Welcome! This DIY sweater pillow cover was so easy, and I loved how festive it was for the Holidays. Yet it was neutral enough to keep up all year long if wanted! It requires basic sewing skills…. No zippers or fancy stuff. Lets dive in!
Materials:
- One sweater- I found mine at a thrift store. I liked that it had a pattern on both sides of it.
- Cotton stuffing and white cotton material- or a pillow insert.
- Scissors
- A sewing machine and thread in a color that matches
- String/ ribbon for the closures
Step 1: Making the pillow insert
If you choose to make a pillow insert great this step is for you! If not, and you just decided to buy a pillow insert, skip this step and head to the next step.
I started with some plain cotton fabric I had laying around. It is a remnant of a plain white cotton sheet. I cut it into two square shapes roughly 14″ x 14″. Then I sewed around the outside edges of 3.5 of the sides of the square leaving a small opening to stuff in the filling. Then I filled it with the cotton filling. After it was full. I sewed along the open edge securing all of the cotton filling inside. It doesn’t have to be pretty since a pillow cover is just going to go over it anyways. You do want it kinda full, as most pillows get limp over time. The more stuffing in the beginning will prevent this.
Step 2: Cutting the sweater
Next it is time to cut the sweater. Using scissors, I cut both sleeves off my sweater opting to leave the cute border at the bottom. Some sweaters may be better cut in other ways depending on your design. Look at the details of your sweater and decide where you want to cut it at. In the end you are trying to create a square chunk of material, with two pieces, top and bottom.
I cut the sleeve straight up trying to line up the line with the sides of the sweater to give it a square shape.
Next cut off the neckline to create a flat top line for the top of the pillow.
Step 3: Sewing the edges
In this step you will need to put the outside edges of the sweater together to sew it. Basically, you are flipping the sweater inside out. There should be openings across the top where you cut the neckline, and each arm hole. The bottom part will also be open, but it will stay open if you are making a removable pillow cover. The sides of the sweater should still be closed as they were when you first got it before cutting. Placing the correct sides together, place the edges under your sewing machine, and stitch together. I used a cotton thread, and a serger to sew ming. You could also use cotton thread and a zig zag stitch, if the sweater has some stretch to it.
You will sew along the top edge, and down both arm holes. I started at one armhole, went across the top and back down the other armhole pivoting at the corners. Leave the bottom of the sweater open.
Step 4: Sewing on the ribbon
In this last sewing step, I added ribbons to the bottom opening of the sweater. I wanted to be able to remove it, and thought a ribbon closure would be cute and work well with the stretchy fabric. I cut the ribbon to length, and then zig zag stitched along the end to secure it to the inside of the bottom opening, so that it would hide the stitches better. I made a small square out of the zig zag stitches, making sure there were no loose or fraying ends.
Step 5: Stuffing the pillowcover
In this last step, all you have to do is flip the pillowcover right side out, placing all of the new sewn seams on the inside, and put your pillow insert in. I then tied cute bows with the ribbon to close it at the bottom edge. That’s it! Such a easy and afforable pillow case cover. I had the stuff to make the insert, but I got the sweater for $6 at a thrift store.
