Easy Peasy Pretty Pillows

These pillows are so easy to make that I whipped up a pair in one evening. The toughest part was picking the napkins. Yes, you heard that right.


They are made from large cloth napkins. I picked up two sets at my local Tar-jay (love-me-some-Target is another post entirely). I picked up the ribbon at Craft Warehouse, 3 rolls for $10. I already had some old bed pillows that I had gotten at Walmart on sale quite a long time ago. They'd flattened out too much to be useful bed pillows but I thought perhaps I could repurpose them. Sorry I don't have any "in process" photos but you seriously don't need them. Even if you're not on a first-name basis with your sewing machine, you can make these!

I promise, these are really tan and purple napkins. The ribbons are not black, they are eggplant purple, really pretty. I honestly need to invest in a real camera and stop using my phone for this type of stuff.

Easy Peasy Pretty Pillow Cover

2 cloth napkins
50 - 90 inches of wide ribbon
pillow form or tattered old throw pillow that needs new life

Line up your napkins right sides together. Stitch sides and bottom. Note that the napkins might not be perfectly the same size and adjust your seam accordingly, but since these are finished you don't have to leave a wide seam allowance. Turn right sides out and poke out your corners. Cut about 12 to 15 inches of ribbon, make 4 of these (if you want 2 ties but if you want 3 ties, cut a total of 6 lengths). Fold the ribbon over twice to keep the inside from fraying, then pin on one side of the open end about 3 inches in from seam. Measure and repeat on other open side. Flip it over and repeat for the other two, lining them up with the first two you pinned. You can pin inside the seam (like I did on the grey pillows) or outside the seam (like I did with the purple pillows), depends on how you like the look. Carefully stitch the ribbon down, removing the pin as you get to it so you don't sew over the pin. Do all four. Insert pillow form. Tie the ribbons. Toss pillow on chair and you're ready to enjoy it! If you want, you can embellish with a few buttons. I did that on the purple but not the grey (can you see those shiny silver thingys on top of the ribbon? Yeah, those are my buttons.).

A friend used one button in the center, stitched through and made her pillows look more tufted. She's way more fancy than I am. I could also see something cute like a line of wide rick-rack or more ribbon embellishment if a person had time. I don't. Ever.

These are so easy to make that I'm thinking I may need to make a few more, seasonal-themed perhaps. Wouldn't that be pretty for autumn colors?

Later 'taters!