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Video Tutorial: How to Turn Almost Any Pillow Cover Into a Box Cushion

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, on purchases made after following an affiliate link. See my full disclosure here.

June 20, 2013 By Jackie

I am going to blow your mind with the simplicity of today’s sewing tutorial. With one super easy modification to the easy envelope pillow cover, you can make these boxy floor cushions.

DIY Boxy Floor Cushion

In the video, I used 20″ pillow covers and inserts to make mini poufs for the playroom. The finished mini poufs are 12″ square and 6″ tall. They are perfect for little bottoms. My boys love using them as building blocks for their blanket forts, too.

DIY Boxy Floor Cushions

The sweet ladies at Sew Fine Fabric provided the great selection of fabrics used for the video. I chose fun, graphic prints. I love the ikat dot print so much I couldn’t limit myself to one color, so I went with Aquarius and Storm. The irregular striped yellow fabric is from the Glimma collection by Lotta Jansdotter. And, I couldn’t resist a whimsical gray faux bois print, reminiscent of driftwood or a plank, for a pirate playroom :)

DIY Boxy Floor Cushions

A couple more tidbits before we get to the video:

  • If you haven’t tried the easy envelope pillow covers, yet, you can watch the video tutorial to catch up.
  • You can do this to purchased pillow covers, too. Avoid pillow covers with zippers. This trick works best on envelope style pillow closures.
  • You can also make much larger floor cushions with this method. In our reading loft, I made 4″ thick floor cushions with 26″ pillows. They are great for kids and adults.
  • If you are new here, be warned…I don’t iron. I think life is too short for ironing, whether I am sewing or getting dressed in the morning. Pardon the wrinkles.

When editing videos, I have to watch these clips a nauseating amount of times. I learn more about myself and the video process each time. Here are a few of my observations from this video:

  • My dipped chair is old and could use some oil. It makes some undesirable noises when I swivel in one clip :(
  • Apparently, to stuff a pillow properly you must talk to yourself, make weird faces, and beat the pillow into submission.
  • I think the camera added 10 pounds just to my arms…maybe sleeveless was not the way to go for a video featuring me wrestling with a pillow.
  • I have freckles on my arms and everywhere else. My oldest is getting them on his nose and cheeks which is impossibly adorable with his dark brown eyes and hair.

Want to see more videos? I made it easier with a Videos link in the navigation under the logo. Enjoy!

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Comments

  1. Shar says

    June 20, 2013 at 7:36 am

    These are awesome. I’d love to add these to my boys’ playroom. I just have to learn to sew first :)

    • Jackie says

      June 20, 2013 at 10:25 am

      Shar, Give it a try. I promise the easy envelope pillow cover and this technique are the easiest possible sewing tutorials. Just a few straight seams.

  2. MB says

    June 20, 2013 at 9:18 am

    These look awesome! I would love to make some. The fabric is super cute.

  3. Deme @ House For Five says

    June 20, 2013 at 10:00 am

    These are genius Jackie! So simple and they look great! My kiddos came in as I was watching the video and are convinced we need some for their reading corners. I am too :)

    • Jackie says

      June 20, 2013 at 10:24 am

      Deme, Wise kids! Have fun making them and playing with them :)

  4. Kismet says

    June 20, 2013 at 1:12 pm

    Great job! These are wonderful!
    P.s. I didn’t hear a thing from your chair.

    • Jackie says

      June 20, 2013 at 9:48 pm

      Oh good, the background noise reduction must have worked…and I am just hearing it in my head :)

  5. James says

    June 20, 2013 at 2:39 pm

    Such a great tutorial Jackie! I sent this to my sister so she can make them for me :)

  6. Lisa says

    June 20, 2013 at 4:54 pm

    These are so cute! My son would love these in his room and our family room. I’m thinking I may take apart my big pouf and use it to make a square pouf. I can’t watch the video at work, but I think you’re too hard on yourself. :)

    • Jackie says

      June 20, 2013 at 9:49 pm

      It is all in good fun Lisa.

  7. Elise says

    June 20, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    Cute! These look like something my son would love… he’s constantly making forts with our couch cushions!

  8. Krista @thehappyhousie says

    June 20, 2013 at 10:40 pm

    These are fabulous – great video tutorial… I think they would be fun with the giant feather inserts you can get from IKEA as well- you would get quite a good sized pouf with one of those. Thanks so much for this tutorial Jackie!!

  9. Maria says

    June 21, 2013 at 9:15 pm

    How CUTE!!! They look so comfy, what a great idea! Love the fabrics, too! Beautiful!

  10. Loren @ My {Sub}Conscious Ramblings says

    June 22, 2013 at 9:15 am

    These are so cute! Love the tutorial!

  11. Megan @ Homemade Ginger says

    June 22, 2013 at 12:43 pm

    I love these! I made some beanbags out of that premier prints fabric in yellow and pink for my daughters. But, I love this pillow pattern. Cute!

  12. carissa says

    June 28, 2013 at 10:30 am

    love this!

  13. Andrea says

    June 28, 2013 at 10:32 am

    Thanks for the tutorial. Such an easy idea. I can’t wait to try this.

  14. Jamie says

    June 30, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    What an awesome tutorial! So glad I found your blog, I’m your newest follower ;)
    Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com

    • Jackie says

      July 1, 2013 at 6:59 am

      Jamie, Thank you and welcome!

  15. Holly Harrington says

    September 7, 2013 at 10:07 am

    These are so great, Jackie! I especially love your tip about modifying the pillow insert. I would never have thought of that, which is why it is so wonderful that creative people like you share their tips. By the way, I loved the fast section of you wrestling and beating the pillow. It cracked me up! I can’t wait to try this myself. Actually, this is a perfect project for me and my 8 year old to tackle together. Thanks again!!

  16. Petra says

    October 1, 2013 at 1:50 pm

    Jackie, I have been reding your blog faithfully for the last few months and this is my first reply back to you. I absolutely love your blog! Thank you so much!

    Now for my question… :) I have been thinking about trying to make some floor pillow/poufs to use as ottomans in our living room. (Why are they sooo expensive to buy by the way?!?!?) I thought that perhaps I could follow your instruction but modify it for adding two pillow forms on top of eachother to make it thicker. Have you ever tried anything like that? Would love to know your suggestions if you have any…

    • Jackie says

      October 1, 2013 at 6:19 pm

      Petra, Thank you! I don’t have any experience creating taller poufs, but my instinct is to think two pillows stacked might not be enough. The pillows are very squishy. If you are looking for a firmer pouf, you might need to fill the cover with high-density foam. Best of luck!

  17. Lila says

    December 10, 2013 at 11:48 am

    These pillows are adorable, and this tutorial (like the one for the Easy Envelope Pillow Cover) is so well-done. It is clear and easy to follow, and you have a great presentation style. I have a really dumb question: in making these boxy cushions, would the pillow cover size always be the same as the pillow insert? (For example, for the larger floor pillows you made for your reading loft, was the pillow cover 26″ inches for the 26″ pillow inserts?) And the thickness of the finished boxy pillow just depends on the length of the diagonal seam across the corner?

    I really liked the pillows in your reading loft and was hoping to do something similar for my daughter.

    • Jackie says

      December 10, 2013 at 2:01 pm

      Lila, Thank you. You are correct. Match your pillow cover to the size of the pillow insert, then how much you “clip off” the corners determines how thick the cushion will be. For my floor cushions, I made them about 4″ thick.

      • Lila says

        December 12, 2013 at 5:48 pm

        Thank you so much!

  18. Ayan Shire says

    January 25, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    Hi Jackie these look really easy to make even for a beginner. My question is if I wanted to add pipping how would I do that and if I wanted to stuff my pillows with fiber stuffing would that work to instead of a pillow???

    P.S I love your site :)

    • Jackie says

      January 25, 2014 at 8:25 pm

      Ayan, Thank you. This pillow is not designed to add pipping, as the seams do not go all the way around the pillow. And, with the open envelope closure, this cover works best with a pillow insert.

  19. Sarah Watkins says

    September 17, 2014 at 11:03 pm

    Hi Jackie
    One of the best video tutorials I have seen! I’ve now got the confidence to start reupholstering some chairs. Just one question – As I’m going to be using a foam insert my final cover will need to be fairly true to size – does the box corner effect the overall size of my final cushion i.e. will I need to cut my fabric any larger?

  20. Jane says

    November 19, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    Just came to your site via sew mama sew. These boxy poufs are on my sewing list for sure now. Thanks for the tutorial.

    Love what I’ve had time to read so far on your site… Will have to come back later when there’s time :) P.S. Your sewing room is sooo neat and clean!

  21. Kari says

    May 25, 2015 at 10:41 am

    Hi!
    These are adorable. If I wanted to do this with a zipper seam instead, accepting the fact that a zipper would be in the middle of one of the sides, would I just position my zipper far enough away from the corners to provide room for the side seam?

    • Jackie says

      May 26, 2015 at 8:06 pm

      Kari, I haven’t tried it, because I’ve sworn off zippers. But if I were to do it, I would make the pillow first with the zipper closure, then follow the other steps to make the box corners. If you wanted to do this with a traditional cover that has the zipper along one edge, then you would just end up cutting off part of the zipper seam when you make the boxed corners. Let me know how it works out.

  22. Susie says

    June 14, 2015 at 9:13 am

    Hi Kari. I’d like to cover my patio cushions using your pillow cover and boxed cushion methods. There are different size cushions as it’s for an outdoor couch and chairs, but most of the cushions are about 4″ thick. I know I double the seat length and add approx. 6″ for the envelope fold but do I add extra width for the thickness of the cushions. I’m just trying to figure out a formula for measuring before I cut. Your methods are fantastic and so easy! So, so glad I saw your videos! This will save me a ton of work and frustration!

  23. Kelly says

    August 4, 2015 at 6:17 am

    Love these – what a great idea! I am wondering if you used feather or polyester filled pillows and how they have held up? Thanks so much.

    • Jackie says

      August 4, 2015 at 12:19 pm

      Kelly,

      Thanks. I only use feather pillows. The polyester ones always get clumpy and lifeless after a while.

      • Kelly says

        August 4, 2015 at 1:34 pm

        Thanks much for the quick reply! I feel the same way about polyester pillows. Can’t wait to make a few for my kiddos for reding time!

  24. Krystal says

    September 30, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    Love! I’m looking for something for my kids to build forts out of, do you think this would work? I’m worried that they won’t stay stacked.
    Thanks!

    • Jackie says

      October 4, 2016 at 10:53 am

      They stack quite well with their boxy shapes. Use good quality inserts too. Plus, it will be fun when the fort falls over to be buried in pillows.

Trackbacks

  1. “Inspire Me Please” Blog Party {No. 17} says:
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    […] Easy? That’s my kind of style! I’m loving these DIY floor cushions by Teal and Lime  […]

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