New York Interior Design: Custom Made Pillow Tutorial

If you've ever made your own decorative pillows you know its not cheap to buy the pillow forms {unless IKEA's in your backyard}. I can tell you, its not in mine! We make the trek once or twice a year and I always buy a few pillow forms each time I go. The thing is, I've only found them in one size. And I want something different. Am I asking for too much?

So I decided to create my only pillow form so that I could have the shape I want. Spoiled, I know!

WARNING: the deconstruction will look a little scary. As in, the massacre of 57 small birds.

I promise you no birds were harmed in the making of this pillow form {at least not by my hands!}

Here's what we're making:

To begin with lets start with the pillow form. I took a old white pillow case to use as my feather holder.

I folded down the long edge to get a guide for cutting. My goal is the shape of a long thin pillow.

Next I sewed the long side and filled with feathers that I took from my IKEA pillow form. I think an assistant is a necessity with this project and you will want to do this OUTSIDE!

Poor birds! They didn't know what hit em! ;)

Then I held the side shut and stitched it up with my sewing machine using tight small stitches. {We don't want any of these bad boys escaping}.

And here's the result of the pillow form:

Now to make the outside.

I hauled out more of my drop cloth fabric {a canvas drop cloth washed and dried~at any paint or home improvement store}. I cut two pieces to size then decided to paint two vertical stripes on them. I just used some craft paint, painters tape, and a sealer. {Don't want any paint getting on the couch}.

Once its dry you can sew your pillow case inside out, put your form inside and whip stitch it shut. Make sure its really dry. I got rather impatient {I do have a tight schedule} and rushed this process resulting in a few small smudges. Oops!