Guest DIY post submitted by
Ashley of Ashley’s Busy

I can pretty much only sew square pillows. But, hey, that’s something! I had high hopes when I bought my sewing machine years ago.  Seriously, I’ve had the machine for about 5 years, and all I sew is a square pillow. This is sad.

My blueprints

I’m on a tight budget.  Who isn’t?

Due to budget constraints, I looked through the bins in our attic. The ones for the “One day we’ll have a Yard Sale” bins.  I found a nice stack of lovely mens’ shirts.  Big D’s shirts, to be exact.  It’s a good thing he has some fashion sense.

I picked out one of the shirts.  Apparently my mom was temporarily insane when she picked out this shirt for D.  It went straight to the “Yard Sale” bin.  Lucky for me, and for the shirt that I rescued (who knows what kind of sweaty body it would end up on), I thought it was nice fabric.  A pillow I began.

Take the pillowcase off the pillow you want to cover.  This is one of my very favorite things I ever bought at Target.  Love the blue, love the feather insert.  Time to change the blue.  Lay said pillowcase on top of said shirt (shirt should be inside out). Now cut around leaving about a .5 inch seam allowance. Remember, you are cutting through both layers of the shirt!

Now sew all the way around.  One big square.  If I can do it, so can you. :)  Now turn right side out.  Unbutton, insert pillow, button back up.  You’re done.

If you’re feeling extra crafty, cut leftover fabric in whatever shape you like.  Now sew it onto the pillow. This is called an “applique.”  You probably already knew that.  And if you want to be a show off, hand embroider the applique.  That’s what I did.  I can’t whistle, but I can embroider the heck out of an applique.

All finished.

Did you really just take a sewing lesson from me?  I told you, I can only sew a square pillow!!