I finally made pillows for my bed and I have to show you! I've been helping a lot of people pick out pillow fabric lately, and it got me itching to make new pillows for my bed at home. I've wanted to add pillows to pull everything together in our master bedroom for a long time, but never quite had the right fabric combos. Until now! These are some of my very favorites, and I am so glad I get to see them everyday!
The large pillows in the back are king size and are covered with Indigo Rustica Chambray which is a cotton linen mix. It is gorgeous and adds tons of texture. I added batting and quilted the front of the pillows to make them a little more stable, but you wouldn't have to.
The middle set of pillows are standard bed pillow size. For these I used the amazing Chemistry in Sharp from Loominous II by Anna Maria Horner. This whole line is amazing woven fabrics that we are just crazy about. They are even more beautiful once you wash them!
Both the king size and standard size pillow covers are made using an envelope back. But, instead of putting the opening in the middle of the the pillow I moved it to one of the short ends. Here's how to do it:
1. Cut three pieces for each pillow
Front piece - equal to the size of the pillow (check the tag)
Large back piece - equal to the size of the pillow, plus 1/2"
Small back piece - the length of the small side of the pillow x 9"
2. Hem both back pieces by pressing one of the edges over 1/2", then another 1/2" and top stitching in place.
3. Layer the pieces as shown in the image below, then sew all the way around the pillow.
The front pillows are our 20x20 synthetic down pillow inserts which are our absolute favorite. So soft and squishy...makes me want to take a nap just thinking about them! I used our amazing botanical panels from Andover called Terrestria in Natural and then put a coordinating fabric on the back. For these pillows I put in an invisible zipper so they could be easily changed or laundered and not have an opening on the back. If you have not learned how to make pillows this way you must! I'm teaching a class on our Bison pillow in August, but we can make whatever kind of pillow you want while you learn all about installing invisible zippers. I promise, you'll be shocked how easy it is.
Here's a full run down on the supplies you would need to make over your bed!
2 standard or 2 king size pillows: 3 yards
(2) 20" x 20" accent pillows: 1 panel + 5/8 yard for the back
Once I finished the pillows I realized my hexi quilt coordinated perfectly! I also keep my favorite yak blanket on the bed and snuggle up in it practically every night. (And yes, yak is coming back soon!) If you haven't made our yak blanket yet, be sure to grab a spot in our September class and we will let you all know as soon as yak returns at the shop! Anyway, I love the pulled together look the bed has now. And I have to tell you - it was so easy! It was all about picking the perfect fabrics. Stop in the shop soon because I would love to help you find your perfect fabric combo for your bed too!!
Side Note: I made our fabric covered headboard years ago in an upholstery class Roxanne and I took at Mac's hardware. That fabric was called Cottage in Summerland and was one of the first fabrics we ever carried. Sadly, it is out of print now.
Happy Sewing!
Connie