Diy Home Accents: How To Make A Cylindrical Pillow

Learn how to cut, design and sew a pillow in the shape of a cylinder with these easy do-it-yourself tips and instructions.

Throw pillows are available in many different shapes and sizes, and most of the throw pillow shapes are easy to make, or to locate at a department store. Cylindrical pillows are a little harder to find, and take a little more effort to make than an ordinary square pillow. Make the pillow yourself by first choosing a suitable fabric and matching thread. The fabric can be linen, cotton or even corduroy. Especially lightweight fabrics aren't ideal, since they'll pucker up easily around the circular ends, but extra thick fabric is equally unsuitable. Lay the fabric out, right sides together, on a table. Use an object from around the house to draw the circles for the ends of the pillow. A large bowl works well, but anything circular and about the size you want will do. Cut 2 circles for each pillow that you're going to make.

To determine how wide to cut the fabric, measure around the bowl or whatever was used to cut the circles. Add a couple of inches on to this measurement for the width of the fabric. How long you cut the fabric is up to you. The cylindrical pillow can be the perfect size for your sofa, or stretch all the way across the width of your king size bed. Mark the measurements for the width and length of the pillow, and then cut the fabric piece.

You can put a zipper in the pillow if desired. To do this, fold the edges of the pillow piece down, then pin to the sides of the zipper. Sew the zipper down each side. You can use a small square of fabric to sew under the zipper to keep it from coming off the track. Align the small square of fabric over the end of the zipper. Make sure the zipper is unzipped, but held together, and then sew the square onto the top of the zipper. Go across the edge of the zipper, from the underside, then down one side of the zipper, across the width of the fabric scrap, and then back up the other side. This can be done on the top and the bottom of the zipper to prevent the zipper from accidentally being pulled completely off the track. If you don't want the zipper to show, sew it in to the fabric, then fold a piece of fabric over the zipper to conceal it, then pin your circular pieces on to the main pillow piece, keeping the folds intact.

For welt around the circular edges of the pillow, cut strips about an inch wide for wrapping around the welt. Sew the fabric onto the welt, before sewing the welt onto the edges of the circular pieces. Turn the fabric right side in, and begin pinning the circular pieces, at the welt, onto the main pillow piece. Sew around one circle, staying very close to the welt, and then unzip the zipper partially before sewing around the other circle. After you have sewn around each circle, unzip the pillow the rest of the way, and turn the pillow right side out.

Stuff the pillow with cotton, foam chips, pillow stuffing or whatever you desire. You can stuff the pillow a lot for a firm feel, or not as much, for a softer feel, but make sure you stuff the circular ends well. If there's not enough stuffing on the ends, the circle will look collapsed in some spots. Stuff both ends well before stuffing the rest of the pillow. After stuffing the pillow, zip it closed, and begin the next one.

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