How to Make a Basic Pillow + How to Finish a Pillow with Binding
Julie Herman from Jaybird Quilts shows us how to make a basic pillow today (the foundation for the rest of our tutorials all month long!). Once you’re comfortable with the basic pillow, she shows you how to step it up a notch by finishing your pillow with binding. Enjoy today’s tutorials, and use your new skills to “wow” everyone with your entry in our Great SMS Pillow Contest!
Pillows are a great simple project that can be made from start to finish in no time! While you can make a pillow and stuff it I suggest using a pillow form. Pillow forms are available at most quilt shops and hobby shops and take one step out of the process!
Some pillow forms have a non-woven cover.
Others have a woven cover. Not all pillow forms are made equal and you should be able to see the quality in construction through the packaging. In general you get what you pay for. Personally I prefer the non-woven cover pillows that fall in the middle of the price range.
Better quality pillow forms have a zipper closure. This allows you to add or remove filling if you want to make the pillow more or less stuffed. It also helps if you need to spot clean the pillow form.
One of the simplest pillows you can make doesn’t even have any quilting! It has just a few steps and you can easily make it in under an hour. I’m going to show you a 14” Pillow.
How to Make a Basic Pillow
For my pillow I started with a big bold panel print that I found at IKEA.
I used a large square fussy cut ruler (16.5″ Creative Grids Square) to determine what part of the panel I wanted on my pillow. I marked the 14.5” measurements.
Rotary cut out the piece you want to use for the front. For my 14” pillow form I cut my square at 14.5”.
Use a coordinate fabric for the back and cut out two rectangles 14.5″ x 10″.
Here is a table of common pillow form sizes and corresponding front and back measurements:
Iron ¼” on one long side over and then over again to encase raw edges. Pin in place.
Using matching thread topstitch this seam down. Repeat for second back piece.
Place pillow front right side up.
Place first back piece right side down as shown in photo with the finished seam down towards the middle.
Place second back piece right side down as shown in photo with the finished seam up towards the middle.
Place pins around the outside to hold the three pieces in place.
Use a ¼” seam to sew all three layers together.
Stop when you get ¼” away from the corner. If your machine has a needle down function use it to pivot the pillow cover 90˚. If your machine does not have a needle down function carefully pivot the pillow cover without pulling much of the thread from the bobbin or the needle.
Continue sewing all the way around the pillow form.
Trim off the excess bulk in the corners.
You can also add some extra stitching for strength in the corners if you want.
Remove all of the pins and turn the pillow cover right side out. Insert pillow form and you are done!
Many people like their pillows to be a bit more stuffed. This can be achieved in a few simple ways.
1. Add more stuffing into the pillow form.
2. Sew using a ½” seam instead of a ¼” seam. This will cause the pillow cover to have a tighter fit over the pillow form.
3. Use different measurements. For example instead of cutting a 14.5” square for a 14” pillow you could cut a 14” or 13.5” square. This will give a similar result to method #2. How different you choose to make your measurements is up to you, but I personally suggest not changing them more than 10%.
I suggest you try each method and decide what works for you. Personally I use #3 the most often.
Finishing a Pillow with Binding
How many orphan blocks and partially made things do you have lying around near your sewing machine? If you are anything like me it’s more than you want to admit! Leftover blocks and partially made things make great pillows and help you use up your random bits. You can take a stray block and put borders on it to bring it up to size for the pillow form you have.
For the second pillow I’m going to show you how to finish your pillow with binding.
For this pillow I used a leftover coin strip from another project, put a frame around it, and quilted it with a grid pattern. I’m using a 14 x 28 pillow form and made my pillow front 13.5” x 26.5” so that it would be a snug fit.
Make a pillow top and quilt it as if it was a mini quilt.
Note: This method of finishing a pillow with binding works best when the front of your pillow is quilted. If the front is not quilted the binding doesn’t have as much to hold on to and it can be hard to hand stitch without showing through the front.
After quilting I basted around the “mini quilt” and trimmed it to size.
I use muslin as the backing for my “mini quilt” so that there is not bare batting when the pillow is finished.
The assembly here is very similar to pillow #1 but not identical. Since I’m going to finish this with binding I don’t have to assemble the pillow inside out.
Place quilted front right side down. Place first back piece on top with the wrong sides together as shown.
Note: With square pillows I always orient the back sections horizontally across the pillow. With rectangular pillows I always make the open section line up with the smaller side regardless of the pillow’s orientation.
Add the second back piece also with the wrong side down as shown.
Pin to hold the 3 layers together.
Set your machine to a long straight stitch.
Use a walking foot to baste the three layers together all the way around using a scant 1/8” seam. Remove pins once this is complete. After this step your pillow cover is assembled and you could put the pillow form in it even thought your raw edges are showing. If you are at all concerned about fit now is a good time to test it out before taking all the time to put the binding on.
Make enough binding to go around the pillow cover. I show step by step how to make binding in this post on my blog.
Here is a chart that shows how much binding you’ll need for each pillow. In general I use bias binging but I do use straight of grain on many of my more decorative and less daily use pillows.
Put the binding on your “mini quilt” that now has the back pieces basted on. I show step by step how to attach the binding to your quilt, or pillow in this case, on my blog.
Wrap around to the back and hand stitch in place. I show the method I use for hand stitching binding as well as how I finish off my corners in this post.
Take your time with the binding and it’ll be a great addition to your beautiful pillow!
The fabric in the second pillow is Metro Market and Remix by Ann Kelle for Robert Kaufman. Border is Kona Crush by Robert Kaufman.
This tutorial was created for Sew,Mama,Sew! Pillow Month and is not intended for any other distribution. © Tutorial written by Julie Herman. For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/.
Enter our Pillow Contest! Create a pillow this month and enter to win some fabulous prizes.
You can also comment on any post this week for your chance to win one of these great prizes below, courtesy of Robert Kaufman Fabrics:
1 fat quarter pack of Betty Dear, 5 Kona Cotton color cards, 1 fat quarter pack of Night & Day in the Summer Colorstory, 10 sets of 5 Kona charm packs
202 Responses to “How to Make a Basic Pillow + How to Finish a Pillow with Binding”
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I love the bird in the cage panel. What an awesome pillow.
What a great tutorial. Thanks!
Love that mini quilt pillow, so nice and a great way to sort of use scraps!
I never did pillows with binding before, but it looks so simple that I am really going to try!
Wow – great pillow tutorials – they look fabulous!
I love that you give charts for sizes – I usually want to do things that are a litte off from tutorials – and I spend loads of time calculating different sizes.
Hugs from Kirsten in Norway!
Cute pillows. I need to check out ikea more often.
Love the binding on the second pillow.
Love Julie and her always clear and super informative tutorials!
Thank you for this tut, maybe next time I’ll try binding a pillow
Oh this tutorial is perfect! I even have the same fabric in my fabric stash but I was afraid to start a cushion!
I have 2 pillow forms just waiting for some attention – thanks for showing me 2 ways to get beautiful pillows! Your instructions are very clear. Thanks for sharing your beautiful work!
Excellent tutorial, I suspect I won’t find time to join in and make a pillow this month, but shall bookmark this for when I do!
I never thought of bias binding a pillow. Looks great!
Great instructions! Thank you.
I am loving this pillow feature. Over Christmas I decided I wanted to add some colour to my home with pillows – it’s a great chance to try out new things before jumping in with a big quilt too. This is a great tutorial that makes me want to get started!
Thank you so much for going over this. I tried to make a pillow and it just didn’t turn out like I wanted so this helps me a lot
That’s beautiful – Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the tutorial – but there is something I don’t understand. You said “you can even make a pillow without quilting it!”, well I don’t know HOW to quilt a pillow front!! Do you use 2 pieces of material with a wadding sandwich in the middle?
thanks!
wendy
cute pillows, love the prizes!!!
hi julie~
Thanks for that basic tutorial!
Thank you!! I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time!!
Good tutorial. We make a lot of pillows for our designs. Putting on binding is usually not my favorite but this may help me get it done easier. Thanks.
Oh yay! Thank you for this info Julie. I’ve been winging it when I make pillows. It’s nice to see some info from someone who has been there done that! totally bookmarking this.
Great tutorial! I can’t wait to try adding binding to my pillows!
great tutorial— I’ve always wanted to do a pillow with binding!
Thanks for the size charts very helpful for first time pillow makers!
Thank you for this wonderful tutorial. The tables for the binding lengths are going straight into my notebook!
Thanks for the info and for the chance to win!
Thank you Julie for another great tutuorial – you are the queen of bindings!
Thank you Julie for a wonderfully clear tutorial.
Awseome! Thanks for the info & great links too!
Pillow month – I like it! So far I have not yet sewn a pillow, but with jaybirds tut it should not be a problem. Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Great tutorial, thanks Julie!
What a great tutorial! I adore the pillow with the birdcage! I’m going to make some for my sofa from Amy Butler’s new Soul Blossoms fabric!
Lovely pillows! Thanks for the tute!
Great explanation on the binding!
beautiful! What a fun way to use up unused quilt blocks.
Thanks! We’re getting ready to change things up in our living room & I think new pillows will be just the trick!
Thanks for this tutorial, it will be so much fun to make. I have a long pillow that could use a little life added to it.
I have made several envelope closure pillows but still picked up a tip or two from this tutorial. Thanks!
Thanks for that tutorial Julie. Binding has never been my friend but now…..BTW love the pillows.
Both pillows are lovely. Great inspiration!
I love the second pillow, beautiful colors!
Thanks so much for the great tutorial!!! I so appreciate that you gave us the two charts for size and ammounts!
I love Julie’s tutorials – always so creative and easy to follow.
this is a really helpful tutorial, thank you!
Love the binding on the pillow!
Great how to. Can’t wait to get home to make some new pillows for the couch!
this is great, thanks so much for the measurements!
i’ve always wanted to try making a pillow with binding, it looks so good!
great tutorial. I’ve never made a pillow and this will be so much help.
Thanks for this tutorial!
great tutorial, thanks! want to try the binding.
Love the idea of binding off a pillow. I’ve never done one like that before. Thanks for sharing with us!
Great Tutorial! Thanks a lot.
wow! thank you! that is so not scary – all the questions I would have felt silly asking were answered! love the binding idea and instructions!
Thanks for the great tutorials!
Great tutorial! I hadn’t thought of putting binding on, will have to try that.
You can also eliminate the “empty corner” look (although sometimes this is the look I’m going for…) by trimming off a 1/4″ – 1/2″ wedge on each side of each corner. It makes for a tighter fit on the pillow form corners, and helps create the stuffed, over-filled look.
The coin pillow is super cute, definitely on my list of things to make!
I like both of them but my favourite is the second!!!
The chart is wonderful and the directions for the binding are very helpful:)
I never thought to baste before putting my binding on ~ thanks for the tip!
Yea! I’ve been waiting for a simple tutorial like this. I have my orange Ikea fabric all ready to go!
very pretty binding pillow! i so love this one!
love this shape and size!
My next pillow will be finished with binding. Thanks!
Great tutorial. I have made pillows, but it has been years.
I love it all. I love the pillow with the binding. Might be doing that today!
Just waiting for my fabrics so I can join in.
Those turned out great. Thanks for all the tips.
Thanks for this! I do have so many orphan blocks that I’ve been thinking about making into a pillow and I haven’t ever gotten around to it.
Thanks for the tutorial! I have so many pillows I need to make with the abundance of fill I have in the house!
Thanks for the helpful tutorials and size charts!
Lolz!!! Did you see the Portlandia episode with ‘Put a bird on it?’ The birdcage pillow totally made me think of that. Thanks for a great laugh right in the middle of the day!
I’ve never made a pillow with binding. I guess that will be on my to do list. Thanks for the tutorial.
Moving into a new home and can’t wait to redo all the couch pillows – especially since a new IKEA will open soon!!
Such a great tutorial! Thank you!! I think I need to plan a trip to the Ikea store in Seattle, because I’m loving all of their fabrics I’ve been seeing lately!
Great tutorial — thank you very much! I’ve never used binding before, and this encourages me to do so…
I see lots more pillows in my future. You have shown how simple it can be when you know to tips. Beautiful job (as always) of clearly showing how it is done.
Wow! I see lots more pillows in my future. You have shown how simple it can be when you know to tips. Beautiful job (as always) of clearly showing how it is done.
What a great tutorial and general explanation! Loved it. THanks!
I really like the pillow with the binding. What a great idea.
Great step by step instructions. I’m totally going to try these!
Great tutorial, thank you!
So simple. I look forward to doing a few of these!
These are wonderful instructions. Great tips on how to fit a pillow.
Great tutorial!!! Thank you so much for posting this!
What a great tutorial, thanks!
Why didn’t I think of adding a border to my orphan blocks?!?! Thanks Julie!
I love the Ikea panel! Great tutorial – thanks for brushing up on the basics
Love Julie, love pillows, and so wish there was an Ikea store nearby. Thanks for the easy peasy tutorials.
Nice tutorial! I had started some pillows even before I knew about all the pillow-crazes going on this month- extra motivation to finish them!
I love the bird fabric. great idea to take pieces from one panel! Thanks
Thanks for the measurements!!
I started a pillow top just the other day and now I know how to finish it!! Thank you!
In addition to using orphan blocks, I now know what to do with all those bits or orphan binding I have saved. Thank you.
Oh, how I love the bird in the cage pillow. Thanks for this tutorial. I’m loving the idea of using up the once-upon-a-time well-intended projects for pillows!
You always do such great tutorials, Julie! Thanks for sharing some new info for this quilter.
Julie totally rocks!! Great tutorial!! Thanks for sharing..Can’t wait to make a couple of pillows!!
i just love this pillow. it worked out great
Thank you for the fabric cutting chart! I’m going to be making some soon and it’s really helpful!
Wow! I never knew enclosure pillows were so easy! I’m gonna have to try out that binding technique!
I think I will use this to make some pillows for my bed. Thanks especially for all the measurements! I needed that.
I love the quilted pillow!
This is just what I need during these grey winter days. I’m off to sew something to keep me SANE!!!
Love the coin pillow! And the prizes look awesome, would love to win.
Great tutorials! I’m going to have to try the binding one. I haven’t done that yet. Thanks!
thanks for the tutorial:)
Thank you for the tutorial. The Mini-Quilt-Pillow looks great.
Julie – Genius on the pillow binding! I love that idea! I’m never super excited about sewing piping in my pillow edges, but this would give that same look and seems much easier. To me at least.
Thanks!
What a great tutorial! I love your pillows and I certainly have plenty of scraps lying around that I could give a new life!!
Thank you for this tutorial! It will be very helpful when I make my pillow
New pillows always make a room look more cozy! thanks for the tutorial!
This is excellent. I have some textiles I have been wanting to turn into pillows and this really helps. Especially the size chart. Handy.
Great tutorial – this is a great month for learning and visiting new sites, gathering fresh ideas.
blurry brillint! thank you
Just last night I was thinking it was time to redo the throw pillows on my couch. I’ll have to get on it now that I know it’s pillow month!
This was good info. I have actually been cutting blocks for pillow fronts today on my “snow day at home from work day”.
Love the idea for the binding! Lovely fabric combo!
Love the idea for the binding! It’s a great addition to the pillow.
Great tut! Love the binding can’t wait to try that on the next pillow.
These are great pillows! I love it!
Thanks for the detailed tutorials. They’re lovely pillows and it’s great to have the charts for different measurements too
Love this tutorial! Great tip for getting a snug fit…making the cover a little smaller than you might first think.
I love the coin strip pillow!
Thanks for having such a nice giveaway – hope I win!
cute pillows.
Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing.
I love your mini quilt pilow tutorial. It should be a great training before making the big quilt.
Great tutorial, I will definately making a pillow for my couch, love the quilted cushion.
I LOVE your second pillow!!
We, the ladies at work and I, were just thinking about making new pillows for our office chairs. What a great tutorial to have before we begin.
So cute! Thanks for the binding tutorial!
Hi great tutorial, for a beginner it gives me lots of help but just one question…..you say ‘topstitch the seam’ is this just a basic straight stitch or something else?
Sorry to sound so dumb but Iam a complete beginner!
A
Wow! I love it! Binding was always a scary Dragon to me, but I’ll give it a go tomorrow! Thanks, Julie!
Great instructions! Thanks!!
Thanks for the tutorial. The “typical” measurements are especially useful. I often find my estimates to make the pillow cases a bit too tight and then on the next I’ve erred on the opposite direction. This will speed up the process.
yay!! love seeing some of my favorite ikea prints in action!
the patchwork pillow is gorgeous. so quick and simple but totally fresh and eyecatching.
Love it! Thanks for the info. I think there are lots of pillows in my future…
I like the idea of using the binding on pillows!
Oh yay, measurements for the back pieces! I have never been able to figure out what size these need to be. Thanks so much. I love the bound cover, now I don’t know which to make first.
I haven’t made any pillows to date, but I am definitely inspired to try now! Thanks for the inspiration!
What fun fabric in the first pillow!
I love that birdcage pillow cover!
I’ve never bought fabric at Ikea. What the heck is wrong with me????
Thanks for the step by step. I have always wondered how much overlap to have on the back pieces.
Great tutorial also thanks for the measurements handy to have takes the guesswork away!
Great tutorial! Time for me to turn those few yards of Dogwood Bloom fabric into pillows.
Julie, what a fabulous post. I have never thought to bind a pillow, but I LOVE that! Oh, and you’re not going to believe this, but I have a pillow almost EXACTLY like the one you displayed (with the Ikea fabric and the bird in the cage). It’s in my daughters room. The only difference is the back, otherwise it’s exactly the same. Crazy! I thought I was dreaming when I saw the picture.
Thanks for this! And what a cute pillow!
Thanks for sharing!
That fabric is so charming… Thanks for providing such clear guidance
thanks for the tute. great looking pillow.
Great tutorial… and that argyle binding is fab!
Thanks so much for the tutorial. You make it so easy. I’ve wanted to make pillows, but was afraid it would be all involved, and I’d mess it up. Thanks for giving me the little push I need.
thanks for the fun tutorial and great pillow ideas! love ‘em.
Great tutorial. I have always been hesitant to make pillows but this makes it look so easy! Thanks
Neato! Thanks for the great tutorial!
Great tutorials! Love the pillow with the binding.
Thanks for the detailed tutorial!
what a great tutorial!
I’ve never thought of binding a pillow like this. It looks great.
simply awesome tutorial.
I love the second pillow!! It’s so fun!
what a great tutorial! i love the quilted / bound pillow. the fabric choices are too cute and love the contrast that the binding provides. thanks!
Great tutorials! I absolutely love the fabric on the longer pillow. Such cheery colors!
Thank you for the tutorial. I always wondered how to make the envelope back. I love the long pillow.
Thank you so much for doing this tutorial. I have several pillow forms sitting in my sewing room and have been searching for how to make covers for them. I wanted something I could remover each season so the cover would always match the quilt on my bed. Now I not only know how to finnish them but I also have a great use for the scraps from the quilt tops.
Thanks for the tutorial! I made my first few pillows recently but haven’t even considered binding. It looks so nice! Only thing I need to figure out is how to put binding and a zipper together – I’ve discovered I don’t have the kind of family that can handle envelope backs (too rough!)
Yay! Thank you for the fabric measurements for the common pillow forms. Great pattern since the fabric can be slipped on and off of the pillow. Awesome!!!
i hadn’t thought of binding a pillow- i love how it looks.
I love that second pillow there Julie! very cute!
You’ve almost made me believe I can do this! I think I’m going to try to make a baby pillow.
Thank you for the binding idea! Great, clear tutorial! Thanks so much!
I love the binding fabric. So cute!
Great tutorial!!! I love the birdie!!
Thanks for the timely tut – will be making my son a pillow for the new school year and this will be a great reference. Especially love the reference tables – so handy.
Another excellent tutorial full of great info from Julie. Thank you so much Julie!
Thanks for the wonderful tutorials Julie!
These are amazing!
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Great tutorial! I want to try the binding method of finishing my next pillow. Thanks for sharing!
Some very different ideas in there that I wouldn’t have thought of, Thanks!
Very informative… thanks!
Wow! that was a great tutorial…
thank you
I’ve had my eye on that Ann Kelle fabric for awhile.
Thank you!
I’ve been looking for a tutorial for making a pillow like that for ages – thankyou!
I love both of these pillows – I had no idea an envelope backing was so easy! This is definitely a tutorial I’ll be trying out. Thank you for such great instructions!!
Thanks for the idea about binding your pillow. Great idea, and it does make the pillow look special, especially if it contrasts, like yours does.
Brenda
such easy, simple ideas! can’t wait to try!
Fabulous tutorial! I am definitely going to use these techniques. Thank you!
[...] you’ve been following along with the pillow tutorials, you already know the general steps to make a pillow; I’m just going to show you how to construct the [...]
Thank you for this tute!!
binding on a pillow looks so neat! I’m going to give it a try soon.
Excellent tutorials! Thank you.
Thanks for the tutorial!
I am loving all of these inspirational pillow ideas. The bird in the cage just takes the cake!
The binding gives such a nice finish – I’ll have to try that next time!
Great tutorial – thank you for sharing it.
Just passed this tutorial on to a friend who is starting to sew and wants to make pillows…wonderful tutorial!
Thank you Thank You for the measurement chart! I printed it & put it in my binder!!
Good tutorials – yours are always good
These tutorials have the BEST photos. The instructions are so clear. Making a pillow with binding is perfect for quilters. I never thought of doing that before! This is great.