Posh Pillow

A posh pillow made from luxe fabrics adds elegance to your living room.

Project Pointer: For this pillow, the fringe and buttons may seem like a finishing touch, but looks can be deceiving. Whether your project is an adorned pillow or appliquéd coverlet, you always start with the embellishments. By adding the buttons and fringe first, you can hide the stitches inside and tuck the ends neatly into the pillow seams. Nice and tidy!

You will need:
Olive green flocked taffeta, 10” x 15”
Purple silk shantung, 7” x 15”
Gold acetate lining, 15” x 15”
Olive chainette bullion fringe, 2” wide, 15” length
Wine vintage-look gimp trim, 15” length
Wine satin ribbon, 5/8” wide, 15” length
6 gold vintage buttons
Olive all-purpose thread
Wine all-purpose thread
Straight pins
Sewing needle
Scissors
Tape measure
Polyester fiberfill

Directions

Step 1. To create the front of the pillow, lay the purple silk shantung facedown on the flocked taffeta (face-up) with the left edges aligned. Pin the left edges together.

Step 2. Using a sewing machine, sew the pinned sides together ½” from the edge.

Step 3. To embellish the front of the pillow, pin the olive fringe over the seam with the fringe toward the purple shantung side. Hand-stitch the fringe to the pillow front with the olive thread.

Step 4. Pin a stripe of wine gimp trim to the center of the flocked taffeta side of the pillow front. Hand-stitch with wine thread.

Step 5. Pin a stripe of wine ribbon between the gimp trim and the fringe. Attach the ribbon to the pillow front with the wine thread by sewing 6 old buttons down the ribbon.

Step 6. To finish the pillow cover, lay the pillow front facedown on the gold acetate lining (faceup). Pin all the way around.

Step 7. Using a sewing machine, sew all the way around the pillow cover ½” from the edge. Leave a 4” opening on one side to insert the stuffing.

Step 8. Turn the pillow cover inside out and stuff with the fiberfill. Be sure to push the stuffing into the corners.

Step 9. To close the pillow, fold the edges of the opening inside and pin together, then use matching thread and a slipstitch to sew the opening closed. Now toss that posh pillow on your sofa for everyone to see!

Turn Right: Sewing machines are great for long, straight stretches, but how do you turn a corner? It’s easy! Stop sewing with the needle in the down position poking through the fabric, then lift the presser foot and turn the fabric 90 degrees. Lower the presser foot and keep on sewing.

Button Bounty: Next time you’re at the flea market, snap up some vintage buttons. If you don’t see any on display, peek inside old sewing kits. There are bound to be buttons in there!