Colorful DIY Tufted Pillows You’ll Love This Year

We’re helping you prep your home decor for spring with an easy tutorial for tufting a cushion. These colorful DIY Tufted Pillows are perfect for any decor…

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

By the time February rolls around, I Erin am more ready than ever for the snow to melt and for the warm glow of summer to shine its way back into my life.

Here in Minnesota though, it’s probable we’ll have a few feet of snow on the ground until mid-March.

So to help keep spirits up, I’m constantly on the lookout for ways to fulfill my craving for spring.

And in this case, it’s with Colorful DIY Tufted Pillows that just so happen to pair perfect with our DIY Knot Pillows too. 

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Aside from a healthy dose of D3 chewable vitamins, I find it’s really helpful to make small tweaks in my living space to visually brighten and freshen things up.

Even small changes, like bringing in leafy potted plants and swapping out winter throw pillows can make a world of difference.

If you too are in need of a little winter refresher, why not make up a few colorful button tufted pillows for your sofa?

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

There are no fancy zippers involved so you don’t need to be a skilled sewer. And I promise it’ll help with the winter blues.

I mean, who doesn’t love new pillows?! Okay. Let’s do this….

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Materials and Tools Needed to Make Colorful DIY Tufted Pillows

0.75 yards of fabric for the body of the pillow — Fabric must be a minimum of 42″ wide in order to fit 2 pattern squares side by side. Most fabric is 50″-54″ wide.

2 – 4″x4″ squares of contrasting fabric for the buttons

2 half ball cover buttons (1-7/8″ diameter) — One for each face of the pillow.

20″ square pillow form (polyester fill — They hold their shape best for this kind of pillow.

Thread — Same color as your main fabric

Standard hand-sewing needle

Embroidery floss – same color as your main fabric

Larger hand-sewing needle with eye large enough to thread embroidery floss

Sewing machine — Or you can hand sew them if you’d like!

Basic Sewing Supplies: scissors, sewing pins, iron

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

How to Make Colorful DIY Tufted Pillows

Step 1 – Cut out two 21″ squares of the main fabric, and use sewing pins to attach the “right” sides of the fabric together.

Step 2 – Pin along three of the edges.

On the fourth side, pin only once at each end. The area without pins will be the spot where we insert the pillow form.

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Step 3 – Sew along the edge of the pillow starting at the last pin before the large opening.

Start with a few forward stitches, and then backtrack a few stitches to help stabilize the seam.

Then, continue sewing the perimeter of the pillow until you reach the other side of the large opening.

Make sure to backtrack again to finish the seam. Sew with a half inch seam allowance, removing pins as you go.

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Step 4 – Trim the 4 corner points of the pillow at a diagonal, but be sure not to cut the seam. This will help form crisp, non-bulky pillow corners later.

Step 5 – Turn the pillow right side out, and iron the cover to remove wrinkles, and create crisp seams.

With a ruler mark the dead center of each pillow front.

Then, stuff with the pillow form.

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Step 6 – Close up the pillow by folding the raw edges inward and pinning the two edges together.

Thread a needle with coordinating thread and use a whip stitch to secure the two sides. 

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

For The Covered Buttons

Step 1 – Cut out the half-moon pattern on the back of the button package.

Step 2 – Fold your fabric in half, align the straight edge of the pattern with the fold of the fabric.

Step 3 – Trace and cut out the pattern.

Step 4 – Place the half-dome button face down on the fabric circle, and fold the fabric inward to catch on the button’s teeth.

Step 5 – Snap the back plate onto the button.

Repeat both steps with the 2nd button.

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Step 6 – Thread up your larger needle with a long piece of embroidery floss. Send the needle through the center of the pillow and out the other side, but leave the floss tail hanging out on the back end of the pillow.

Step 7 – Thread one of the buttons onto the floss, and send the needle back through the center of the pillow, just to the side of the first stitch.

Pull the flossing very tight to create the “tuft,” and tie them together with a triple knot.

Trim tails.

Repeat the same process for the button on the opposite side of the pillow.

Step 8 – Tuck the tail ends underneath the first button to conceal.

Once the DIY Tufted Pillows are complete, style them on your sofa or even use them as floor cushions for additional seating.

With fresh updates like these, winter blues don’t stand a chance! Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century  Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Do you have a favorite color combination for spring? I’m really loving pale pink with a tiny pop of burnt orange!

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

More Easy DIY Pillows

Colorful DIY tufted pillows - sugar and cloth - home decor - mid century

Colorful DIY Tufted Pillow

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5 from 1 vote
We're helping you prep your home decor for spring with these Colorful DIY Tufted Pillows.
Prep Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour
Course DIY
Category Pillow

Equipment

  • Sewing machine Or you can hand sew them if you’d like!
  • Sewing pins
  • Iron
  • Fabric scissors
  • Basic sewing needle
  • Larger sewing needle with eye large enough to thread embroidery floss

Materials

  • 0.75 yd Fabric for the body of the pillow Fabric must be a minimum of 42″ wide in order to fit 2 pattern squares side by side. Most fabric is 50″-54″ wide.
  • 2 4″ x 4″ fabric squares We choose contrasting colors from the buttons.
  • 2 half ball cover button One for each face of the pillow. Ours are 1-7/8″ diameter.
  • 20" x 20" pillow form insert
  • Thread Same color as your main fabric.
  • Embroidery floss Same color as your main fabric.

Instructions

  • Cut out two 21″ x 21" squares of the main fabric, and use sewing pins to attach the “right” sides of the fabric together.
  • Pin along three of the edges. On the fourth side, pin only once at each end. The area without pins will be the spot where we insert the pillow form.
  • Sew along the edge of the pillow starting at the last pin before the large opening. Start with a few forward stitches, and then backtrack a few stitches to help stabilize the seam. Then, continue sewing the perimeter of the pillow until you reach the other side of the large opening. Make sure to backtrack again to finish the seam. Sew with a half inch seam allowance, removing pins as you go.
  • Trim the 4 corner points of the pillow at a diagonal, but be sure not to cut the seam. This will help form crisp, non-bulky pillow corners later.
  • Turn the pillow right side out, and iron the cover to remove wrinkles, and create crisp seams. With a ruler mark the dead center of each pillow front. Then, stuff with the pillow form.
  • Close up the pillow by folding the raw edges inward and pinning the two edges together. Thread a needle with coordinating thread and use a whip stitch to secure the two sides. 

For The Covered Buttons

  • Cut out the half-moon pattern on the back of the button package.
  • Fold your fabric in half, align the straight edge of the pattern with the fold of the fabric.
  • Trace and cut out the pattern.
  • Place the half-dome button face down on the fabric circle, and fold the fabric inward to catch on the button’s teeth.
  • Snap the back plate onto the button.
    Repeat both steps with the 2nd button.
  • Thread up your larger needle with a long piece of embroidery floss. Send the needle through the center of the pillow and out the other side, but leave the floss tail hanging out on the back end of the pillow.
  • Thread one of the buttons onto the floss, and send the needle back through the center of the pillow, just to the side of the first stitch. Pull the flossing very tight to create the “tuft,” and tie them together with a triple knot. Trim tails. Repeat the same process for the button on the opposite side of the pillow.
  • Tuck the tail ends underneath the first button to conceal.
Cost: $25
KEYWORD: diy tuffted pillow

 

 

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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21 Comments

  1. I always love to read step by step guides like this so thats alot for sharing this great tufted pillow guide.

  2. Very pretty! I love the simplicity of these pillows! I’d love to invite you to my blog where you can submit your tutorials for a dedicated post! I pin to many pinterest boards and share on social media!

    1. Hi Meg! We didn’t make the rug/fabric for this project. This is a tutorial on how to make the pillows only :)

    1. Thanks, Kirsten! You can pick any fabric you want from your local fabric store! The great thing about this project is it’s really versatile! :)

  3. Cute! If you don’t have a sewing machine I’m sure you could use those cheap ikea pillows that come in solid colors to achieve the same look with very little hand sewing.