Sewing TUTORIAL: Envelope Back Pillow

SEWING TUTORIAL: Envelope Pillows - How to sew an envelope pillow

Have you been wanting to recover your pillows but haven't gotten around to it? Well once you see this ENVELOPE BACK pillow cover you just might run to the fabric store and get started today!

Pillows have always been a great starter project for a beginner sewer. You cut a front and a back, place them right sides together, sew up three sides, turn it right side out, stuff it and hand-sew the final side.

This one is even EASIER than that!

I'm going to show you how to sew an envelope back pillow that doesn't even need hand-sewing! Awesome, right?

Let's get started!


1. Gather materials: pillow fabric, pillow you want to cover (OR A PILLOW INSERT), straight edge, measuring tape, pins, sewing machine, iron, thread

2. Measure the pillow you want to cover or make.  Mine is 13 inches long x 20 inches wide

3. Add 1 inch to each of these measurements. Mine would be 14 in long x 21 inches wide.
*Cut ONE FRONT to make your pillow with these measurements.
*So I would cut one piece of fabric that is 14 in long x 21 in wide.

4. Let's figure out the size of the two back pieces. They will overlap. So I figure out what is half of the width I need and then add 3 inches to that.  Mine would be 20 / 2 = 10 + 3 inches = 13 inches

The length would the same as your front pillow cover (Mine is 14 inches).
So my TWO BACK pieces would be 14 in long x 13 in wide.

5. Cut your BACK pieces.

6. Time to sew! Lay your two back pieces right sides down. Hem one side of each (the length side; so I am hemming my 14 inch side on both of them. I hem them by folding over a half inch, pressing with an iron, folding over another half inch, pressing with an iron and pinning in place. Then I repeat for the other back piece.

7. Sew along your hemmed edge as close to the double folded side as you can (I used a 3/8 inch seam allowance). Repeat for the other pinned edge.

8. Assemble! Lay your front cover right side up. Lay your back cover pieces right sides down and line up the side edges (the length). They WILL OVERLAP in the middle. This is what you want!

9. Sew around all 4 sides of your pillow using a 5/8 inch seam allowance.

10. Clip corners and turn right side out. Stuff it or fill it and you are DONE!

Envelope pillow perfection! See how simple?

 The colors coordinate with the curtains (they're toile) but aren't too dark to be overwhelming. I do love color though! If it's a pillow, curtains, a rug...it's all changeable! Stay with neutral paint colors on the walls and stick with neutral furniture fabric and your room can last years! If I get bored with these pillows I just grab another remant at the fabric store and start sewing!

This is our living room which is definitely a kid's space, too! See those toys on the coffee table? :)

I took these flowers off the kitchen counter this morning and put them on this side table. I love the softness it adds to the room, so I think they will stay.

One remnant piece of fabric, thirty minutes and a cup of coffee later and you will have two envelope back pillows to add some personality to some chairs, the couch, your bed, or even your child's room! I hope you try it! It's super simple and since there's no hand-sewing involved, this is one fast and fun project!

Happy Sewing!
Jenny
www.seaminglysmitten.com