Throw pillows are an easy and fast way to change the look of a room. You can take your living room from summer to winter just by adding in some cozy fabrics in darker colors. For those of us on a budget, buying new throw pillow every season is just not possible. The good news is that with a modicum of sewing skills and a few dollars, you can turn some thrifted tops into pretty pillows.
If you keep an eye on your thrift store sales, you can catch some great deals. I hit one local store on a day they were selling all clothes for $1 a piece. Bonus! The upside to using button-down shirts, instead of just buying fabric, is that the sewing is very, very basic. The shirt buttons turn the pillow into an immediate envelope-style pillow cover, which eliminates the need for any hand sewing.
Over the next few weeks, you will see several Mad in Crafts projects using these same plaid shirts. You can get a lot of use out of all the parts of a button down shirt, SO DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR SCRAPS!
Watch this short videot to see how to make your own pillow covers, or scroll down for the step out tutorials. For more fun video tutorials like this, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel!
To make button-down shirt pillow covers, you will need (affilate links):
button down shirts
sewing machine
thread
Begin by turning the button-up shirt inside out and lay it on a flat surface. Place the throw pillow or pillow insert inside the shirt, making sure the pattern is lined up with the sides of the pillow. Carefully pin the front and back of the shirt around the pillow insert.
Unbutton the shirt and remove the insert.
Run the shirt through the sewing machine, closing all four sides and removing the pins as you go. Trim off the excess shirt fabric, BUT DON’T THROW IT AWAY!
Flip the shirt right side out and put the pillow insert back in.
Button the shirt back up, and you are done!
You can do this with any button-up shirt or sweater. I found a number of plaid shirts at my local thrift store, some in the men’s department and some in the women’s. The women’s shirts had pretty ruffles down the front, but I had to deal with darts, etc.
I like the look of the buttons down the front of the pillows, especially on the ruffled shirts. If you would prefer a cleaner look, face the back of the shirt pillows and they will look like typical throw pillows. For just a few dollars, you can have a whole set of cozy throw pillows that are perfect for winter!
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Thanks, Jessica
This is adorable! We just moved to the PacNW about a year ago, and my new home as a beautiful family room with a rustic fireplace. I’ve slowly been decorating it in a cabin-like style, and these would be perfect! Time to whip out my sewing machine!!! P.S. I plan on posting the project to my own blog, and will happily link back to you when I do 🙂
Thank you for such a fabulous idea! I have several shirts I was going to make a quilt with, you shared another use for them. I also like making bears out of plaid flannel shirts, they are so cute. Have a blessed day 🙂