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How to sew a bolster pillow -- make this great pillow for St. Patrick's Day or change up the word and color for anytime of the year. Full instructions for making and sewing this great pillow!
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How To Sew A Bolster Pillow

Looking to jazz up your couch? Or, add a little extra support while you sleep? A bolster pillow may be exactly what you need! Made from soft materials like cotton or down, bolster pillows are the perfect addition to any couch, bed, or lounge area. Learn how to sew your own bolster pillow- from scratch!
Makes 1 pillow
Author Angie Holden

What You Will Need

  • Elmer's CraftBond fabric and paper glue
  • Fabric (your color/pattern choice)
  • Baker's twine
  • White cotton canvas
  • Sewing machine (or thread and needle)
  • Circle template
  • Seam ripper
  • Pillow stuffing

Instructions

  • I started with a white cotton canvas for the base of my pillow. Use the CraftBond Fabric & Paper Glue to write the word of your choice in cursive.
  • Start laying on the baker's twine following the same path you would take if you were writing the word with a pencil. 
    Go over the entire word once with baker's twine and then cut the string from the roll of twine. 
  • Using the same method, go over the word a second time with your baker's twine.
    This time, after you are finished, be sure to press the twine into the glue completely all over the word and clean up any excess glue.
  • Set the entire piece of fabric aside to dry completely (I allowed it to dry overnight).
  • Grab some contrasting fabric for the ends along with a few yards of piping.
    First, turn your pillow with the right sides together and sew just where the ends meet. Make sure to leave about 5 inches so we can turn this pillow right side out in a few minutes.
    The ends are completely open - don't sew those closed!
  • Cut some fabric into 2-inch strips. Then, sew that cord INSIDE that strip as shown below.
  • We are going to need two fabric circles for the inside of the ends of our bolster pillow.
    Again measure the end of your pillow and double it, but do not add anything this time. Divide that number by 3.14. That will give you the approximate diameter of the circle you need to cut for the ends of your pillow.
  • Use your regular foot to sew the piping to the circles.
    When you get to the end of the circle, stop sewing. Remove some of the stitches with your seam ripper. Cut the cording to where it meets exactly. 
    Fold over your fabric where you have a nice clean seam as shown below. Sew completely around.
  • Pin this circle to the inside of your pillow (that is STILL inside out) with the PIPING facing INSIDE. Line up the seam of your pillow with the seam of the piping on your circle.
    Put on your zipper foot this time and sew. Get as close to that piping as you can in this step.
    Repeat on both sides of the bolster pillow.
  • Turn the pillow right side out through the hole you left in the very beginning. Stuff with stuffing until it's packed in.
    Then, sew closed the opening on your machine or by hand.
    Set out your pillow for the world to see! You made that cute bolster pillow WITH piping I might add!

Notes

  • If you are uncomfortable writing this freehand, feel free to use a disappearing fabric marker to write the word or trace from a printout!
  • I used a toothpick or another small pointy object to clear off the excess in hard-to-reach areas. 
  • How much cording will you need? When your pillow is flat like the above image, measure the end you are going to be adding the cording to and double it. Then, add a few inches. This is how much cording you will need for ONE end of your pillow.
    Make two separate cording pieces if your strips are long enough to not splice the fabric. Otherwise, you can sew those fabric strips together into one long continuous strip before beginning to sew the cording inside.
  • I used a circle template to cut the circles from the fabric.