Pillows are an easy-to-change accessory that can totally alter the look of a room. Linda Lee of the Sewing Workshop in San Francisco shows off her beautifully tailored linen pillows, then explains how to sew perfect fabric circles. A trio of linen pillows in neutral colors is fresh, pretty and not a bit overdone. The flap of a pillow with the look of a sailor collar is kept closed by the weight of an old bead. A linen pillow with a silk organza "pinafore" is embellished with button rosettes created by sewing one button on top of another. An elegant linen pillow features a round cutout that reveals lovely silk moire with a tassel center. Here's how to make a perfectly tailored circle cutout in a piece of linen to expose pretty fabric below: Materials:
Background fabric (beige linen or other fabric of your choice)
Inset fabric (silk moire or other fabric)
Coordinating thread
Batting and muslin
Architectural drafting compass
Erasable marking pen
Sewing machine
Scissors
Lightweight tag board (similar to manila file-folder material)
Rotary cutter and cutting board
Optional: decorative tassel
Optional: decorative cording
- To draw a perfect circle of almost any size, use an architectural drafting compass (figure A). Draw a circle of your desired size on a piece of lightweight tag board.
- Cut along the line of the circle with a rotary cutter, making sure to keep both the circle and the piece it's cut from intact. Remove the interior-circle template, and set aside the negative circle to use later as a pressing tool (figure B).
- Trace around the circle template on the background fabric with an erasable marking pen.
- Stay-stitch around the circle.
- Cut out the center circle, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance along the line of stay-stitching. Clip slits in the seam allowance so the circle will lie flat when pressed (figure C).
- Place the negative-circle template on top of the fabric, aligning the edge of the template with the line of stay-stitching. Press the seam allowance flat, using the template as a pressing tool (figure D).
- Make a padded silk-moire inset for the linen pillow cover by topping a piece of muslin with a layer of batting and placing the silk moire on top (figure E).
- Place the linen cutout over the layered silk moire, pin together, and topstitch around the edge of the linen circle. Embellish the edge of the circle, if desired, with fine cord zigzag-stitched in place (figure F). Finish the pillow top by adding a tassel to the center of the circle.
- Assemble the finished pillow top into a pillow.
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