As I said last week (was it last week?  two weeks ago? the days are really flying lately), we’ve run into a slight problem with peanut butter on the silk throw pillows & other disasters of that nature.  & as Harrison grows older & we’ve spent more time up in the loft with his toys, I’ve come to realize that the mature “golf” theme of the former man-room needs to be changed.  I’m really not into spending a ton of money to re-do this room, so I’m trying to change it with a few sewing projects & new wall art.  The room is not quite ready to be revealed, but I did the majority of the sewing this past weekend, including pillow covers for the loft.

I made very simple envelope-style pillow covers with a few yards of fabric & a basic Singer sewing machine.  I’m sure there are tons of tutorials out there with better lines, embellishments, trim, zippers…but we all know I don’t have the patience for that.  I like to just wing it.  I also don’t like to actually measure things, which is bad because I actually really suck at spatial relations.  (p.s. if I can figure out a sewing machine, anybody can figure out a sewing machine.  I am a total box of rocks when it comes to creative talent, so you know that you’ve got this one in the bag.)

First, pick out fabric.  I wanted something bright that could be fun but still relevant to adults.  It also needed to be sturdy & machine-washable.

Remember, I don’t like to measure.  So I plop the old heavy adult-fabric pillow on top & give it a few inches on the sides.  Ask your husband where the scissors are.  Cut the material.

Then cut another big square exactly like the first.  Then cut that square in half – this will create your “envelope” on the back of the pillow.

On your smaller envelope pieces, fold down one long side on each envelope about an inch & pin it.  You want the pretty side of the fabric to be on top of the fold.  Sew a straight stitch along this to sew the fold down.  Remove the pins.

oh, be sure to test out the fabric for cuddle-ability.  This is key.  A toddler is an excellent judge of this, & I have a blonde one for hire.  $1,000,000.00 per hour but he does quality work.

Lay down the big square pretty-side up.  Then lay the two envelope pieces on it, pretty side down.  The envelope pieces should overlap a little bit.  Pin around the square.  Occasionally yelp out in pain when you stab yourself, then tell the amused toddler to never say such a dirty word.

Sew around all four edges.  You’re doing sew great! (ha, cheesy pun time) Be sure to remove all the pins so that nobody gets stabbed when they settle down into the couch.

Flip the cover right-side so that the pretty stuff is on the outside.  & be sure to get your fingers into the corners & push out the fabric.  (oh, look!  someone fixed her camera settings!)

Stuff your pillow into the cover.  This is where measuring could honestly come in handy – I had one cover that was WAY too big, so I simply flipped the cover back to being inside-out & re-sewed the edges closer in to make it smaller.

Yep, you’re done!  Easy, right?  These pillows took 1.5 yards for two, so roughly $12.00 for two “new” pillows that can be washed.  Not shabby!

p.s. the pups are a bigger floor pillow, but same technique.