How to Sew | a simple envelope cushion cover

This has to be the easiest way I can think of to make a pillow. You don't need any zippers, or ribbons, or velcro. Just three pieces of fabric and away you go. You can even use bits of fabric you have lying around the house. The back parts of this pillow come from an old IKEA cushion that I was no longer in love with.

And can we just talk about this beautiful fabric? From the archives of one of the UK's oldest department stores. I bought it John Lewis a few years ago, so I'm not sure if they still sell it. I hope so. It would make me sad to think you can't find it in shops anymore.

Now before I unleash you onto the tutorial there are a few tips I wanted to share that I've always found have come in useful:

• Use heavier fabric if you can (upholstery or curtain fabric should do the trick). It not only stands up to more knocks than cotton fabric, but it also gives the pillow a better shape.
• Be a bit of a miser when it comes to cutting your fabric. A snug fitting pillow case makes for a plumper pillow.

Happy trails... and for more inspiration, check out some of the other How to Sew posts. And do let me know if there're any sewing projects you'd like to accomplish or sewing questions you'd like answered. 

A simple envelope cushion cover

You will need:

a pillow

fabric for the front of the pillow, about 16 x 16 inches (or 40 x 40 cm) depending on how big your pillow is

fabric for the back of the pillow, about 20 x 20 inches (or 50 x 50 cm) depending on how big your pillow is

thread

pins

1. Lay your pillow ontop of the fabric you'll be using for the front.

2. Trim around the outside of the pillow, leaving 1 inch of fabric from the edge of the pillow.

3. Do this all the way around your pillow. It looks quite small, but a snug fit makes for a more plump pillow.

4. Lay your the fabric you've just cut for the front of the pillow on top of the fabric you'll be using for the back. Line up one corner. Trim off the excess at the bottom, BUT LEAVE THE EXTRA BIT OF FABRIC AT THE SIDE.
5. You should be left with a rectangle of fabric to form the back of the pillow. Cut this in half. You should now have two back pieces of fabric.
6. Zigzag all the edges to stop the fabric from fraying.
7. Lay the front part of your fabric face up.
8. Take one piece of the back fabric and line this up to two corners of the pillow.
9. Take the other piece of back fabric and line this up with the opposite two corners of the pillow. Pin all of this in place.
10. Sew all the way around your pillow. I sewed at 6/8 inches or 2 cm on my machine.
11. Trim off the corners to get nice clean edges.
12. Turn the pillow inside out, stuff in a pillow... now lounge!