DIY Napkin Pillow Covers

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DIY Napkin pillow covers are a very cost-effective and creative way to create a custom pillow.  

Before I get into my throw pillow love affair, I want to thank the lovely ladies I worked with on this month’s clearance challenge. I’m always so happy to be included in these challenges. Check out how I did with a previous Clearance Challenge.

This month’s challenge was to find a clearance item or items under $15 and use it somehow in our home decor. Everyone will be linked at the end of this post to see what they came up with. 

Now, back to my throw pillow obsession.

I’m sure this isn’t the first time I’ve fondly spoken of my love for throw pillows, and it certainly won’t be the last. The love is real, my friends. 

SHOP DECORATIVE PILLOWS

Every store I walk into, whether it’s TJ Maxx, Kirkland’s, or Target, I’m always making a pit stop at the decorative pillow section. I’ll browse the aisles admiring all the beautiful throw pillows, wishing I could take them all home with me. Then, I’ll walk away empty-handed with a tear in my eye because of the pillows’ prices. Not wanting to quit my throw pillow obsession cold turkey, I figured it was time to get creative.

Shopping for my clearance item.

While shopping at TJ Maxx for this clearance challenge, I stopped by the decorative pillows, of course. But, this time, I had a really legit reason to be there. I was looking for a white throw pillow for my guest bedroom. Nothing particularly caught my eye except for a $49.99 pillow #expensivetaste. That being said, I left that decorative pillow right where it was and continued on my way.

Feeling defeated for a number of reasons, I somehow found myself wandering down the cloth napkin aisle. I was semi-paying attention to what I was looking at until I saw that glorious red tag clearance sticker. That’s when the light bulb went off.

DIY Napkin pillow covers!

How genius! I was going to be able to tackle two problems at once. I was looking for my clearance challenge item and the white throw pillow. 

I ended up buying a set of 4 white eyelet napkins. I loved the detail of the napkin and knew it would make the prettiest throw pillow. The best part about this purchase was that the napkins were on clearance for $4.50, marked down from $7.99. So I’ll be able to make two napkin pillows for such a steal.

Four WAYS TO make a DIY napkin pillow cover

Making a napkin pillow cover isn’t terribly difficult; there are a few ways to go about it.

First, you can go the traditional route, which is sewing the napkin pillow covers.

If you have a sewing machine ( and actually know how to use it, unlike me), you are golden. You can also sew by hand, but that may be a bit more time-consuming. 

BUY SEWING MACHINES ON AMAZON

Second, try fabric hemming tape.

This is an excellent no-sew option. Not everyone has access to a sewing machine so this hemming tape might just be your best option.

BUY FABRIC TAPE ON AMAZON

Third,  get your hands on a tube of Unique Stitch 

What is Unique Stitch, you ask? Well, it’s “sewing in a tub.” Let me elaborate. Unique Stitch is a handy no-sew adhesive that permanently bonds fabric to fabric. It dries clear and flexible, is fast drying, and is washable. It is the perfect solution for your no-sew napkin pillow project.

BUY UNIQUE STITCH ON AMAZON

Finally, use a good old hot glue gun.

 Yep, I said it. When you aren’t blessed with the sewing gene, you need to get creative.  Hot glue is like duct tape. You can use it for anything. That being said, you can probably use duct tape on the napkin pillow, too. It would definitely give your pillow a custom look.

BUY HOT GLUE GUNS ON AMAZON

HOW TO MAKE DIY Napkin pillow

I took the fabric napkins I purchased at TJ Maxx and gave them to my sister. Why do you ask?

I don’t own a sewing machine, but I used to. After a few failed attempts, I quickly learned it wasn’t for me. Plus, I think I may have accidentally broken the machine. I just couldn’t get the hang of sewing. Luckily, though, my very talented sister could sew and, of course, was willing to help me out.

SHOP FABRIC NAPKINS

She said this DIY pillow was extremely simple to accomplish for a few reasons. First, she didn’t need to cut the fabric at all, which was time-saving. Second, there was no measuring involved, either, as the front piece and the back piece were already perfectly matched in size.

The beauty of a napkin pillow cover right?

Basically, all that had to be done for this homemade pillow to take shape was sew the sides together. I didn’t have a pillow form, and my plan was to use stuffing to fill the pillow cover. As a result, my sister added a zipper on one of the sides of the pillow cover to make it easier for me to stuff.

Once the napkins were all sewn together, I had myself a beautiful napkin pillow cover. All that was left was to stuff the pillow. Once stuffed, I placed the homemade napkin pillow in the guest bedroom on the bed, and my job was complete.

In short, this napkin pillow cover is an extremely easy DIY project. Using one of the multiple options for assembling the pillow cover, just about anyone can create their own custom napkin pillow cover. 

Make sure you go and check out how the rest of the ladies tackled this clearance challenge.

Emily – Le.Cultivateur

Tara – Stilettos and Shiplap

Jodi – The House House 

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Want More DIY Projects?

• DIY Shiplap Wall
• Drop Cloth Curtain How-To
• Oversized Clock Tutorial
• How to Paint Shiplap 

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