Holiday DIY: Sequined Text Throw Pillow
Follow these step-by-step instructions to create a personalized holiday greeting on a pillow
Show your holiday spirit by dressing up your sofa with a festive sequined pillow. Here’s how to make one with this message or your own.
This project can be customized according to your style — choose a different sequin or fabric color or your own cheeky phrase.
Materials for This 18-by-18-Inch Pillow
- For the front: One 19-by-19-inch piece of blue wool suiting-style fabric
- For the back: Two pieces of 19-by-14-inch cream quilted fabric for the pillow back (or another neutral nonstretch fabric)
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Pins
- Matching thread for each side (in this case, we used blue and cream)
- Printout or freehand drawing of your text
- Water-soluble disappearing ink pen or dressmaker’s transfer paper (optional)
- Permanent, clear-drying fabric adhesive, such as Liquid Stitch (available at craft and fabric stores)
- Gold sequin trim
- 18-by-18-inch pillow insert
Instructions
1. Begin with your fabric. Measure and cut it so that the blue wool suiting fabric is 19 inches by 19 inches and each piece of the cream quilted fabric is 19 inches by 14 inches.
1. Begin with your fabric. Measure and cut it so that the blue wool suiting fabric is 19 inches by 19 inches and each piece of the cream quilted fabric is 19 inches by 14 inches.
2. Fold over 1½ inches of material (wrong sides together) along one long edge of each piece of the cream fabric and pin in place.
3. Sew along your pinned edges 1 inch from the fold to form a finished edge on each cream fabric piece.
4. Lay out your pieces in preparation for sewing the outside edges. Put the blue wool on the bottom with the right side up. Then place the first piece of cream quilted fabric on top of the blue wool with the wrong side up. Line up the unstitched long edge of the cream fabric with one edge of the blue wool and pin in place around the outside edges.
Place the second piece of cream fabric with the wrong side up so that the unstitched long edge aligns with the edge of the blue wool on the opposite side from the first cream piece, as shown here. Pin in place around the outside edges.
Place the second piece of cream fabric with the wrong side up so that the unstitched long edge aligns with the edge of the blue wool on the opposite side from the first cream piece, as shown here. Pin in place around the outside edges.
5. Sew around the entire perimeter using a half-inch seam allowance.
6. Turn the pillow cover right side out and lay it flat on your work surface.
7. Print out your “Merry & Bright” (or other phrase) using a word-processing program. I used a font called Asterism. This will be your guide for the text.
Check to be sure that the message will fit on the pillow face. Leave at least 1 inch — 2 inches would be better — around the outside of the text so that it doesn’t crowd the edges.
Using your printout as a guide, lightly draw the lettering on the pillow face itself with a pencil or water-soluble disappearing ink. You could also use dressmaker’s transfer paper to trace the design directly on the fabric.
Use your adhesive to draw the “M” in the top left corner of the pillow cover. Position the sequin trim along the adhesive line. You will notice that there is a right side and a wrong side to the trim — make sure that the side with less thread visible is facing up.
Draw the next letter and attach the sequins. Continue in this way until you have finished the whole phrase.
Check to be sure that the message will fit on the pillow face. Leave at least 1 inch — 2 inches would be better — around the outside of the text so that it doesn’t crowd the edges.
Using your printout as a guide, lightly draw the lettering on the pillow face itself with a pencil or water-soluble disappearing ink. You could also use dressmaker’s transfer paper to trace the design directly on the fabric.
Use your adhesive to draw the “M” in the top left corner of the pillow cover. Position the sequin trim along the adhesive line. You will notice that there is a right side and a wrong side to the trim — make sure that the side with less thread visible is facing up.
Draw the next letter and attach the sequins. Continue in this way until you have finished the whole phrase.
8. Use your fingers to gently adjust the text so that it looks even.
Keep in mind that the adhesive will dry clear, so if you make a mistake, you can simply scrape off the glue and redo it.
Keep in mind that the adhesive will dry clear, so if you make a mistake, you can simply scrape off the glue and redo it.
9. Cut the trim and any loose ends, then let the glue dry thoroughly. Insert your pillow form and place the pillow on your sofa.
Care tip: Clean the pillow by spot-treating it or washing it by hand with a mild detergent.
See another holiday DIY pillow project
Care tip: Clean the pillow by spot-treating it or washing it by hand with a mild detergent.
See another holiday DIY pillow project