Sew Simple Pillow with Zipper and Pom Pom Trim Tutorial

Hello and welcome if you’re new here! Today I have a fun new tutorial for you to make a simple, modern pillow using Cloud9 Imprint Canvas fabric —a unique, geometric, and oh-so-soft organic cotton canvas. I’ll show you how to add a pop of color to your pillow with a pom-pom trim and a convenient zippered back, making your pillow both fun and functional. So grab your fabric and let’s sew a pillow!

Easy Sew Canvas Pillow Tutorial

Pillow measures 18″ square and features a lapped zipper on the back, and pom pom trim.

Pattern Notes

Seam allowances are 1/4 inch unless specified.

Materials

Makes one 18″pillow. Width of fabric (WOF) is assumed to be 42″.

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Step 1 – Cut the fabric for the pillow front & back

  • 1 – 18 1/2″ x 18 1/2″ Pillow front
  • 1 –11″x 18 1/2″ Pillow back bottom panel
  • 1 –7 1/2″x 18 1/2″ Pillow back top panel
  • 1 – 2 1/2″x 18 1/2″ accent fabric for zipper cover
  • 1 – 2 1/2″ x 18 1/2″ lightweight fusible interfacing

Step 2 – Prepare fabric with fusible interfacing

If you are using quilting cotton, fusible interfacing adds body and permanent stability to your pillow. I did not use interfacing on the pillow front and back canvas fabric, only for the zipper cover which is a quilting cotton fabric for this project.

  • Cut and fuse Pellon Shape-Flex Iron-On woven cotton interfacing to the wrong side of the zipper accent piece following manufacturers instructions.
    • Place the interfacing with the rough shiny side on the wrong side of the fabric. Cover with a thin, damp press cloth. With iron at Wool/Steam setting, press firmly for 10-15 seconds. Repeat, lifting and slightly overlapping iron until all interfacing is fused. Steam press on right side. Let fabric cool, then check the bond.

Step 3 – Prepare Pillow Back with zipper

  1. Fold the 2 1/2″x 18 1/2″accent fabric in half lengthwise, and press. Set aside
  2. Place the zipper with zipper pull facing down, on top of the pillow 18 1/2″x 11″ back bottom panel, pin in place. Sew with a narrow 1/4″seam using the zipper foot on your sewing machine.
  1. Press the bottom panel away from the zipper, and top stitch with 1/8″ seam along the pressed canvas fabric edge, this holds the zipper in place and prevents it from getting caught in the zipper.
  1. Place the zipper accent fabric on top of the bottom panel, aligning the edge of the zipper with the raw folded edge of the accent fabric. (Figure 1)
  2. Then place the pillow back top panel right side facing down on top of the two layers. Pin in place. Sew with a narrow 1/4″seam using the zipper foot on your sewing machine. (Figure 2 & 3)
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
  1. Press the top panel away from the zipper, and top stitch with 1/8″ seam. (Figure 4)
  2. Sew over the zipper ends 2 to 3 times going back and forth over the zipper, 1/4″away from the pillow edge. This secures the zipper in place. Cut off any excess overhanging zipper. (Figure 5)
Figure 4
Figure 5

Step 4 – Sew Pom Pom Trim onto Pillow Front

  1. With the pillow front facing up, align the pom pom trim 1/8″ in from the edge of the pillow with pom poms facing in towards the pillow center. Sew with 1/4″ seam. To pivot around the corner, I make a few small cuts in the trim at the corners so it turns easily. When you finish sewing the pom pom trim on the pillow front, overlap the ends 1/2″ to 1″.

Step 5 – Finish the Pillow

  1. Check that the pillow front and back are the same size before sewing them together. My pillow front ended up being 1/2″ smaller than the back, so I trimmed 1/2″ off the pillow back bottom panel. As I sewed the trim onto the pillow front it shrunk in about 1/4″ because the tension was off on my sewing machine, this didn’t effect the fit of the pillow insert – it fit nice and snug, just perfect (pillows are very forgiving). I’ll try using a long basting stitch to sew the trim on next time to see if that fixes my shrinking pillow issue.
  1. Place the pillow top and back right sides together.
  1. Open the zipper halfway (this is important), pin and sew around the pillow with 1/2″ seam. Clip off the corners, turn your pillow right side out, and push out the corners.
  1. Place your pillow insert inside, and your pillow is complete. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy making your pillow!