DIY Pillow Patterns That Are Easy to Make
Here are some easy DIY pillow patterns to help you change up your room in an afternoon!
Can you ever really have too many throw cushions? It’s so easy to change the whole feel of a room with just a change of your pillows.
These DIY pillows cost a fraction of store-bought pillows and make great projects.
Whether you want to change the look of your lounge, guest bedroom, playroom, or sewing room, hopefully, you’ll find a cushion you love and feel inspired to make.
This roundup features a whole range of pillow cover patterns, from simple square shapes to a fun llama cushion!
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Table of Contents
DIY Pillow Patterns: Easy Home Decor Ideas
10+ DIY Throw Pillows Patterns for You to Make
These free pillow patterns have step-by-step instructions to help you make your own cushion.
Most of them have photos to go with each step too, which I find really helpful - especially for trickier bits like adding the zip!
Whether you want to make a fun donut or a cute pom pom pillow, there is a large choice of patterns for you to choose from to style your couch.
Why not also make a matching modern throw or quilt to accessorize your couch, too?
This is a simple way to make a cushion cover using an orphan block. Orphan blocks are quilt blocks that have been pieced together for a quilt but never used and end up in your unused fabric stash.
Using my video tutorial, you'll learn how to turn unused blocks into a cushion, and I also share some of my favorite zipper hacks. I've also written all the instructions if you prefer reading to watching videos.
This one reminds me of those giant stuffies you win from the fairground!
It can be made any size you like - a tiny cushion or a giant one! You can also customize it and make it any color you like.
Add some coziness to your lounge with this faux fur shaggy pillow. This tutorial can be adapted to make the cushion any size or shape you like, although I really like the rectangular shape of this one. This shape is great as a bench pillow.
When you're adding cushions to your room, it's a great idea to take a look through your fabric stash and use a mixture of colors and textures.
This is such a simple but clever way to make a cushion - from an old sweater. You could embroider anything you like onto the cushion, but I particularly love the sweet Christmas trees in this design.
If the thought of machine embroidery scares you, stick with hand embroidery and use this easy introduction.
Of all the pillow patterns in this roundup, this hourglass pillow has the most bold colors, but you could quite as easily choose any colors that fit in with your room decor.
The pom poms are a nice and surprisingly easy way to give more character to any pillow you're making.
Zippers are the bane of most beginners' sewers' lives, so you'll be glad to know this tutorial talks you through how to add a zipper to your pillows quickly.
It's really handy to add zippers to your cushions to remove and wash them easily.
How sweet is this fun sewing project?! Wouldn't it look great in a toddler's bedroom? You could even make it as an awesome gift for a special child in your life.
Similarly to making sure you use a range of colors and textures in your cushions, it's also a great idea to add one feature pillow that really pulls everything else together.
More pom poms! I love how a border of pompoms and the bright pop of color give a pillow so much life. Isn't it a great idea to add pom poms to the letters to tie it all together?
This cushion also has many other 3D elements, making it quite busy, so you'd probably want to use this as a feature cushion with some plainer cushions to accompany it.
Floor cushions are wonderful for playrooms and spaces kids spend a lot of time in. These pillows are so well made that they look shop-bought
They're filled with foam and bean bag stuffing, making them super comfortable for kids to snuggle up on.
Made from seasonal placemats, this is a great way to make cheap and themed pillows. Simply pick up a few placemats in the clearance sale and turn them into cushions with this tutorial.
These cute pillows will instantly give your lounge that Christmassy feel!
When you're choosing your selection of cushions, choosing different fabrics is also a great way to tie cushions together, but make sure that they're all individual.
This pillow has no zipper but is removable so you can wash it! You can even choose a different fabric if you want to add a splash of color to your couch.
Top Tips For Pillow Patterns
- If this is your first time making DIY pillow covers, try making an envelope-style pillow that doesn’t require a zipper.
- Cut the tiny corners off the seams of your pillow when it is inside out using scissors after you sew it and before you turn it the right way around. You can then use a blunt object to poke into the corners to make sure they’re sharp and neat.
- Always use a reduced stitch length on your sewing machine to avoid your stitches being visible when your pillow is finished and stuffed.
- If you’re looking for inexpensive fabric for your pillow, check out my article on ways to buy cheap fabric.
Frequently Asked Questions
Making a pillow step by step is simple once you know how. Follow these four steps to make your first pillow.
1. Cut two pieces of fabric to the size you want your pillow. Add any extra inch or so for the seam allowance. There is also a school of thought that says you should make the cushion cover smaller than the insert to make them plump up but that is down to personal choice!
2. Place each piece of fabric wrong side to wrong side, and sew three sides together.
3. Turn the cushion inside out and stuff with your pillow insert or stuffing.
4. If you haven’t gone for an envelope back or inserted a zipper you can sew the final side closed by hand.
The materials you need to make a pillow or cushion are:
• Two square/rectangular pieces of fabric
• Thread
• Zipper (optional)
• Pillow stuffing or insert
• Scissors/rotary cutters
These cushion colors go together without fail:
• Green, mustard and grey
• Blush pink and dark blue
• Greens and deep plum
• Brown and teal
• Neutrals with a pop of bold color
Use ‘The Rule of Three’ to bring all your cushions together by using a color scheme, a range of patterns, and a range of textures!
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