I shared a couple of days ago that I was going to make some custom pillow covers for the family room sectional. It came with pillows, but they weren’t my style/colors. Making pillow covers in fabrics that tie my style and colors with the sectional is a great way to make something feel a little more custom and cohesive.
I already had the checked blue pillows, so I kept those and made some more out of antique linen tea towels with blue embroidery and Waverly’s Country House Linen Cameo Toile.
(I was going to add the gray linen in there as well, but decided against it.)
Kriste made the piping, cut out the fabric, and pinned the pillows and then I sewed them together (more tag-teaming on this project!) We worked together to get them all hand-stitched closed. I know I should put zippers on my pillows, but I just don’t take the time to do that. Sometimes I’ll make ties or something, but most of the time, I just sew them on. I have found that pillows are something I change out pretty frequently, so I make them simply and then make a new cover when I’m ready for a different look.
And they look great. As intended, they really tie everything together.
The quilts really bring things together, too, and we actually do pull them off the back to snuggle up in. I purchased the snowflake/ feathered star quilt on Etsy and the nine-patch/chain at the Raleigh Flea Market.
We made a couple of pillows for the chairs that flank the window behind the sofa as well. Again, it just repeats a design element I used on the sofa, tying things together.
I love the pattern on these pillows.
I shared the cross-stitch pattern for them HERE, if you want to make your own…
If you’re interested making pillows like the ones I made in this post, here is a tutorial…
Simple Pillow Tutorial (with piping)
26 Responses
Perfect! You just gave me great ideas for my sofa pillows… as I have been struggling for months to come up with the right mix of pattern and color.
Marian,
You have an ad for Grohe brand of bathroom fixtures, toilets, etc. on your blog. It’s not modest. I could see part of a showering, naked woman’s breasts and her front all the way down to her pubic area on yesterday’s ads (which were in German). Today, it’s the woman drying off with a towel covering only the lowest portion of her buttocks, this time in English.
I thought you should know, and there’s not a reason in the world I would have to make this up.
Respectfully,
Kelley
Right! Get rid of Grohe!!
Aren’t most if not all readers adult women? I see no reason to get rid of anything!
I agree. Nothing offensive about the female body.
Loving the changes to your room especially the embroidered pillows in the chairs! What kind of material did you use for these?
The couch looks so much more “you” with your pillows. Now if you could get some chain and a hammer and ding up your coffee table top to give it some age 🙂
Marian,
First off I love the fabrics for your pillows, I was waiting to see how you dress up your new sofa, good job! You’re so talented.
Secondly, I have a question on the French cane chair, in the photos above, is that a raw wood finish? I think I looks very pretty. I have two French chairs that I have to re-cover, and re-finish, so I’m looking for inspiration. Right now the chairs are a blonde color, well more like almost yellow and they need a facelift, I was thinking a wash of curio, but love your chairs. What to do, what to do… sometime the hardest part, is figuring out what direction to go in….that’s me in the moment.
Debra Lyn
Love the pillows!
Beautiful pillows! The cording really makes them look finished and professional. As for zippers, I am scared! LOL! I just need to get the sewing machine out and give it a try. Until then, I just use the envelope-like opening so I can switch out the covers. The indigo pillows in the last image (possibly your studio?) are gorgeous…reminds me of Artissimo from your paint line (my fav color!).
Mad sewing skills! I have a very similar old tufted sofa in my living room and everyone thinks that it’s too fancy to sit on. Haha.
The pillows are a beautiful mix of color and pattern and warm-up the space beautifully! Love the quilt too! Everything looks like your style now!
Wait a minute, how have I not known about those fabulous chairs that flank your window? What color are they??? I must know.
They are actually raw wood! I’ve had them for a few years, but I had them stripped down and just never repainted or finished them.
Love them all! You know your style so well, and always choose lovely fabrics.
I love these pillows! I am inspired xo
Perfect! Lovely fabrics.
I love your fabric choices. Love the sectional. That Waverly Toile is one of my favorites. I have Christmas curtains in the red. Did you sell your leather couch?
oooooh! LOVE LOVE the Waverly fabric. Did you make 18″ pillows or larger? Think since it’s 54″ wide I can get 2 pillows from one yard? They are sooo pretty!! Thanks Marian 🙂
You may have addressed this before, sorry if I missed it — but did you end up not liking the leather couch? We’re thinking about getting a similar one and I’m wondering if there’s something I should know.
Marian, I don’t see that you are currently using the pillows in the last picture (from a previous post where you used the fabric from an antique blue textile sent to you). I just have to ask–if you ever decide to sell those, may I PLEASE buy them from you? I love whatever you do and your new living room is coming together so beautifully! It’s exciting to vicariously enjoy the process!
Why not make pillow covers?
You nailed it, Marian. Nicely done… Your tutorial might actually inspire me to complete my pillow recovering project!
Wow! Love the mushroom coloured one with the floral especially! Very nice
I’ve made pillows with an envelope back that have been easy to change at whim–just an idea.
Where is the blue checked fabric from? and the other blue checked on the chairs? How much fabric to make a couch pillow? Thanks!!!!!!!