How to make pillows from thin comforter
by
Greer
+4
I have an inexpensive comforter that I am replacing but I still like the colors.
What is the best way to make pillows out of it despite the thin batting and stiching?
Treat it just like any other fabric, I would just use a thinner pillow insert so it is still a pillow instead of turning into a fluffy ball.
Get the size pillows you want, turn the fabric inside out and "trace" around the pillows. Pin on 3 sides (leaving room for a seam allowance and enough room for a zipper on the 4th side) around the pillow . Remove pillow, sew around edges, insert zipper and you have some pillows. If you're really good with the sewing, add a gold fringe around the pinned sides and zipper end, tucking the fringe into the right side of the fabric.
I would do as Karen suggests, except, I would put zipper in first (before stitching around the other three sides.) It is much easier to put a zipper in when the whole fabric can lie flat. That is a beautiful fabric.
Buy some heavy duvet stuffing and layer it into your pillow once cut up to your pillow shape and sew closed. Either cover seams with a satin bias or any other edging you fancy, or set in piping as you sew around the edges.
I would definitely use the seams as part of the pillow for interest. I wouldn't worry about that except for positioning on the pillow. Others have given you instructions, but I wanted to let you know my opinion about the seams.
Place another cushion cover inside out, down on a piece of paper , then cut around it leaving an inch for stitching. Use that as template. Use the cushion cover as your guide to make new, fixing zip in first, if it has a zip.
Greer, I advise stitching again over the original stitching. If the stitching is wide apart as in outline stitching, I would follow the pattern with stitching about 3/4 " apart. This will alleviate the problem of thin batting. Now you can cover a pillow form or make your casing and add fiberfill.