Project Level: Intermediate
Last week I made two pillows for my mother-in-law’s sun room couch. As my husband can attest to, I’ve been known to sometimes bite off more than I can chew in the sewing department. I had never made pillows with both zippers and piping, but I figured it couldn’t be all that difficult (A little side note about zippers: in the sewing world, they get such a bad rap. They are not hard if you give them a chance, and take the time to carefully learn how to sew them in. The worst scenario is that you end up ripping them out and starting over).
If you’re interested in sewing, but have never learned, there is no better year than 2015 to learn thanks to two amazing tools available to you: Pinterest and YouTube. By using both of these resources, you can save a lot of money, create something you love, and feel a real sense of accomplishment. A pillow is a great starting point.
Start on Pinterest and make a board with your ideas. This can be pillows you like as well as web tutorials. There are so many resources! Here is my pillow board:
https://www.pinterest.com/brookespater/pillow-ideas/
I’ve found that tutorials must click with you depending on the way you learn. To make these pillows, I found this tutorial from Noelle O Designs to be super helpful…
http://noelleodesigns.com/tutorials/pillow-sham-with-zipper-and-piping/
However, I’m also a very visual learner. How did we survive before YouTube? I’ve used it for anything from computer help to home repairs, and it’s fabulous for sewing tutorials! I have found Peg Baker’s Little Bug Studio to be very helpful. To make these pillows, I watched the video below as well as parts 2 & 3. I watched a little, stopped it, and did each step.
Of course you will need some fabulous fabric once you’ve decided what you want to make, a pillow insert, and other supplies. My favorite spot to shop online is https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/ They have great prices, and you can request samples.
Anyone can do this! You just need a sewing machine, some fabric and supplies, a sense of adventure, and a little bit of patience. You will be very happy with the end result!
Happy sewing!
