Large No Sew Accent Pillow To Make
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How to make a removable accent pillow cover that doesn’t require a zipper. It can be made using fabric yardage, a dishtowel or any type of fabric.
I don’t use a lot of throw pillows around my house since they usually end up taking up valuable seating and end up on the floor when someone wants to sit down. I do however like pillows on the banquette in my kitchen. It has L-shaped seating with bed size pillows along the wall that act as a backrest.
On a stroll through Pottery Barn, I saw pretty pillow covers designed for 18″ square pillows. I really liked them, but not the price tag.
A week later, while I was strolling the aisles at Target I saw a set of purple and white oak leaf dishtowels on clearance. I loved the color and knew immediately that they were going home with me to be made into a seasonal no-sew pillow for the banquette.
What I like about using dishtowels or cloth napkins to create decorative accent pillows is that they come with finished edges which makes decorating the no-sew way even easier.
The pre-finished edges allow you to easily add a strip of Velcro along the inside edge so that you can easily take off the cover to wash or to change the pillow for the current season (keeps things fresh looking and makes it easy to change out seasonally).
Finding seasonal dishtowels is easy at stores like Target, HomeGoods, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx since they all carry many colors and styles all the time.
How to Make a No-Sew Removable Pillow Cover
supplies needed:
- 2 dishtowels
- bed pillow – standard size
- Speed Sew or any brand of fabric glue
- 18-inches of Velcro. I used adhesive Velcro since I had it on hand, but no need for only this kind as the sew-on type will bond to the fabric with fabric glue
- clips or clothespins
- toothpick
- scissors
1. Wash and dry dishtowels to allow for shrinkage.
2. Lay one dishtowel on work surface with right side down.
3. Open tube of fabric glue and run a bead of it along one short edge (hem) of dishtowel and two long sides. Use a toothpick to spread out glue over entire hem on these sides.
4. Line up top and bottom dishtowel and press the seams together.
This will create the cover leaving one side open.
5. Cut the 18-inch long adhesive Velcro in half lengthwise. You don’t need the full 1-inch width.
Pull the loop side away from the furry side of the Velcro. Apply a line of fabric glue along unglued short side that is still open in the same way you did the other 3 sides.
Lay the loop side along the glued edge.
6. Repeat the process on the top dishtowel’s edge using the furry side of the Velcro.
7. Place the top and bottom edges of the dishtowels together and use your finger to press the two sides of the Velcro together.
You will hear it snap and click as you go along.
8. Clip edges together until glue dries. It will take a few hours.
9. Remove clips and place pillow into the opening of the dishtowel cover.
10. Close the cover by snapping the two sides of the Velcro together.
All done.
Now I have a new pillow to snuggle up against in the afternoon when the autumn chill in the house summons me to the kitchen for some hot tea and cookies. :-)
If you liked this no sew pillow to add to your home decor, you may also like to make one of these:
- How to Make Stackable Floor Pillows
- How to Make Fringe for a Pillow
- Try This: Mix and Match Your Bedding
I love the color, technique and your wonderful window seat…. that you built yourself. Did you gunk up your scissors cutting the sticky back Velcro? Even if it did that tip to cut it narrower is a big money saver for me $ others too.
Hi Sheryll – The adhesive on the Velcro was not very sticky so no residue on my scissors. In the past though my scissors have gotten gunked up with other types of adhesives. I use Gunk-Off or citrus based cleaners to remove it. They work great.
Hi Diane, I think I missed something, although I read it 2 or 3 times. Did you just glue the other three sides together? I assumed so, but you didn’t say, that I could see. I love your pillow, and think your ideas are brilliant! I hope your house sells soon. I’m looking forward to reading about your next “chapter” in your new home. Have a great week!
Hi Marilyn – You are right. Thanks for telling me. :-) I assume when I was editing I somehow deleted a few sentences. It have added them back into the post.
Great idea for a lot of reasons: the no-sew option, the idea of using a bed pillow outside the bedroom, and a great resource for fabric: kitchen linens! No excuses not to pursue this idea and bring it home!! Thanks so much!
Hi Susanne – I like the fact that the price of a bed pillow is much cheaper than buying a smaller pillow form, too. Way cheaper!
Hi Diane! Just an idea – I buy throw pillows at the second hand stores for $2 or $3 and take the covers off. I then sew an envelope style pillow case, which is easy peasy to do, and push the pillow in. Voila! I live in Canada and velcro here can be fairly expensive, so it is much cheaper and less time for me to just sew a few seams and make the envelope pillow case. But your idea is great for someone who doesn’t want to sew!
Hi Diane – Thanks for sharing your idea about buying pillows at the thrift store for their forms. I agree that Velcro can be expensive. I usually wait to buy it when I have a 40% – 50% coupon from the crafts store.
Too cute…and I love that color! Thanks for those easy directions! ;)
Thanks Donnamae – The color is what grabbed my attention when I saw them at Target. It is one of my fave colors.
Cute! I love the fabric!
Hi Jan – Target is the best place to find decorative stuff on clearance. They hide it on the back end caps of the aisles. I have learned to look there first to find marked down goodies. :-)