Have a couple of pillows lying around in your home? Here’s a really nifty way in which you can reuse these old sweaters in your home itself. While there are some really cool ways in which you can repurpose an old sweater, turning it into a couch pillow cover is a great idea. If you are wondering how this can be possible, take a look at these DIY instructions on how to create a pretty couch pillow cover using old sweaters.
Things you will need
- Old Sweaters – 2 or 3 (always make it a point to wash the sweaters and dry them thoroughly before starting the project).
- Pillows – 2 or 3 (sans the slipcovers)
- Thread
- Scissors
- Needles
- Pins
- Sewing Machine
- Measuring Tape
- Chalk for marking
Making a Button Pillow Cover
- Step 1
Your first step involves measuring and marking the areas where you need to cut and stitch together to form the pillow cover.
Smooth out the sweater and pin the opposite sides of the bottom hem together (for the opening). Use the chalk and tape to mark a square approximately ½ to 1 inch bigger than the actual pillow size (on all four sides).
- Step 2
This is where you actually start sewing the sides and cutting them out. Since the hemline forms the opening of the pillowcase and one side is already sewn, you will need to concentrate on the other two sides.
Sew the marked seam on both of these sides using wide straight stitches. Do not stretch the sweater too much in the process though. Once you have sewn the sides, cut out the excess material on both sides near the stitches.
Once the square is cut and separate, stitch over the previously stitched seams with a stronger, overlock stitch so that they don’t unravel in the future.
- Step 3
Now that you have sewn the sides, you are ready to decorate the sweater transformed pillow cover. Turn the material right side out, removing all the pins you used along the hem earlier on. Mark out places for four buttons right along the sweater’s inner edge hem. Hand sew the buttons into place using a needle and thread.
Do the same marking for four buttons along the upper hem of the sweater. Snip tiny holes in the material to make room for the buttons. These holes will act as the button hole which you need to hand sew again with a thread and needle.
- Step 4
Now all you need to do is place the pillow inside the new cover and button it up. The brand new pillow cover case made from a recycled sweater is ready to shine on your couch in the living room.
Making an Envelope Pillow Cover
Here’s another way you can design a pillow cover with an old sweater.
- Step 1
The step remains the same as for the button pillow cover except that you will cut three pieces for this design. Mark a square at least ½ to 1 inch larger than the pillow on the sweater. Cut out this piece, however cut only one layer.
Measure and mark two additional pieces for the envelope back. These two pieces need to overlap each other by at least 5 inches, forming the same measurements of the square you cut out earlier when overlapped.
- Step 2
You will now need to create the cover’s back. Pin together the two pieces as they overlap each other. Stitch the side seams exactly at the place where the pieces overlap.
- Step 3
Now place the pieces together and pin them. Sew all the four sides of the pillow with wide straight stitches. Stitch over them again with an overlock to hold the pieces in place.
- Step 4
Turn the cover right side out via the envelope opening. Insert the pillow via this opening to finish the project.
Creating a pillow cover for a couch pillow is an easy task. It can be made all the more easier with an old sweater that you can repurpose for the same purpose using some really simple tips.
