From skirt to pillow

Here’s a pillow cover tutorial that will have you keeping your eyes peeled for discounted skirts …

I bought this skirt three years ago because – 

   a) I liked the colour.
   b) I really liked all the rouching it had going on.
   c) It was velvety and I like velvet.
   d) It was on sale for €1. Hells yes.

Too bad I never tried on said skirt before purchasing it. It fits, but it’s a bit disastrous. So, the reason I upcycled this skirt is – 
   a) I really adore the fabric so I’m not ready to part with it. Yes, it was dirt cheap, but I think it would make a fabulous pillow.
    b) When wearing this skirt, this particular fabric makes my thighs look like two sea lions fighting on a beach. Hand me the scissors.

What you’ll need : a skirt you no longer wear {or a super-cheap one you spot on sale}*, a pillow the same size or slightly smaller than your skirt, scissors, a needle and thread – or if you’re fancy, a sewing machine. Alas, I do not have one. Woe is me.

* This really only works if your skirt is the same width from top to bottom – i.e. a pencil skirt of sorts.

Step 1 : turn the skirt inside-out. Sew across the top leaving a bit of space from the edge. This particular skirt had an elasticated waist, which I cut off before sewing.



Step 2 : turn the skirt right-side out, and stuff with a pillow. From here, you can gauge if the sides need to be taken in a bit to better fit the pillow. If they do, turn your skirt inside-out again, and sew where necessary. Step 3 : once the pillow snugly fits inside the skirt, turn it right-side-out, stuff pillow inside, and sew the pillow closed using a ladder stitch. There is the option to sew  this opening a third of the way closed from either side while your skirt is still inside-out and has no pillow in it. This gives a cleaner line on the outside, and once you feed the pillow through the remaining opening, it means you have less of a ladder stitch to do.

Et voila! This will hopefully feed my pillow obsession for the next week or so. And I hope I’ve otherwise saved some skirts from the skip 🙂

p.s. It was complete coincidence that I paired skirt / pillow with black and white stripes in both the before and after pictures. I nerded out over that a little once I noticed it. Because I’m big time lame.

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4 Comments

  1. February 28, 2013 / 21:42

    Brilliant idea – looks amazing! And I love the consistency of the black and white stripes – what a fortunate accident!
    I replied to your question on the shawl – I replied on my blog (first time I've done that) but I don't think you get notified that a comment is there…
    Maria x

    • March 1, 2013 / 11:44

      Score, thanks Maria! I usually go back and take a shneaky look if I leave a question on a post. And it got an answer, yay! I can handle two weeks of crochet. Looking forward to starting 🙂

  2. March 1, 2013 / 01:45

    Looks great!
    Your instinct to use it for decorative purposes was fantastic, not to mention easy!

    • March 1, 2013 / 11:46

      Aw, thanks Pat! I'm all about reducing, reusing and recycling as best as I can.