These easy pom pom pillows are easy to make and can transform a boring couch into something fun and individual. They have easy to sew, envelope-style backs so you don’t have to worry about sewing any fiddly zippers or buttons. Ready to start your DIY pom pom pillows? Most of you will be able to sew these in well under 30 minutes. It will probably take longer to untangle your pom pom trim! (My daughter thought the multicolored pom poms made a good necklace.)
How to Make Pom Pom Pillows
Supplies
- Fabric: You can use any type of fabric but quilting cottons and decorator fabrics work particularly well. The cute dog fabric was actually a dishcloth I cut up. Always be resourceful in your fabric choices and keep an eye out for cheap things you can upcycle and repurpose.
- Pom pom trim. If you are a beginner you will find it easier to sew small to medium sized pom poms. Larger pom poms are a little more awkward to sew.
- A cushion insert. This method works for square or rectangular cushions.
- Regular and Zipper foot
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Pins
The Video
Here is a quick video to show you how to make the pillows. I post weekly sewing and craft videos on YouTube so please subscribe 🙂
Cutting the Pom Pom Pillows
Measure your cushion insert. Make sure you measure around the curve of the cushion to get an accurate reading.
Cut your front and back pieces from the fabric
FRONT – Cut 1 piece of fabric in this size
- HEIGHT – Add 1 inch (2.5cm) to the height of your pillow for the seam allowance.
- WIDTH – Add 1 inch (2.5vm) to the width of your pillow for the seam allowance.
BACK – Cut 2 pieces of fabric this size
- HEIGHT – Add 1 inch to the height of your pillow for the seam allowance.
- WIDTH – Divide the insert width by 2 and add 5 inches (12.7cm) to the width of your pillow for the overlap.
Just to make it easier for you, here are the cutting dimensions for some common cushion inserts.
Sewing Pom Pom Pillows
Step 1: Let’s start with the easiest part – the backs.
On the WRONG side both the back pieces, press the inner edges (the edges that will overlap) by 1/4 inch (6mm). Press them over again by 3/4 inch (2cm) and stitch across the hems.
If your fabric design is one-directional, then make sure they are both facing up and that you are stitching the edges that face each other.
Step 2: Overlap the hemmed edges of the backs so the width becomes the same as the front. This should be a 3 inch (7.5cm) overlap depending on the accuracy of your hems.
Step 3: Baste the top and bottom edges.
Step 4: On the RIGHT side of the front, pin the pom pom trim around the edge.
IMPORTANT: The pom poms need to face in towards the middle of the pillow.
Decide if you want a bit of the pom pom braid to show or if you want it to be just the pom poms sticking out. Note that our final seam allowance is 1/2 inch (12mm).
- If you want the pom pom braid to show – Pin the middle of the braid over the 1/2 inch (12mm) seam mark.
- If you want no braid to show – Pin the pom pom trim completely inside the seam allowance.
For the corners, I just cut the ends a bit longer and overlapped them. You could also just cuve the trim around the corners but you generally get a sharper corner with this cut and overlap method.
Baste around the trim using a zipper foot. Depending on the size of the pom poms and how wide your braid is, you may be able to use a regular foot with your needle to the side. Test a bit of trim on a scrap of fabric before you start.
You will need to stop a few times to move pom poms out of the way as you sew, so just go slowly.
Further Reading: How to sew pom pom trim
Step 5: Put the back on top of the front with right sides together.
Stitch all the way around with a 1/2 inch (12mm) seam allowance. If you stitch on the front side, you can see the basting stitching and stitch just inside it.
If your pom poms are quite bulky you will probably need to use the zipper foot again to get close enough.
Step 6: Clip the corners and turn it the right way out.
Step 7: Give the cover a good press but be careful to stay away from the pom poms in case they melt.
Step 7: Finally, put in your cushion insert.
All finished and ready to make more!
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