Floor Pillows

This page has pillows that have distinct top, bottom and side planes. Some constructions side planes are formed when the corners of the top and bottom pieces of fabric are shaped with darts or gathers, which creates an informal, softly boxed shape. These are called dart-shaped pillows.

Pillows with a separate band of fabric between the top and bottom pieces of fabric are referred to as boxed pillows. Both of these kinds of pillows are bulkier than their knife-edge counterparts. Box-edge pillows look more formal, even when used as floor pillows. This effect can be softened by choice of fabric. The square-edge pillow design is perfect for floor pillows or sofa pillows.

Below are two examples: one floor pillow & one floor pillow sham.

1. Make the welting (A). With the right sides together and cut edges aligned, sew welting around the perimeter of the pillow top (B) and pillow bottom (B); overlap the ends on a side, not at a corner, and finish them neatly.
   
   
   
   
2. Sew the pieces of the boxing underlayer (C) together to make one strip. Test the fit of the boxing by pinning the underlayer to the pillow top seamline for joining the underlayer ends. Cut off the excess fabric; be sure to leave seam allowance at each end.
   
   
3. Sew the pieces of the ruching (D) together to make one strip. Sew gathering stitches on both long edges; use a zigzag stitch over a strand of heavy thread so the stitches will adjust easily without breaking. Pull up the gathers.
   
   
4. Place the boxing underlayer right side up. Place the ruching right side up on top of it. Align the cut edges at one end and pin together. Wrap the gathering threads around the pins to secure them temporarily and adjust the ruching until it fits as desired on the underlayer.
   
   
   
5. Beginning and ending a couple of inches from each end, hand baste the edges of the ruching to the underlayer. Cut off any excess ruching even with the ends of the underlayer.
   
   
6. Remove the pins holding the ruching to the ends of the underlayer. Sew the ends of the ruching together.
   
   
   
7. Sew the ends of the underlayer together. Press the seam allowance of both layers open with your fingers and finish basting the edges of the ruching to the underlayer.
   
   
8. With the right sides together and cut edges aligned, pin and sew the boxing to the pillow top; clip and pivot the boxing at each corner. Leaving an opening on one side, pin and sew the boxing to the pillow bottom. Trim the corners, turn the cover right side out, insert the pillow form, and slipstitch the opening closed.

1. Place the sham top (A) wrong side up and top with a piece of batting, then with a piece of lining. Pin the layers together and baste along the seamlines.
   
   
   
2. In the same manner, baste batting and lining to the boxing strips. Sew the ends of the boxing strips together to form a ring.
   
   
3. To set up the overlap closure, cut the sham bottom (B) into two pieces. Press the hem allowance to the wrong side of each piece along the overlap edge.
   
   
   
4. Place the sham bottoms wrong side up and unfold the hem allowance. Top each piece with a piece of batting, then with a piece of lining; align the batting and lining with the foldline of the hem allowances. Pin the layers together, trim the batting and lining even with the outer edges of the bottoms, and baste together along the seamlines.
   
   
   
5. Pin the hems over the linings and topstitch to secure. If desired, make buttonholes in the hem of one bottom or sew corresponding pieces of hook-and-loop tape to the inside of one hem and the outside of the other.
   
   
6. Overlap the hems and trim the sham bottom to the same size as the sham top.
   
   
7. With the right sides together and cut edges aligned, pin and sew the boxing to the sham top and bottom. Do not trim the batting from the seam allowance. Turn the floor pillow sham right side out.
   
   
8. Pin the top and boxing together 1" inside the seamline; ease the boxing onto the top at each corner. Using pearl cotton, sew them together by hand with long running stitches. repeat to hand sew the bottom to the boxing.
   
   
   
9. If the overlap has buttonholes, sew a button to the underlap opposite each. Insert the pillow form and fasten the closure.