Here’s a quick and easy tutorial on how to make inexpensive pillow covers for any time of the year! If you have a sewing machine, even if you’re a beginner, you can do this project!

this site contains affiliate links which may earn me a small commission but does not increase your price

Easy DIY Pillow cover

EASY DIY PILLOW COVERS

Here’s my fast and easy way to switch out my pillows for the different seasons without buying all new pillows, which are hard to store. With pillow covers, you can just fold them up and store away in a ziplock bag to keep fresh and clean.

The pillow cover I’m using in this tutorial is of my painted pumpkin on duck cloth I made a video of a few weeks ago. But you can use any material for this project. If you’d like to see the video, head to my Facebook page!

only 3 pieces of fabric!

Since I had just scraps of material left, I did have to piece a few sections together to make the back panels….but you won’t need to do that, so just think of these 2 back panels as one panel each.

Choose your pillow size

To begin, select the pillow sizes you’d like to cover. Most couch throw pillows come in 2 different sizes: 18×18 or 20×20.

So let’s start with the front panel of the pillow, the decorative side, so to speak. You will need to add 1 inch to these measurements. So if your pillow is 18×18, you will cut out a piece of material 19×19. This is your front!

For the back, it’s a bit different, because we are going to make this a slip cover, so it will overlap on the back to make it easily removable later. For the back measurement, say of the 18×18 pillow, you will cut 2 panels, adding the 1 inch to the top measurement (19) but adding 5 inches to the side (23). So cut out each panel 19×23.

Next you will want to hem one end each of these panels. Measure out the 22 inch length and fold over ¼ inch and press with an iron. Then turn it over again another ¼ inch and press. (see photo below) This will be the finished edge of the back opening.

DIY Pillow cover assembly

Now, lay your finished side of the front panel up. This is called the RIGHT side of the fabric. Next lay one of the back panels, the finished side (or RIGHT side) down on top, matching up the side edges of both pieces together. Pin this in place.

Next, lay your other back panel over top of this lining up the opposite side of the pillow, pin in place. This piece will overlap the other back piece…this is your opening to insert the pillow later!

Now take this pinned piece to your sewing machine and stitch up all along the side, staying no more than ½ inch away from the raw edge. I usually use the pressure foot as my guide, lining up the edge of the foot to the edge of the raw edge of material. This is less than 1/2″ & gives me some wiggle room when turning the slip cover inside out and inserting the pillow.