{15 Minute Outdoor Pillows!}

It’s finally warming up here in Northern Virginia and I’m starting to get the itch to be on my deck and light up the grill. We spent all last weekend scrubbing and cleaning and pulling out the patio furniture, and I have to say I have been outside working nearly everyday since enjoying the green(er) grass and the fresh air.

A few months back I purchased these new navy blue cushions from Target for our table and chairs and I absolutely love them. However, once I put them on I realized just how faded and dirty my throw pillows really were. I didn’t want to spend $15-$30 a piece on new pillows so I grabbed some outdoor fabric and whipped these covers up in an hour total.

I adore the way they turned out, and they were super simple to make! Check out the tutorial below and be sure to post your pictures to facebook or instagram if you give it a try!

What you’ll need:

1-2 yards of fabric depending on pillow size (I used two different patterns)

Outdoor pillow forms or old outdoor pillows

Scissors

Pins/Clips

Zippers (the length of your pillows)

Sewing Machine

Begin by measuring your pillows and adding an inch to your fabric. Then cut two panels for each pillow.

For example, my pillows measured 16×16 so I measured and cut my fabric panels to be 17×17. This allows for a 1/2 inch seam allowance on each side.

Press off your fabric gently if necessary. Remember outdoor fabric is generally not meant to be ironed so use a press cloth if need be.

Lay your first panel right side up. Lay your zipper face down (zipper teeth facing the right side of your fabric) at the top edge and pin or clip into place.

With your zipper foot on your sewing machine, sew a straight line down the zipper, about a 1/4 inch from the edge. Be careful not to sew too close to the teeth or else your zipper won’t open.

Once you’ve sewn down the side or your zipper, open your panel back to that the right side of your fabric is facing up. Gently press down the seam where you sewed in the zipper.

With your panel still open, align the second panel right side down on top of your zipper edge. Pin in place and sew a straight line down the size of your zipper just like you did for the first panel.

Open both panels back and iron down your seams.

Open your zipper partially and align your panels on top of each other, right sides together. Pin in place. {Make sure your zipper is partially open or else you wont be able to turn your pillow right side out!}