"This year we’re bringing you a sew-along series to help you sew a quilted throw pillow of your own."
This year we’re bringing you a sew-along series to help you sew a quilted throw pillow of your own. To help you gather your equipment and make sure you have everything you need, we’ve put together an overview of the steps we’ll be guiding you through.
- How to Make a Quilted Throw Pillow: Post 1: Fabric
- How to Make a Quilted Throw Pillow: Post 2: Design & Cut
- How to Make a Quilted Throw Pillow: Post 3: Sewing the Front
- How to Make a Quilted Throw Pillow: Post 4: Quilting
- How to Make a Quilted Throw Pillow: Post 5: Sew the Pillow
Post 1: Introduction to the project and the methods we’re going to use, as well as advice on choosing fabrics and designs. No need for any equipment for this post, but you’ll be picking out your fabrics for the front and reverse of your pillow.
Post 2: Choosing a layout and cutting your fabrics ready to sew. You’ll need grid paper and colouring pencils to mock up your design, as well as the fabrics you chose in post 1. Other supplies depend on how you choose to cut your fabric – those using rotary cutters will also need a self-healing mat and a ruler, while those using scissors will need a ruler and something to mark the fabric with (fabric marker or tailor’s chalk in a contrasting colour). An iron to press your fabric might be useful too.
Post 3: Sewing quilt top together. In this post, you’ll need the fabric you prepared during post 2, as well as thread in a matching colour (we like to use a light grey with most colours, as it tends to blend well). Pins or clips will be required too, and an iron for pressing seams is helpful.
Post 4: Sandwiching pillow front and quilting. For this stage you’re going to need thread matching your fabric, the backing fabric you prepared in post 2 and quilt batting (sometimes referred to as quilt wadding). There are various different types of batting, from cotton via bamboo and wool to polyester, as well as a number of blended types. Each fibre type behaves differently and will give a different look to your quilt, so which you choose is a matter of taste – try going to your local quilt shop and feeling the different options before you choose. We’re going to quilt the pillow front with a sewing machine, using a walking presser foot to help feed the fabric through the machine. You can also quilt by hand if you’d like, but it’s a different process which results in a different feel to your quilt.
Post 5: Construction of your pillow. In this final post, you’ll need the fabric you chose for the reverse of your pillow, as well as thread in a matching colour. You’ll also need a pillow insert of the appropriate size – our project is based around a 45cm (18in) insert, but if you’ve made a bigger or smaller cover don’t forget to change the insert size too!
We hope you’ll follow along!
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