Want to make a No Sew Bow Pillow? You’ll love this easy tutorial!
I’m obsessed with bows & also love pillows. Since we re-vamped our bedroom side table lamp to have a teal shade, I decided what better way to tie that color into the room than to add a pillow. I instantly thought of this bow pillow tutorial that Kate Spade posted on their blog last year.
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However, I no longer have a {functioning} sewing machine, so I knew that I would have to modify the tutorial to be able to use my no – sew hem tape. For a step by step tutorial on how to use the tape, check out my no sew pillow covers or no sew curtains.
If you do not have or do not feel comfortable using an iron and hem tape, you can also use stitch witch no sew hem glue, like I did with my sweater pillows. However, the glue takes about an hour to dry, so it takes a bit longer (including wait time – actually applying the glue is quick) than the hem tape that dries basically instantly.
No Sew Bow Pillow
I used one down filled rectangular shaped throw pillow from Homegoods. I actually got 3 (!) of these for $10 each. I shared one with you in the no sew fur covered pillow tutorial.
Back to this pillow. I started by cutting 1 rectangles of fabric. I laid the cover of my pillow on top of my fabric and cut the piece to be approximately 2 inches wider than the pillow cover on each side. So, if you measure your case, add 4 inches to each the length and the width.
Then, lay that fabric out and cut a second piece exactly the same size.
Now, take those 2 pieces of fabric and give them a rough iron. You will have another chance to iron it later in the project, but try to get it at least 90 percent smooth now. Trust me, you’ll be sick of ironing soon and less likely to do a good job.
Now is time to hem your fabric. I do this by folding the edge of the fabric over approximately 1 inch and ironing a tight crease. Make sure that your fabric is good side down, if it has a good side.
Then, place your hem tape inside the fold.
Now – look at the directions on your hem tape. Some require a damp cloth. I prefer the ones that don’t but I usually just buy whatever is cheapest.
Follow those directions to iron seal your hem. Mine involved placing down a damp cloth and ironing over that for 10 seconds per section. READ YOUR DIRECTIONS! I can’t say it enough because some tapes are 3 seconds and some are as much as 20 seconds – it won’t work unless you do what your tape requires.
Now, this might sound dumb but it’s come up before – the fabric, the damp cloth, the steam, and especially the melted hem tape will be hot. Do not touch them when they are hot. You will burn yourself, ouchie. Not good. It’s better to take a 10 second break to let it cool than scald your hand & never finish your pillow.
Now, hem all 4 sides of both fabric pieces. When you finish each one, give it a quick iron to clean up any creases you might have made.
Now, place your 2 pieces together (good sides on the inside of the sandwich if your fabric has good sides) and attach them along 3 of the 4 hems. I like to leave a short edge open.
Turn it inside out and stuff in your pillow.
Now you have to hem the final side. The easiest way that I have found to do this is to use stitch witch no sew glue and then pin it in place. Leave it alone for at least one hour to cure. I left mine over night.
Meanwhile, you can work on the center bow piece. Cut a strip of fabric as wide as you’d like it to be – I made mine about 1/4 the width of my pillow. I also used 2 strips and hemmed them together, just because of the shape of the fabric that I had left.
Them both sides of the fabric strip using your hem tape. I actually cut my hem tape in half hotdog style so that I could have a smaller hem.
Wrap the strip around your pillow. Play with how tight you want it to get the right amount of cinch for your bow. I trimmed my strip and then pinned it how I liked it with safety pins.
Use no sew glue to hold in place and allow to dry, preferably over night.
Here it is. Not overly bow-y, just the right amount of fun for this room.
I love it!
Check out my other no sew projects:
No sew envelope style pillow covers
What have you been {non}sewing lately?
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Hello, I’m Morgan, half of the creative force behind CharlestonCrafted.com! With a passion for DIY that dates back to 2012, I’ve transformed three homes and now I’m dedicated to helping others craft their dream spaces. Let’s turn your house into a home together!