Corduroy has an interesting texture and always makes a very comfortable pillow. We've upped the ante by breaking our top and bottom fabric into four separate squares each, then sewing these sets of four squares at right angles to one another to create a center diamond pattern with the wale. Now you have the cool comfort of corduroy with a sophistication you won't get at the discount store.

This style of pillow looks great with wide wale corduroy. It would also work with a striped fabric or a chenille.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Jem Platinum 760)

Fabric and Other Supplies

• Pillow pattern Simplicity 4108
• Corduroy or other fabric for making the pillow cover
• All purpose thread in colors to match fabric
• Notions according to pattern
• Pillow form, 20" (or size of your choice)
• Hand sewing needle
• Scissors
• Iron

Getting Started

1. From Simplicity Pattern #4108 choose pattern piece #6 and follow the instructions. If you want to make a smaller pillow, create your own pattern piece for the front, taking into account the 1/2" seam allowance on each side.
2. Cut out the four parts for your pillow front  on the bias (diagonally). In other words, lay the pattern piece down on your corduroy fabric so the lines of the corduroy (the wale) are going diagonally, not straight across.
3. Lay out your squares of fabric on top of the original tissue pattern piece to make sure your corduroy is running in the right direction. Alternate each piece at a right angle to the next to create the diamond effect in the middle.
4. Cut out your pillow back using pattern piece #1.

At Your Sewing Machine

1. Thread your machine with thread that coordinates with your fabric.
2. Following the instructions, sew together the four pieces for the front of your pillow.
3. With right sides together,  prepare to sew the pillow front to the back. Sew three sides, leaving an opening along one side just large enough to insert your pillow form.
4. Turn your pillow cover right side out and press the seams flat. Remember, the edges of the opening should be pressed so they fold in to match the stitched edge.
5. Insert your pillow form.
6. Hand stitch the final seam closed with a slip stitch.

Hints and Tips

Other machines suitable for this project include the Pfaff ClassicStyle Fashion 2023 and the Bernina activa 230.

Comments (0)