I recently saw some nice toss pillows at Home Goods, Urban Outfitters, and other shops that would also look amazing in our living room. But I am too cheap frugal to pay $30 + for a decorative pillow. So, I’ve had my eyes peeled when I go into a store for something inexpensive and fabulous ; I’m not high maintenance, I just have high standards 😉 .
I found these “hand towels” on clearance at Tar-Jay for $2.78. I say “hand towels” because they are really just cloth napkins. So I picked up two 2 packs (not to be confused with picking up 2Pac)
Sorry, Pac, we talkin bout napkins!
I love the graphic pattern and the turquoise color would look perfect in my living room.
I don’t have a sewing machine yet, so I’m going to use left over hemming tape from my curtain project I made a few months ago (see that tutorial here) to whip up some pillows 😀 .
I used Centsational Girl’s tutorial as a guide (see that here).
Cut one of the napkins in half down the middle (I may or may not have used our kitchen food scissors for this step). This will be the back of the pillow that the opening will be, so I chose to use the solid napkin for this part.
Next, flip both napkins inside out and overlap the hemmed edges of the cut napkin. Leave the frayed, cut edges around the perimeter.
Then I placed the patterned napkin face up on the ironing board.
Use hemming tape along the perimeter of the patterned napkin. Place one half of the back (solid) on top of it, sandwiching the hemming tape.
Iron it 😛
Place the other half on the other side, making sure hemming tape is sandwiched in between then both and iron that too.
Once it’s cooled, flip it right side out.
Iron the edges again. Let it cool.
Pop your old, ugly pillow in your fabulous new pillow cover!
Back
Front
BONUS… I found 2 matching pillows at Target the next day (yes, I went to Target 2 days in a row)! They were also on clearance for $6. That’s my kind of price tag!!
Front
Back
So here’s the latest couch ensemble….
Easy as pie & took me 20 minutes start to finish!
What have you sewn (or no-sewn) lately?
Finding Silver Linings 
Thank you so much, I made cushion covers just like this and it’s really quick. I had old curtain fabric which was a bit more difficult. I’m going to put a link of this post on my blog.
Great, great, great! One day I might have a sewing machine… but then I’d have to learn how to use it! This is a much better solution! thanks!
Your pillows are wonderful! I keep blessing the day when I learned to sew – it just opens up a new world. 🙂
Hey Mindy, I love that I just blogged about these same napkins the other day and here you are making pillows out of them. Awesome job. I so have to try this the next time I want a new pillow. My hubby will love me for not spending so much money just to get a new pillow. 😉 Thanks for sharing this great DIY. I love that you found other pillows the next day at Target and you bought them. Love how the couch looks. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hope to see you again soon. Have a great weekend. http://thedecorscene.blogspot.com/2011/06/lets-go-shopping.html?showComment=1308336505648#c1580731856862133239
What a great idea!!! Those colors are awesome and I am loving that pattern. Nice work. Who needs a stinkin’ sewing machine?!
Ooo, I like! I keep seeing these around and keep meaning to try them..but forget to look for napkins…Nate tries to keep me out of that area of Target. 😛
I also love that you included a 2Pac reference. Too funny!
LOL, I’m so hood yo! I need a chaperone when I go to Target too. I’m reckless in that place.
Wow those look so good Mindy. You know for minute, I thought you were going to make 2Pac throw pillows, and I thought that would be so cool. I envisioned a series of black and white edgy pictures of different celebrities and you using those images as pillows. I kind of think that would be unique and cool. Haha funny no?
That would be fun!
West siiiide!
OMG, you’d have to do one with Biggie and one with Pac, and put one on the west side and one one the east….lol that would be so funny, a conversation piece for sure.
There’s always the next round of pillow-making fun! LOL
LOVE the pillows! Nice job on the no-sews…and what a score on the extra pillows! The patterns and colors look totally fantastic!
Okay. So you opened up my world. I NEVER knew this tape existed. I hand sew everything!!!! this is going to change my life in pants hemming and desigining my new house!
Love it!!! I just love anything that is a no sew project, and I do have a sewing machine.
Leila
I like the colors and the patterns! So fresh and summary.
I’m planning on making a bunch of pillows this summer. But I’ll prob sew… I love using my sewing machine. Right now I’m in the middle sewing a shirt out of an old dress. Hopefully I don’t ruin it:)
~lena
Lovely! I like yours better, but all of them look great together.
This is just an awesome project. It looks so easy which is the kind of projects I like!! It turned out so pretty.
I love placemat pillows!!!! I made some of these for my outdoor furniture last year out of outdoor mats and a table runner. They are so fun and easy! [I sewed mine by hand and stuffed them with stuffing not an actual pillow – I love this non-sew method! Especially for indoors what a fun and inexpensive way to brighten a room – thank you for sharing!!!
Actually that is too funny. My mom just taught me how to make these and now I’m obsessed. It adds color into your room that I never thought possible. I can also use exactly what I want.
Great Job Min! i love the color! It really looks nice.