DIY foam pillows: for the sofa, for sleeping

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Nowadays, bedding items are quite expensive. Therefore, many take up the task of making them themselves, because in this case you can not only save money, but also decorate the interior at your own discretion, making it individual using inexpensive and simple means. Looking at photos of homemade pillows, for example, you might think that sewing them requires a lot of experience or innate skills. In reality, everything is much simpler. This article will help you with this, you will overcome all your fears, and as a result you will get a gorgeous pillow. You will need a minimum of time, effort, and available tools to understand how to sew a foam pillow and implement this idea.

What you need to make a foam pillow

To make a foam pillow, you will need:

Tools - sharp scissors for cutting and trimming threads, pins for attaching the pattern and workpiece parts, a needle. If you have a sewing machine, the best solution would be to sew with it. When sewing by hand, special attention must be paid to the strength of the seams.
Materials - threads, foam rubber for stuffing, fabric for covers and decorative pillowcases, thick paper for patterns.

You will need a sewing machine, thread and other materials and tools.
Important! It is not recommended to use too thick threads, as this will make the seams rough and too noticeable. And the use of thick threads will not affect the strength of the seam.

There is no need to use threads that are too thick.

The choice of fabric directly depends on the application of the item. If you plan to use it for practical purposes - sitting, lying down, then the fabric should be chosen that is durable and abrasion-resistant. Any material that is used for upholstery will do.

For pillows that will be used for lying down, use a durable fabric.

For decorative items there is more freedom in choice. You can sew decorative pillows from any suitable material that can hold its shape for a long time and matches the chosen design.

For decorative pillows, you can use any beautiful material.

How to choose the right design

To make using a bolster pillow comfortable, you need to make the right choice. To do this, the following factors should be taken into account.

They allow you to take the load off your spine while you are lying down. In this case, not only you and your body rest, but also your spine.

Height of the product – when choosing a bolster pillow to suit your individual parameters, you need to measure the distance from the shoulder to the base of the neck. The height of the pillow should not exceed this parameter, otherwise it will cause a feeling of discomfort.
Product width – you need to add 5-7 cm to the shoulder width. But sometimes in orthopedic products it is allowed to add a smaller value in order to properly support the cervical spine.
Additional functions of a bolster pillow can be made from a material that has a memory function or filling material in the form of buckwheat husks or with the addition of essential oils or aromatic herbs. All this contributes to the massage effect and calmness during sleep.

Such a pillow can even make it easier to fall asleep, because the body relaxes as much as possible.

Advantages and disadvantages of a homemade pillow

A hand-sewn pillow has a number of obvious advantages. Firstly, there is complete freedom in choosing the shape and decoration. You can independently select the height, degree of density and elasticity, and other indicators necessary for maximum comfortable use.

A handmade pillow can be made of any shape and size.

Secondly, things made with your own hands give the home comfort and warmth. And the proper use of hand-made items in the interior will help create the necessary accents and complement the chosen style of the room. Homemade pillows are perfect for Provence or country styles.

Homemade pillows fit perfectly into Provence and country styles.

The disadvantages of homemade sofa cushions include:

the possibility of fabric abrasion and filling coming out due to incorrectly selected materials or weak seams;
rapid loss of shape - if low-quality filler was used, or the pillow was not stuffed enough.

However, if you follow the sewing rules, these shortcomings can be easily avoided, and the item will please the eye for a long time.

If you choose low-quality material, the pillow will quickly wear out and lose its shape.

Rules for sewing a cushion for a sofa

When planning to sew your own cushion or cushion for a sofa, you need to remember a number of simple rules:

Use a pattern to avoid wastage of fabric or other errors in calculations when cutting. If, if you have experience in sewing, a simple quadrangular “dumka” can be sewn by eye, then when sewing pads of complex shapes (letters, hearts), a pattern is required.
In order for the pillow to keep its shape for as long as possible, it is advisable to sew an inner cover - a pillowcase or filling. This rule is especially true for foam pillows, since this material easily gets knocked down and clumps.
Use only high-quality materials - strong, reliable threads, soft and non-clumping foam, fabric that can hold its shape.

The pillow should be sewn according to certain rules.
Note! There are many types of foam rubber available, which vary in degree of softness. In your work, it is advisable to use material marked “supersoft” or “soft”. As a rule, such filler is available in craft stores.

It is better to use soft filler.

How to make a foam pillow with your own hands?

The step-by-step process of sewing a pillow is as follows:

Preparing a pattern - you can make it yourself or use ready-made patterns from the Internet. Be sure to leave a seam allowance of at least 1.5 cm.
Cut out the fabric for the cover and decorative pillowcase. The cutting process directly depends on the shape of the product. For example, for a roller, you should separately cut out a large flap for the main part and 2 small ones for the end parts. For a round pillow, two large circles of fabric with seam allowances are enough. If you plan to sew a circle consisting of segments, you need to cut out the required number of fabric triangles, which will then be sewn together.
Directly sewing a cover, or, if it is not used, immediately a decorative pillowcase. To prevent the filler from coming out, the seams must be strong and reliable.
Stuffing – the comfort of using the pillow depends on this stage. To prevent the foam from clumping inside, it is laid gradually, starting from the bottom. If sheet foam rubber is used, you need to fold the sheet 3 or 4 times and cut the blank to the shape of the future pad. After stuffing, it is recommended to check how comfortable it is on the pillow and remove excess.

Note! There is also an adhesive method for attaching foam rubber to a pillowcase. With this method, sheet foam rubber is laid directly on the cut fabric and secured in the middle with a glue gun. The cover is then sewn together. When using this method, the stuffing will bunch up less, and the item will retain its shape longer.

With the adhesive fastening method, the pillow retains its shape longer.

What are the advantages of using bolster pillows?

A bolster pillow is not just a fad or a tribute to fashion - it is a physiological human need caused by the specific structure of the spinal column. If you lie down on such a pillow, placing it under the cervical deflection of the spine, you can subsequently avoid many problems with the musculoskeletal system.

Effects of using a bolster pillow:

eliminate anatomically incorrect deflection in the thoracic region;
maintain the neck in a comfortable state, promoting normal blood supply to the brain and thus preventing headaches, tinnitus, and cognitive impairment.

It's no secret that a regular pillow can cause pain in the neck and spine, so a bolster pillow is an excellent solution for healthy sleep.
The pillow-cushion will become a companion remedy for getting rid of many problems with the spine, including osteochondrosis.

Decor pillows

There are many ideas for original sofa cushion decor. This applies to both the shape of the pillows and the decorative design itself. In addition to the classic quadrangular, the most popular shapes are:

cushion - classic sofa headrest;
a circle consisting of sectors - such a pad can be made in the shape of a flower;
letters – letter pillows are often used as a decorative element in a children’s room;
heart - sewn either from one piece of fabric, cut into two sectors, or from two or more types of fabric of different colors;
other figures are pads in the form of flowers, animals, and other silhouettes.

When sewing, you can use either one type of fabric or combine several different colors or types of material. “Patchwork” pillowcases made from triangles or squares of different colors sewn together look impressive.

Pillows made from pieces of fabric look original.

When choosing decorative elements, you need to take into account the overall design and purpose of the pillow. For example, a bolster that will be used as an armrest or headrest on a sofa should not be overloaded with decor.

In some cases, the pillow should not be overloaded with decor.

Pillows that do not have a practical function can be decorated more boldly by using suitable elements - buttons, decorative appliqués, lace.

If you do not plan to lie on the pillow, it can be decorated with buttons or other voluminous decor.

How to decorate a finished pillow in an original way

When you want to update decorative pillows with your own hands, but don’t want to bother with sewing a product from scratch, our quick tips for transforming already finished products beyond recognition will come to the rescue!

Method one: airy heart made of roses

For work we need a pillow, fabric that does not require cutting, scissors and a needle.

We cut out circles from the selected fabric (not necessarily even, even if they are slightly different in shape) with a diameter of about eight centimeters. Next, we take one piece by the middle, gather it together, forming folds as in the photo, fix it with a couple of stitches and sew another circle at the bottom, forming a lush bud.

We continue to sew circles to the rose until we get a flower of the desired size.

Prepare the rest of the roses in the same way.

Sew the flowers to the front side of the pillow, starting with the outline of the heart.

We arrange the parts more closely, without leaving large gaps between them. We gradually move towards the center in a spiral. We fix the thread and hide the tail. The decoration for the sofa pillow is ready!

Method two: application

It would seem primitive! But look how an ordinary pillow was transformed in just half an hour! The pillow can be decorated with colorful flowers, animals, hearts, butterflies - it is not at all necessary to achieve natural colors. This pillow will make even the grayest and rainiest autumn a little warmer and more comfortable.

Method three: tapes

Ribbon, whether satin or fabric, can quickly transform any boring, plain-colored pillow! Experiment with the width and types of bows - it's easy and fun!