Hey Everyone!!! I am not going to have a pillow and quilt combo for May, but instead I did a great tutorial for making an easy covered zipper for all the pillows you are going to make in the future…(Quilt Market is next week (no…it is going on right now!)…and it aint pretty here…at the moment at least.)
I decided to do a blog tutorial for a covered zipper instead of a video…because I think it is hard to go back and forth on a video…and I think you could print this tutorial…If you have a phone or iPad you can have it next to your sewing machine and scroll… other than starting and stopping and rewinding a video…but if you think a video is easier we can do one as well…
Supplies Needed:
Finished Pillow front (example-18″x 18″)
Pillow backing…4″ longer than (example 18″x 22″) Cut in half in the center. 2-11″x 18″ pieces.
Zipper foot- not necessary but it makes it easier.
Matching thread
Zipper- longer than pillow width- we used 24″ for this pillow
We have a bunch of colored long zippers on our site for VERY reasonable prices. See below for more info on long zippers.
Purple thang- or something to poke out corners of pillows
Pillow form…Use a bigger form than the pillow when you can…example…put a 20″ pillow form in an 18″ pillow
I suggest reading the whole tutorial first before you start…then go for it!
Finished pillow top, backing pieces and coordinating zipper.
On wrong side of backing fold under 1/2″ and press on one piece 
On the remaining piece fold and press 1″ and then fold again another 1″
Now we are ready to stitch to the zipper.
Attach your zipper foot to your machine…and line up the hole on the right side of the foot…The zipper will hang over as shown….place the backing piece with the 1/2″ on top of the zipper with the fold next to the zipper teeth.
Here it is shown all stitched…
Now unfold the other backing piece to only 1- 1inch
Place it right sides together on the other edge of the zipper and it will cover the first sewn side, lining up the widths exactly, like shown.
Move the zipper foot to the other side and stitch right up against the teeth of the zipper. as shown in photo.
Now flip back the sewn side.
Push the fold forward so it covers the zipper. This is too far…if you see the zipper.
Sorry I had to insert a new photo here as we missed this shot…
Open the zipper a couple of inches and then push the zipper together as if it were closed.
Like this and stitch over the edges of each side to lock the fold as it covers the zipper in place.
Then the other side…
Move your zipper foot so the needle is on the right edge of the foot.
Top Stitch the fold down on the outside, running the foot as close as you can next to the zipper.
Close the zipper and press the newly stitched fold.
Now Trim off excess zipper. I used plastic zippers so I can cut them with my rotary cutter.
Back is done…Time to stitch the pillow together…Make sure you keep the zipper open.
Now lay the right side of the front of the pillow to the right side of the pillow back…I like to match of any kind of stripes or plaids if I can…but I do not stress out if they do not line up…sometimes one side of the zipper does and then the other doesn’t…
Trim the back the same size as the front.
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Place pins in the corners and in the middles…I admit I use pins very sparingly.
Now stitch pillow edges using a 1/2″ seam allowance…do opposing sides first…sew edge to edge.
Then stitch the remaining opposing sides. I find this eliminates getting tucks, or unevenness that happens sometimes.
Clip all four corners.
Now open up your zipper a little farther and turn the pillow right side out.
Push the corners out with some kind of tool.
Now stuff your pillow insert in…I use a bigger pillow form than my pillow…example…if my pillow is 18″ I will put a 20″ pillow form in it.
Close your zipper and fluff your pillow…Don’t you just love the finished edge this makes…and I love that I do not have to store a bunch of pillows…I can just store the pillow covering and if it would ever need to be washed it is much easier to do so.
I hope you love making these covered zippered pillows as much as I do…we have lots of designs for you to customize for your home…instead of just buying what the stores have available for us to purchase…
I have a new book coming out soon featuring a bunch of pillows including the one here….Click HERE to order the book .
I used flannel instead of wool on these pillows…they turned out beautiful!
I stitched words on the pillows using a #5 Valdani Thread…
If you need anything you see listed in this tutorial, we would very much appreciate you buying/supporting us for offering this great tutorial.
We have long zippers-click HERE,
in lots of colors for $2.50 each. The following set goes with Farmhouse Gatherings Flannels.
Then look at all the other colors they come in!!!
…and pillow forms in bunches of sizes, beautiful flannels, wools, fusibles and kits for lots of pillow projects…on our WEBSITE. I will let you know when the pillow kits will be ready to order…Fabric comes in July!
Leave a comment on here and I will pick a winner for a pillow kit with zipper and an advance pattern for the pillow!
…keep stitching everyday! Lisa
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