Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
Jos from Sew, Cook, Laugh and Live shows how to make her Favourite Dress, no pattern required. It’s made from rectangles of fabric and requires only straight seams to make. The long, full dress will look best when made out of a lightweight, flowy fabric. (She used voile for the one she made, but she also suggests a lightweight jersey.) Get the tutorial.
[photo from Sew, Cook, Laugh and Live]
Let’s be honest, throw pillows are one of those sewing projects that make you feel wildly productive for very little effort. You cut a few rectangles, sew some straight lines, stuff in a pillow form, and suddenly your lounge room looks like you planned a whole decor refresh instead of raiding the fabric stash at 10pm.
That is exactly why throw pillows are such a good beginner sewing project. They are forgiving, practical, and they do not need to fit a human body, which already makes them less stressful than most garment sewing. A pillow cover can teach you straight stitching, pivoting corners, pressing seams, adding a zipper, making an envelope back, sewing with trim, quilting small pieces, and even using up scraps from previous projects.
If your fabric basket looks anything like mine, there is probably enough in there for at least three throw pillows and one slightly questionable cushion that only the dog will appreciate. Aloo, naturally, would still claim the best one.
This roundup includes easy throw pillow sewing tutorials, envelope pillow covers, zippered pillow covers, quilted pillow ideas, seasonal cushion projects, and scrap fabric pillow tutorials. Some are perfect for absolute beginners, while others are lovely next-step projects if you want to practise quilting, patchwork, binding, invisible zippers, or decorative trims.
A basic throw pillow is one of the best beginner sewing projects because it uses mostly straight seams. You can make one with woven cotton, linen, canvas, denim, quilting cotton, flannel, upholstery scraps, or even an old shirt if you are in a thrifty mood.
Pillow covers are also brilliant because they are useful. You are not sewing a random practice square that disappears into a drawer. You are making something for the sofa, bed, reading chair, porch bench, sewing room, guest room, or kids’ room.
And if the corners are not perfect?
Plump the insert, give it a karate chop, and call it handmade charm.
For your first pillow, quilting cotton is a friendly place to start. It presses well, it does not stretch all over the place, and it behaves nicely under the sewing machine.
For a more polished home decor look, try linen, cotton canvas, duck cloth, home decor fabric, denim, corduroy, wool blends, or upholstery remnants. If you are sewing seasonal pillows, flannel and felt can add a cosy handmade feel. For outdoor pillows, look for outdoor fabric or water-resistant fabric so your hard work does not fade or sag after one afternoon on the patio.
A little tip learned the hard way: if your fabric is lightweight, add fusible interfacing to the pillow front. It gives the cover more body and stops it from looking limp once the insert goes in.
There are three common ways to finish a throw pillow, and each one has its place.
An envelope back is the easiest removable pillow cover. It uses two overlapping fabric pieces on the back, so there is no zipper, buttonhole, or hand sewing required. This is the method I would recommend for most beginners.
A zipper back gives a neat, professional finish and keeps the pillow insert tucked in securely. It is a great skill to learn, especially if you want removable covers that wash well.
A sewn-closed pillow is the simplest construction if you are stuffing the pillow directly, but it is less practical for washing. It is a good choice for novelty pillows, soft decorative shapes, or projects that use loose stuffing instead of a pillow form.
This is a good basic pillow tutorial if you want to start with the classic sew-and-stuff method. It explains the simple construction clearly and includes the hand-sewn closing step, which is a handy little skill to have in your sewing toolkit. I like this one for brand-new sewists because it focuses on the basics without getting too fancy too soon.
It is especially useful if you are making a pillow from scratch rather than sewing a removable cover. Use a medium-weight cotton or home decor fabric for a first attempt. Once you have made one, you will understand why pillows are such a satisfying beginner project.
A zippered pillow sounds more intimidating than it really is, and this tutorial is a good next step once you have made a plain pillow. It shows how to add a zipper so the pillow cover can be removed for washing or seasonal swapping. That is especially handy if your cushions live on a sofa that also hosts teenagers, snacks, pets, and mysterious crumbs.
The tutorial also covers reducing bulky corners, which helps avoid that floppy “dog ear” look at the edges. This is a nice technique to learn if you want your handmade pillows to look more store-bought. Try it with linen, cotton canvas, or upholstery fabric for a clean home decor finish.
This is one of those practical tutorials you will bookmark forever. It explains how to calculate an envelope pillow back for different pillow sizes, which is incredibly useful when your pillow front is not a standard measurement. We have all made a quilt block or patchwork panel and then stared at it wondering what size the back should be.
An envelope back is beginner-friendly because there is no zipper involved. It also makes your covers removable, which is important if you like to change pillows for holidays or wash them regularly. This tutorial is a great companion for almost every quilted pillow project in this roundup.
If you have a spare quilt block sitting in a drawer, this tutorial shows how to turn it into a finished pillow. It uses an envelope-style backing and explains the overlap, which is the part that often confuses beginners. This is such a good way to use orphan blocks, test blocks, or blocks from quilt-alongs that never quite became full quilts.
I love this idea for sampler blocks too. Instead of feeling guilty about unfinished quilt projects, turn one favourite block into a cushion and enjoy it. A single quilt block on a pillow can make a bigger visual impact than you expect.
This envelope pillow tutorial adds binding, which gives the finished cushion a crisp quilted edge. It is a small detail, but it makes a pillow look much more polished. If you already quilt, this is a natural method because the finish feels similar to binding a quilt.
It is also a great way to practise binding on a small project before tackling a full-size quilt. Use contrasting binding for a bold modern look or matching binding if you want the edge to disappear. This tutorial is best for confident beginners who are ready to go beyond the basic pillow cover.
This tutorial walks through the full process of making a quilted pillow cover with an envelope back. It is a good choice if you want your pillow front to have texture and structure rather than just plain fabric. Quilting the front panel adds body and makes even simple fabric look intentional.
The envelope back keeps the construction beginner-friendly, while the quilted front gives you a chance to practise straight-line quilting or simple free-motion quilting. This would be lovely for scraps, mini charm squares, leftover quilt blocks, or a favourite fabric panel.
This CraftGossip pillow project is a perfect scrap-busting idea for strips of fabric. If you have leftover jelly roll strips, binding offcuts, or long narrow scraps from quilt trimming, this is exactly the sort of project that makes them useful again. Strip piecing is fast, forgiving, and very beginner-friendly.
The finished pillow has that cheerful patchwork look without needing complicated cutting or matching. It is a great project for using fabric collections where you love every print but only have small pieces left. This is the kind of pillow I would make after a quilt just to use up the leftovers while they are still on the sewing table.
This playful quilted pillow from The Cloth Parcel is bright, summery, and full of charm. The popsicle blocks make it feel fun without being childish, so it would work beautifully in a kids’ room, craft room, porch chair, or summer-themed guest room. It finishes as a generous 20-inch pillow cover, which gives it real sofa presence.
The tutorial also points readers toward different pillow finishing options, which makes it especially useful if you are still deciding between a foldover back, binding, or zipper closure. I like this one for sewists who enjoy novelty quilt blocks but still want something practical at the end. It is a cheerful project that feels like summer fabric in pillow form.
Half-square triangles are one of the most useful patchwork units you can learn, and this pillow gives them a modern diamond layout. It is a great project for practising points, pressing seams, and arranging contrast. You get the satisfaction of a quilted project without committing to a full quilt top.
This tutorial is ideal for confident beginners who have sewn a few straight-seam projects and want to try patchwork. Choose two or three strong contrasting fabrics if you want the diamond design to stand out. It would also look lovely in low-volume scraps for a softer, cottage-style cushion.
This quilted pillow has a fresh cabin-inspired look and uses a foldover back, which keeps the finishing practical. The tutorial includes helpful notes about pillow backs and fabric measurements, making it useful beyond this one design. It is a nice project if you want a pillow that feels patchwork-inspired but not overly fussy.
I would use this one for a sewing room chair, guest bed, or reading nook. The piecing gives it interest, but the overall design is still clean and modern. It is also a good reminder that small quilted projects are a brilliant way to try a technique before scaling up to a bigger quilt.
Seasonal pillows are dangerous in the best way. You make one for autumn, then suddenly you need Christmas pillows, Halloween pillows, Easter pillows, and maybe one for “I cleaned the craft room” season. This patchwork pumpkin pillow is a lovely fall sewing project with a quilt block front and pillow finish.
The tutorial includes the pumpkin block construction, so it is more than just a pillow cover. It is a good project for orange scraps, autumn prints, low-volume backgrounds, and leftover batting. If you like decorating with handmade seasonal pieces, this is one you could bring out year after year.
This CraftGossip Halloween pillow is a fun one for scrap quilters. The pixelated witch hat design uses small squares, which makes it perfect for leftover black, white, orange, purple, or spooky novelty fabrics. It has a bold graphic look that works really well for seasonal decorating.
Because the design is built from squares, it is easier than it first appears. The key is staying organised with your layout before sewing the rows together. This is a great Halloween sewing project for anyone who wants a festive pillow without making something overly complicated.
This Christmas star pillow is a lovely scrap-friendly holiday project. It is festive without being too novelty, which means it can sit on the sofa for the whole Christmas season and still look classic. The design uses small pieces of fabric, so it is a good way to use those pretty Christmas scraps we all keep because they are too cute to throw away.
The pillow uses a zippered back, but you could adapt it to an envelope back if you prefer a beginner-friendly finish. This is a great handmade gift idea too. Make one in traditional red and green, soft farmhouse neutrals, or bright modern Christmas prints depending on your style.
This CraftGossip pillow tutorial is a good choice if you want to add trim and a hidden zipper to your sewing skills. Pom pom trim instantly makes a cushion look playful and decorative, and an invisible zipper gives it a neat finish. The original project uses a Halloween design, but the technique could work for almost any season.
Try it with Christmas fabric and white pom poms, floral fabric and pastel trim, or bold canvas with a contrast edge. It is a nice next-step project for sewists who have made basic pillow covers and want to add something extra. Just remember to baste or clip your trim carefully so it does not wander while you sew.
Use a pillow insert slightly larger than your finished cover if you want a plump cushion. For example, an 18-inch cover often looks better with a 20-inch insert. This helps fill the corners and stops the pillow from looking flat.
Press every seam as you go. I know, I know, pressing feels like the boring bit, but it makes a huge difference with pillows. A crisp seam and flat corners can make even a beginner project look beautifully finished.
Clip your corners carefully before turning the pillow right side out, but do not cut through the stitching. Use a blunt turning tool or chopstick to gently push out the corners. If you are making a removable cover, finish raw seams with a zigzag stitch, serger, or pinking shears to help it last longer through washing.
For quilted pillows, add batting behind the pillow front and quilt it before attaching the back. This gives the cushion more texture and helps the patchwork hold its shape. You can use straight-line quilting, diagonal lines, echo quilting, or simple grid quilting.
Once you know the basic pillow shape, you can change the look completely with small design details. Add piping for a tailored edge, pom pom trim for a playful finish, tassels for a boho look, or buttons on the envelope flap for extra detail.
You can also add applique, hand embroidery, machine embroidery, quilt blocks, fabric paint, iron-on vinyl, patchwork, ruffles, pleats, or a fabric panel. A plain pillow front is basically a blank canvas for whatever craft phase you are currently in.
Ask me how I know.
Common throw pillow sizes include 16 inches, 18 inches, 20 inches, and 24 inches square. Smaller pillows are good for chairs and kids’ rooms, while larger pillows work well on sofas, beds, benches, and reading nooks.
For a first pillow, an 18-inch square cover is a nice size. It is big enough to be useful, but not so large that you are wrestling with yards of fabric. If you are using a quilt block, let the block size guide your finished pillow size and then choose a pillow form to match.
If you love quilted home decor projects, you may also like this CraftGossip roundup of 20 Quilted Pillow/Cushion Patterns to Transform Your Home. It includes even more patchwork, seasonal, and quilted cushion ideas for using up scraps and adding handmade charm to your home.
Throw pillows are one of those projects that quietly build your sewing confidence. You can start with a simple envelope cover, move on to zippers, try quilting, add binding, play with trims, and suddenly you have learnt half a dozen useful sewing techniques without making anything stressful.
And at the end of it?
You get a handmade cushion for your sofa, your bed, your sewing chair, or your dog’s favourite forbidden spot.
That feels like a pretty good sewing afternoon to me.