| Leather Throw-Pillows |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-413 |
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Q: A couple of leather pillows would look great on my sofa. Can you show me how to make a simple leather pillow? A: (DIY Decorating expert Nancy Golden) Leather sofa pillows can be a stylish addition, and here's one that's simple and inexpensive to make. This one has a simple sham back and is stuffed with an old pillow rather than a new pillow form. Here's what to do:
- When you go to the fabric store to purchase leather, look for leather that's fairly thin (figure A) so that it will be easy to sew. Leather is durable, so you don't need a thick, heavy piece for this pillow.
- The best tool for cutting leather is a rotary cutter (figure B). It's easy to use and if used properly, it results in a clean edge.
- Safety Alert: This tool has an extremely sharp blade and should be used with caution. Keep the rotary cutter, and all sharp cutting tools, away from small children.
- Cut your leather using the rotary cutter, using a self-healing cutting mat beneath the leather (figure C). These mats prevent your table or counter surface from being damaged by the cutter.
- For this demonstration, the pillow made measured 18" by 18". A kraft-paper template was made to assist with cutting the leather (figure D). The template was made 20" by 20" to include seam allowance.
- Thin rayon-acetate fabric was selected to make the backing for the pillow. Black was preferred since a colored fabric might detract from the beautiful appearance of the leather. For the pillow-sham backing, a template was cut 20" by 12" to make the two halves of the backing.
- Since the combined dimensions of the two halves are larger than the dimension of the pillow, the two pieces can overlap at the middle to create an opening (figure E) into which a pillow-form can be inserted.
- For a clean border, fold the edge of the fabric over 1/4", then fold it once again (figure F). You may want to press the fold before sewing.
- Sew the folded edge using a simple, straight seam (figure G). Repeat this step for both center edges.
- Once the sham pieces have been made, the sham can be attached to the back of the leather. Use a heavy-duty upholstery needle and upholstery thread for sewing the backing to the leather. Sew right sides together, holding the edge of the backing even with the edge of the leather, and sewing the pieces together using a straight seam. Sew all four sides in this manner to finish the backing (figure H).
- Once all four sides have been sewn, and the right sides are together inside, reach inside the sham opening and turn the pillow so that the right sides are now on the outside.
- Tip: Use a pencil with the tip broken off to push out the corners from the inside to form nice, squared corners (figure I).
- Place the old pillow inside as a pillow-form to complete the leather pillow ( figure J).
RESOURCES :
Do-It-Yourself Fabric Decor: Pillows, Window Treatments, and Slipcovers for Your Home
Model: 0865733457
Author: Editors of Creative Publishing International
(August, 2000)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Creative Publishing International, Inc.
Website: www.creativepub.com
The Craft of Pillow Making
Model: 0517882493
Author: Chippy Irvine
The Ultimate Pillow Book: Making Pillows Using Pillow Forms
Model: 157486162X
Author: Barbara Finwall and Nancy Javier
(June, 1999)
Leisure Arts
Sewing Beautiful Pillows
Model: 0806998091
Author: Linda Lee
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