chosen fabric.

TIP: Use that cut square as a pattern. Lay cut piece on top of fabric yardage and cut out remaining pieces.

TIP: Be sure the grain, texture, or pattern of fabric is running in the same direction on each piece.

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Step 4:

Lay rick rack, or trim of choice, around the perimeter of the right side (side you want showing) on the pillow cover front. Pin so the center of the rick rack or trim is at the seam allowance. In other words, 1/2 inch from cut edge.

TIP: Start and end your trim in a lower corner to hide the overlap from the ends.

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Step 5:

Sew trim in place.

Place front and back of pillow squares together, being sure the right sides (sides you want showing) are facing each other. Be sure the grain, texture or pattern of the fabric is running in the same direction. Pin.

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Step 6:

Sew according to the type of pillow closure you want. Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Pillow closure options in the Halloween Pillow Cover post are: Open at bottom utilizing a selvage edge, zipper closure, or envelope closure. See link below for details.

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Step 7:

Trim corners and turn pillow cover(s) right side out.

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Step 8:

Remember making paper heart Valentine’s when you were young? The felt hearts were cut out using that same method. Fold felt in half and cut out half a heart shape with the center of the heart along the fold. I chose to do one large and one small heart.

TIP: Cut out a few paper hearts first for practice before doing it on the felt. If you get the perfect paper heart, use that as a pattern for the felt hearts.

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Step 9:

Pin felt hearts in desired location on pillow fronts. The two pillows mirroring each other was appealing to me, so I went with it.

Once pinned, stitch an “X” pattern along the border of the hearts. Stitch through the felt and pillow cover front, being mindful to not catch the back of the pillow cover in the stitching. If you do accidentally stitch the back to the front. No worries. Just remove the needle and pull the stitches out and start again.

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Insert the pillow forms, fluff up the pillows and you are all set. Don’t they look great? If you made the reversible buffalo plaid table runner, now you have pillows that coordinate with it. Be sure to post your finished pillow pictures on the tinged blue Facebook page. I would love to see them! Need to join the Facebook page? Look to the right of this page, scroll to the Facebook section and click on the like page button to join. So easy!

As always, I believe putting a little time and effort into your house really pays off in the long run. Not only does your home reflect you, but you are invested into turning that structure into a place that is more than just a building to shelter you and your family. It becomes your sanctuary from an ever busy, stressful and chaotic world. I am here to help you maintain and create as you make your house a home.💙

 

More Posts for Decorating:

Reversible Plaid Table Runner

Halloween Pillow Covers

Floral Heart Shaped Wreath

Patriotic Dish Towels

Farmhouse Styled Stenciled Tablecloth

Chalkboard Pumpkin Centerpiece

Easiest Front Door Wreath Ever

Faux Succulent Wreath