Bolster Pillow Tutorial (Deployment Project #81)

Let’s use all those sweet pleats I showed you how to make yesterday and use them on a bolster pillow!!

First I embroidered my words, “Always” & “Forever” on a piece of white fabric.

Then I cut this fabric down to pillow size.  For a bolster pillow, I cut it 2” wider than the pillow (for your seam allowance) and then - - this is really technical - - I wrap the fabric around my pillow and overlap it by 6” ( to allow for my button closure)

Next, it is time to attach the pleating.  Lay the pleating, even with your cut edge of your fabric…

Sew your pleating to your cover - - remember, you will want the finished edge of your pleating facing in and the rough edge matching up with the cut edge of your fabric.    Attach it from top to bottom – – we will finish the edge next.

Making the button closure:

 

Make a 1” hem along the top of your pillow cover.  Iron and sew it down.

 

Find the center of  your pillow cover – along the edge that you just sewed – and mark  it with a small dot.  This is where your center button hole is going to be.  Make a mark every 3” to the right and the left.  I usually try to have an odd number of buttons.  It just seems to look better (usually I go with 5).

 

Sew all your button holes.

A little trick for opening up your button holes is to put a straight pin at on end of the hole…

 

Poke your seam ripper into the opposite end of the button hole…

 

Slide your seam ripper up until it hits the straight pin.  See wasn’t that a fin little trick?!  ;)

Now it time to make your pillow a perfect fit.

Lay your cover face down…

 .

Place your pillow on top…

 

Fold your unfinished edge over your pillow…

 

Fold your button hole edge over the unfinished edge to determine exactly where you should finish the other side.  Remember that you want an overlap so that you can attach your buttons!!  Finish this edge exactly the same way that you did the first one.

 

Now, with the fabric wrapped around your pillow again, it is time to mark where your buttons are going to go.

 

Simply fold back at each button hole and make a small dot.

 

 

Sew all your buttons on.

 

Now, all we have left is to put the sides on your pillow.  Cut out 2 circles of fabric that are 1” wider all the way around than you pillow.

 

Clip along the rough edge of the side you attached your ruffle to - - this will help ease the seam as you sew around the circle.

Now, line up your end of rough ruffle edge that has the button hole end with the edge of one of your circles.  Sew this all the way around your circle overlapping the end that has the buttons attached over the button hole edge.

 

Repeat this with the other circle.

 

Turn your pillow right side out.

Insert your pillow form…

Button your buttons and enjoy your finished pillow!!