From Placemat to Pillow

Once upon a yard sale, I found this charming yellow place mat.

It was love at first sight.

The only problem?  There was just one.  (Don’t you hate that?)

Still, I had to have it, and when I brought it home I tossed in my “PILLOW FABRIC” pile.

Shrunken sweaters, scraps of old quilts, hand towels–when a piece of cloth catches my eye, it goes straight into the fabric pile…which just so happens to be right next to my  “MAKE-OVER-PILLOW” pile.

My reasoning behind all this pillow madness is money.  I mean, why spend upwards of $20 on something that is easy enough to make yourself?  (Use that money to pay for something you can’t do easily yourself, like, cut your own hair.)

And so I am always on the hunt for fabric and throw pillows.

The best place to find inexpensive pillows?  Yard sales.  But not just any yard sale.  I only buy throw pillows from people I know very well.  I will not buy a pillow from a stranger because that’s just yuck.  (Unless that stranger seems to have good grooming and housekeeping habits.)

I also save white pillow cases and sheets to use as pillow liners.  (Because sometimes, you just need an extra layer of defense.)

This whole saving-piles-of-this-and-that may seem a bit chaotic, but if you love DIY, you’ll be pleased with the results.

I know I am.

HOW TO TRANSFORM A PLACE MAT INTO A PILLOW

Step #1: Choose a place mat that has two layers of fabric.

Step #2: Choose a pillow that will fit relatively snug inside the place mat.

Step #3: Sew a liner for your pillow.

This step is optional, but it really improves the finished look.  In this case, the pillow I used was hot pink and black; colors that were very noticeable behind the yellow fabric of the place mat.

Making a pillow liner is a cinch, especially if you have an old pillow case (I prefer to use white ones).

-Turn your pillowcase inside out.  Slide your pillow into the corner of the case.  By doing this you will only have to worry about sewing two seams instead of four.

-To create the other seams, pin the pillow case together along the longest side the pillow. 

-Remove the pillow from the pillowcase and, with a sewing machine, stitch up the seam you just pinned.  Cut away excess fabric, leaving a half-inch border along the seam.

-Turn pillowcase right-side-out and place pillow back inside.

-Pin the second seam together and neatly stitch it up by hand.  Cut away the excess fabric, leaving a half-inch border along the seam.

And ta-da!  Pillow liner is done.

Step #4: Open up a side seam on your place mat.

Step #5: Work the pillow into the place mat and smooth out the fabric.  (not shown)

Step #6: Neatly stitch the seam back up.

And there you have it, a charming pillow that cost you a bit of loose change and a few spare minutes.

Aren’t you clever? 

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Find inspiration for your whole house at Pancakes and French Fries‘ weekly William Morris Project!

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