Sweater Pillow

The other day I went to put on my favorite sweater and discovered a hole. To say I was devastated is an understatement. Just kidding, it's a sweater; but it's soft and my favorite color and I look cute in it (if I do say so myself). As I was balling it up to toss in the trash, I realized this did not have to be the end for my sweater. My sweater could live on as a pillow.

My trusty sewing machine, some pins, a pillow insert, and some needle & thread is all I needed for this project.

Step 1: Cut the material. First I cut off the material I did not need for the pillow (such as the sleeves). 

My pillow form was 12 x 16 inches. Normally when measuring to cut material for a pillow I will add a 1/2 inch (1/4 inch for seam allowance on each side) but because my sweater material was stretchy I just kept to the 12 x 16 inches measurement. Just see how much "give" your material has when trying to decide on measurements.


I cut it in a way so that I could utilize one of the sides still sewn on the sweater, yay for shortcuts!

Step 2: Once I had my measurements and had cut the material I then placed "right sides" together. Basically I put the material I wanted to show on the outside on the inside facing each other. 

Step 3: Sew sweater material together, leaving one short side open for the pillow form.

As previously noted, sweater material can be a bit stretchier than regular cotton sewing fabric. I held the material as I sewed to make sure it stayed lined up.

As I neared each corner I would stop, lift the presser foot, and reposition to go up the next side so each side of the pillow had 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Step 4: Now that I had 3 sides sewn together I turned the sweater material right side out and inserted the pillow form through the short side I left open.






Step 5: Next, take the material at the opening, fold it in a little bit, and pin closed. 

Step 6: Take a needle and thread (knotted at the bottom) and stitch open end closed. 

I use a ladder stitch for this. It is relatively easy and invisible because the stitches are done inside the little folds you've made.






With everything stuffed, pinned, and stitched. My sweater became a pillow.

~ B