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July 20, 2011

How To Make an Envelope Closure Pillow

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I’m not great at sewing. In fact, I pretty much stick to sewing square things like pillows, curtains, book slings, tablecloths, and handkerchiefs. Okay, not handkerchiefs (do people actually use those anymore?), but you get the picture.  Luckily sewing an envelope closure pillow is super simple and a great place to start if you’re new to sewing.
how to make an envelope closure pillow tutorial

So here is the process…
First pick your fabric. This is the best part! Don’t be afraid to go with something bold, its just a throw pillow and is so easy to change whenever the mood strikes.
Next measure and cut your fabric. For a 16 x 16 pillow you should cut one square at 17 x 17 and one at 17 x 25. The second piece must be wider to accommodate the overlay of the envelope closure.
bold fabric pillow
 Here is what your pieces should look like. Helpful hint – if you have hardwood floors like I do (or tile), use the lines in the wood to cut straight lines. (I know the bottom piece here doesn’t look like a square, but it is, I promise.)

envelope closure pillow

Next, cut your wider piece in half.
DIY pillow case
At this point I broke out the iron, but it’s not a must – you could just use pins for this step. Fold over and press (or pin) the long edge of the pieces you just cut. This will make the finished edge on the envelope closure.
pillow case
 Bust out the sewing machine and stitch along the inner edge of the fold. You could hand stitch this if you don’t have a machine or use Unique Stitch (glue). Buying a machine doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, I bought mine six years ago for $60 and it does everything I need. Plus its blue…bonus!
pillow case design
If your stitching isn’t exactly straight, don’t worry about it. See how the top piece is kinda crooked? I put that one on the inside of the envelope… no one will ever see it.
envelope closure pillow case
Place your pieces together with the printed sides on the inside and envelopes toward the center.
pillow tutorial
 Pin the edges to keep everything straight while your sewing. You don’t have to go crazy here, 3-4 pins on a side is more than enough.
pillow project
 Sew around the perimeter of the pillow. When you come to a corner just lift the foot on the machine, turn your pillow, and keep going. It’s best to keep one continuous stitch.
pillow stitching tutorial
Cut off the excess material from the edges. If your stitch is very near the edge this may not be necessary.
DIY pillow case
 Square off the corners. This will make for pointier corners than ones that have too much fabric in them.
pillow project
 Turn your pillow cover right side out – here is how the envelope closure should look.
yellow pillowcase
That’s it, just stuff in your pillow and your done!
pillow back and front
Hope that was helpful! Once you get this down its easy to start adding embellishments and whatnot – the possibilities are endless!
Design
Want to see how to make and even easier pillow? GO HERE
Make a pillow in less than 10 minutes for about $4!

Filed Under: Decor & Crafts, DIY Basics, DIY Decor, Projects, Sewing37 Comments

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Comments

  1. Katie says

    July 20, 2011 at 2:01 am

    You make it look so easy!! Love you fabric – and that color! You'd be so proud, I'm buying a sewing maching next month! I'm getting domesticated! =)

    Reply
  2. Sandy aka Doris the Great says

    July 21, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    This is just what I've been looking for! I've got the fabric, the pillows and the sewing machine; now I have instructions. Thank you.

    And BTW – I love your little decorating blog. Such great ideas. I'm a new fan!

    Reply
  3. April says

    July 22, 2011 at 11:15 am

    Hi! I’m following your blog and wanted to stop by, say hi and invite you to our blog hop if you haven’t already. Please come by when you get a chance. Hope you are having a Sweet Week.

    A Mommy’s Blog Design Studio
    Join us every Friday for our Blog Hop!

    Review and Giveaway Blog Directory
    If you feature Reviews and Giveaways come add your blog here!

    Reply
  4. Shana says

    July 22, 2011 at 4:12 pm

    Love the pillow! Hi! Just stopping by. Following you from the You Like Me Friday Blog Hop. Would love a visit and a follow back on my blog: http://blog.writerslairbooks.com. Thanks! By the way, we are GIVING AWAY an IPAD 2 and would love for you to enter if you haven’t already! Nice to meet you!

    Reply
  5. Mom4Real says

    July 22, 2011 at 5:33 pm

    Ooooh, so cute! I must try these! I can never seem to find pillows in the right fabrics, and with these, I can change them as often as I like! Visiting and following via You Like Me Hop…hop over to my blog and follow back if you like!
    http://mom4realky.blogspot.com

    Jessica K

    Reply
  6. Grandma Bonnie says

    July 23, 2011 at 8:13 pm

    Thank you for the tutorial. I love the pillow.
    New follower from the Boost my blog Friday hop.

    Reply
  7. Kerrye says

    July 25, 2011 at 1:00 am

    I got myself a sewing machine for Christmas and am, frankly, scared to death of it. With lots of u-tube video's, I managed to get it threaded and bobbin'ed and all that stuff. Managed to sew some curtain panels together. And that's pretty much it… This actually looks like something I could (should) be able to do! ~Following from the Boost my Blog Friday Hop. Visit me and follow if you like: Kerrye @ http://impossiblecleanliness.blogspot.com

    Reply
  8. Reannah @ {Shaped by Grace} says

    July 25, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    What a cute pillow {and fun fabric}!! I'm not much of a sewer, but you make this look so easy! Thanks for great tutorial! xo, Reannah

    Reply
  9. the cape on the corner says

    July 25, 2011 at 6:37 pm

    looks great! love the fun fabric. i'm trying to debrown my living room, so i made some pillow covers out of napkins and fabric glue. basics!

    Reply
  10. Lisa says

    July 25, 2011 at 7:45 pm

    That looks “sew” easy! I've been wanting to do this, so thanks for the tutorial. :)

    Visiting from http://www.hsdays.blogspot.com

    Reply
  11. storycrafting says

    July 26, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    You make this look so easy! I might get the courage to try this sometime this week!

    Reply
  12. Judy says

    July 27, 2011 at 12:38 am

    I love that fabric. I have the same fabric in aqua in my daughter's room. Thanks for sharing at my Sizzle into Summer party.

    Reply
  13. Handy Man, Crafty Woman says

    July 27, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    Sew easy! Thanks for the idea and thank you for linking to Wicked Awesome Wednesday!

    Reply
  14. Summer @ Summer Scraps says

    July 28, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    Thanks for sharing how to do this – I am not a great sewer so your instructions are helpful.

    Reply
  15. Mindy @ Heart Maine Home says

    July 29, 2011 at 1:02 am

    Great tutorial! I was so bad at sewing the holes closed on my first pillows that I'm really thinking the envelope is the way to go…I'll definitely bookmark this!

    Oh, and I love your fabric!

    Reply
  16. Carrie @ Hazardous Design says

    July 29, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    Thanks for the tutorial. Now I just need to suck it up and try it myself :)

    Reply
  17. [email protected] Not Included says

    July 29, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    I used the same tutorial for my first set of pillow cases. Such a great one for first time sewers! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  18. Delaney says

    July 29, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    How cute!
    ♥Sweet Tea Serendipity

    Reply
  19. Alina says

    July 29, 2011 at 6:20 pm

    Thank you for posting this! I've looked at half a dozen envelope pillow tutorials and still couldn't get it. With yours it finally clicked! Thank you again!!!

    Reply
  20. Kari says

    July 29, 2011 at 10:59 pm

    This is great! Unfortunately I don't have a sewing machine yet-but I'm hoping to get on for christmas! I would love it if you would link this up to my weekly link party Tutorial Tuesday!

    Kari
    Newlyweds on a Budget

    Reply
  21. [email protected]://www.bellecaketopperandmould.net/ says

    July 31, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    Thank you for sharing tutorial…..like it so much….:))

    Reply
  22. Stephanie says

    July 31, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    Great tutorial, and I just love that fabric! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  23. Christina says

    July 31, 2011 at 6:41 pm

    VERY cute…and what a great tutorial!

    Thanks so much for linking to “20 Below Thursday”! And thanks for linking back to my party too :)

    Reply
  24. Becolorful says

    July 31, 2011 at 7:56 pm

    What a timely post for me. I am looking for pillows for my living room and not finding what I was looking for I am considering making them but didn't want to have to tackle the whole zipper thing. Thanks so much for the link up to Motivated Monday at BeColorful
    Pam

    Reply
  25. Rachel (Lines across my face) says

    August 1, 2011 at 4:22 am

    Thanks for the great tutorial. It is easy to understand. I would love it if you would stop by and link up this post with the crafty link party I recently started at Lines Across My face.
    :) Rachel
    http://linesacrossmyface.blogspot.com/2011/07/craft-link-party-2-cure-for-common.html

    Reply
  26. Seaweed and Raine says

    August 1, 2011 at 4:50 am

    Thanks for the tutorial! :) I cut out fabric about 9 years ago to make some the same… but I was too chicken to sew them. (I only just started sewing recently) You have inspired me to pull them out and give it a shot! :)

    Reply
  27. Kindra-At Home With K says

    August 2, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    I love this tutorial! And the fabric you used. :) I featured your project on my Terrific Under Ten Tuesday! http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/2011/08/terrific-under-ten-tuesday-25.html

    Reply
  28. Jamie says

    August 2, 2011 at 11:45 pm

    LOVE the fabric. More the Merrier Monday will be open until Wednesday at midnight. I would love for you to stop by and link up your pillow. http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  29. freckled laundry says

    August 5, 2011 at 2:19 am

    Pretty pillow and easy to follow tutorial! Thank you for linking with Air Your Laundry Friday! xo Jami

    Reply
  30. Custom Business Cards says

    October 4, 2011 at 7:50 pm

    Projects are beautiful. Lovely DL Envelopes Background.

    Reply
  31. Pam Farago says

    July 7, 2012 at 8:50 pm

    Thank you so much for posting this tutorial! I just finished covering 2 pillows for my daughter’s bed using your instructions and they look great…best ones I ever made.

    Reply
  32. Tif says

    March 18, 2015 at 11:18 pm

    When you sew them together which pieces are you doing? After you do uoi initial “hem”. Thanks.

    Reply
  33. marty says

    July 26, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    Anyone know a good online fabric site?

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 26, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      I used to buy all my fabric from fabric.com, they used to always have great coupons. They stopped about a year ago and now I like onlinefabricstore.net

      Reply
  34. Amanda says

    December 27, 2015 at 8:27 pm

    Oh my gosh, I think you just saved my sanity! I have been wanting to experiment with using embroidery quilt blocks as throw pillows, but was unsure how to sew everything together while still being able to take the pillow form out and clean the case by itself. This is exactly what I was looking for, just didn’t know the terminology of “envelope”

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Cherrywood Chevron Pillows: Quilted Top and Envelope Back | Craft Takeover says:
    December 28, 2013 at 1:22 pm

    […] used this tutorial as a guideline to make an envelope closure back. It was so […]

    Reply
  2. How To: Make a Modern Heart Pillow | Craft Takeover says:
    February 9, 2014 at 6:04 pm

    […] My finished pillows are 18×18 inches, so I cut out an 18 1/2 inch square in the lighter fabric for the front of the pillow. The extra half inch is to allow for a quarter inch seam allowance all the way around. For the back, I chose to do an envelope closure, and cut out 2 pieces to overlap and still equal 18 1/2 inches squared. Read more about how to make an envelope closure here. […]

    Reply

Ashley - Wildfire Interiors
Welcome to Wildfire Interiors! I’m Ashley, and I think you should love where you live. Small budget or big budget, color-obsessed or neutral lover, trend follower or trendsetter, and whether you know anything about design or not…we can all have homes that make us smile. Read more…

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