How to Make a Pillow

III hand-sewn whip stitch or a machine stitch that will show on the outside of the pillow. Use the following invisible stitch to keep the fabric closed and hidden beneath the folds of the fabric Pierce the edge of the fabric on the inside of the pillow, so the knot remains unseen on the inside layer. 

You ll need to use your math skills on this one because it s all about geometry. The amount of fabric depends on the width of the fabric and on the size of the pillow you desire. My advice Stick with squares as you learn, then progress to rectangles. As you gain skill, you can branch out. 

Every basic pillow has two sides. You need to add about an inch to each edge for the seams. Think of it this way A 12-inch square pillow requires two l4-inch squares. One square in front, one in back, and extra fabric to sew the seams. 

Fabric is sold by the yard (which is, as you know, 36 inches). In a fabric store, you ll see that most yardage is between 36 and 60 inches wide. The exception to this is upholstery fabrics, which are commonly 54 inches wide. A square of 54-inch fabric is Wi yards long. That ll get you two 16-inch square pillows, plus a length of fabric left over. 

Add fringed trim to pillows by pinning the trim between the two layers of fabric with the fringed portion facing the center of the pillow. You ll sew it inside out. When you turn the pillow right-side out, you ll have trim on the outside. 

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