How to Create Custom Pillows for CHEAP!
I absolutely love how my pillow turned out! We will be moving into another home soon and I wanted to change my color scheme without spending a ton of money. The house needs some updating and it is being painted with a fresh coat of interior paint as I write this post! I chose to paint the interior of the house in Anew Gray by Sherwin Williams. I wanted pillows with gray, white, and turquoise colors, but I found it difficult to find these colors together in a pillow. When I did see a pillow I liked, it was too expensive. So, I decided to create my own custom pillows for cheap. And best of all- there is no sewing involved! Yay!
The first thing you need to do is gather your supplies. I chose to purchase most of my supplies at Hobby Lobby when the pillow covers were 50% off. The pillow covers range in price depending on the style you choose. You will need pillow covers, API's Crafter's Pick fabric glue, spools of decorative rope trim, and pillow inserts. You can purchase pillow inserts from Pillow Cubes in many shapes and sizes online. The gray & white pillow covers are regularly $9.99 each and the turquoise & white pillow covers are regularly $7.99 each. However, I bought the pillow covers at 50% off so they cost $4.99 and $3.99 each. The fabric glue was $4.99 and the decorative trim rolls (5 yds each) cost $3.99 each. Your pillow inserts will range in price depending on the size you choose.
After purchasing your supplies, put the pillow insert inside of each pillow cover first. Having the insert inside the pillow cover makes gluing the decorative trim much easier. I purchased pillow covers with hidden zippers. Make sure you don't glue your zippers shut! Choose a bottom corner on the front of the pillow cover and begin gluing trim from that corner. Do not remove the tape from the decorative trim! If you remove the tape, the rope unravels very quickly and it is hard to bring together again.
When working with this fabric glue, I found it easier to squirt some glue out on cardboard paper first and then apply the glue with a q-tip to the edge of the pillow. The glue does not come out in a small straight line-it squirts out of several small holes. Add extra glue at each corner to make certain the trim adheres to it. Slowly work your way around the entire pillow. This craft requires patience-don't rush through it. Make sure that every piece of your decorative trim adheres to the pillow edge. The glue dries pretty quickly-within a few minutes. Try not to get glue on top of the decorative trim because it dries darker on the rope trim. The glue dried clear on my 100% cotton pillow covers. This non-toxic fabric glue has a permanent bond and is washable with a very gentle hand wash. Always test your fabrics first to see if the glue will discolor your craft. I was skeptical about the glue creating a permanent bond, but it seems to have worked!
By far, the most difficult part of this project is gluing the two pieces of rope trim together at the last corner. When you cut the rope trim, be sure to hold the ends firmly and secure the ends with tape to prevent it from unraveling. It might even be better to tape the area of rope first, then cut it. Unfortunately, I cut it and it started unraveling. I quickly grabbed it and added a ton of glue while folding the edge on the under side of the pillow. Thank God-the glue dried and the corner is secure!
Please remember not to glue your hidden zipper together! Keep unfolding the fabric down so it does not get stuck. Now, allow your pillow to dry. The glue bottle label states, "Glue must cure 7-10 days before washing. Hand wash gently. Air dry. Do not dry clean." Finally, proudly display your custom pillows!
This post was sponsored by Pillow Cubes. All opinions expressed are solely that of Monica Dunham.
