Tips for making perfectly square pillows, sans floppy corners.
Perfect pillows are a lovely thing, and nothing is worse than going to the trouble of making your own pillow cover, just to discover it’s got “dog ears.” What do we mean by that exactly? Well “dog ears” are those annoying corners that flop over because your pillow form doesn’t fit perfectly into them. Luckily, we’ve got tips for that! With a few basic Dritz® sewing supplies, you can make perfectly square pillows – it’s all about how you cut your fabric.
Dritz® supplies:
Other supplies:
- Fabric for cover
- Pillow insert
- Fiberfill (optional)
Take a look. This is what we mean by “dog ears.” They’re those annoying points that flop over at the pillow’s corners.
To get started: measure your pillow form and cut two fabric squares to the same size as the pillow form.
On wrong side of fabric, measure in ½” from each corner and mark.
Measure 4” out from corner on each side of the fabric square and mark.
On each side, draw a slightly curved line from the ½” mark to the 4” mark on the edge of the fabric square. Repeat at each corner.
Cut away corners along drawn lines. Sides of fabric square will be straight while corners have a gentle curve.
Stitch pillow with ½” seam allowance.
When the pillow form is inserted the cover will look square. By removing some of the fabric in the corners, the “dog ear” effect is minimized.
TIP: If you still have some “dog ears” after inserting the pillow form, just add a little loose fiberfill to the corners. Flatten slightly so there is no lump.
Your pillow is now perfectly square, and the only one sporting “dog ears” is Fido!
Check out our Home Refresh lookbook to see a fantastic collection of coordinating projects you can make to instantly – and easily – update your space. We’ve also got several pillow and DIY home decorating posts here on our blog that you’ll want to see.
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Happy sewing!
