Make Beautiful Pillows Out Of Cozy Sweaters

9 Materials
$10
1 Hour
Easy

Occasionally I get the urge to spice things up in my home with some new decorative items! Pillows are such an easy way to add beautiful color to your living space, but they can be expensive. However, if you have some old sweaters lying around you can transform them into DIY pillows quickly.


Click on over to my blog post to see lots more pictures for this projects!

Gather Your Materials:

  • Sweaters (Large sizes are best so that you have enough material to work with). T-shirts also work, but be sure to buy nice quality shirts. You don’t want the fabric to be too flimsy.
  • Light to Medium Weight Fusible Interfacing
  • Iron
  • Wrapping Paper with 1″ Grid on back
  • Scissors
  • Pillow Inserts (I used 14″ and 16″)
  • Sewing Machine
  • Basic Sewing Supplies

Step One

First you will want to make a pattern to cut out your sweaters and/or t-shirts to the right size. Your interfacing needs to be cut at this time also. The wrapping paper is going to help with this! For each pillow you are making add 1-1/2″ to the size of the pillow. For example a 14″ pillow will be cut out at a 15-1/2″ square and a 16″ pillow will be cut out at a17-1/2″ square. Cut out a pattern for yourself using the 1″ grid on the back of your paper.


Step Two

Cut two pieces from your sweater as well as two pieces from your interfacing using your pattern.


Step Three

This step is super easy since all you have to do is iron your interfacing to the wrong side of your sweater or t-shirt. Please note that there may not be a wrong side, but be sure to check. Also, be sure the fusible side is against your fabric before ironing. It is not fun to accidentally iron the wrong side of the interfacing as it leaves glue on your iron. I know this from unfortunate experience!


Step Four

Pin the two pillow pieces together with the sweater or t-shirt sides touching.

Step Five

Sew around three sides (leave the fourth side open) using a 1/2″ seam.


Step Six

Cut your corners as shown to avoid bulk when you turn the pillows right side out.

Step Seven

Turn the pillow covers right side out.

Step Eight

Stuff the pillow into the cover and pin the edge closed.

Step Nine

Whipstitch the edge closed.

Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
A Fresh Squeezed Life
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  2 questions
  • Ellen Ellen on Feb 11, 2019

    Very neat and comfy looking pillows! Have you ever put a zipper in so the stuffing/form could be removed? I was thinking about an invisible zipper. What do you think?

  • Nancy K Nancy K on Aug 10, 2020

    Hi, I love this idea. Thanks for sharing. Please let me know if you need the interfacing? Can I make a pillow cover without the interfacing?

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 11 comments
  • Kelly Kelly on Feb 27, 2019

    Very nice - makes me want to cut up one of my sweaters. But I don't have one that's old or worn out. The zipper idea is great and I think that is what I would do too, then it would be washable also.


  • Franki Franki on Apr 21, 2023

    LUV THIS!! KUDOS!! franki

Next