How To Make A Flanged Pillow

Hi everyone!  I'm Jann from Newton Custom Interiors.  I LOVE to make pillows, and today I'm excited to share with you how to make a flanged pillow.  This is a great pillow!   The flange adds some interest to this type of pillow, and I love adding cording around the outside edge.  You can make a small version of this pillow to put on a sofa or chair, or you can make a larger version for a bed.

 Make A Flanged Pillow

Before I get started with the tutorial, I want to mention a pet peeve of mine about flanged pillows.  I know you've all seen this.  The flanged pillow with the floppy corners, which is the big problem with most store-bought flanged shams.

make a flanged pillow

I like to beef up my flanged pillows, so that the corners don't droop or flop.  Below are some pillows I made for a client's guest bedroom.  Notice how the corners stand up nicely.

make a flanged pillow

That's what is so great about making your own pillows, you can add in details that will make your pillows really custom.  In this tutorial, I'll give you step-by-step instructions for making your flanged pillows with no floppy corners, and I'll also show you how to add cording around the flanges.  Cording adds an extra pop of color.

How To Make A Flanged Pillow With Cording

For this pillow, I used a 18″ x 14″ pillow form, and made my flanges at 1 1/2″.  You can make your pillow whatever size you want, maybe a bed- size pillow with larger flanges.  Just adjust your measurements accordingly.

make a flanged pillow

Materials needed:

18″ x 14″ pillow form
3/4 yard of fabric for pillow
1 yard of fabric for cording (to make it stand out, pick a solid fabric that coordinates with your pillow fabric)
1/2 yard of lining
1/2 yard of batting
16″ zipper
Thread matched to fabric

Instructions:

1. Cut your front piece of fabric 22″ wide x 18″ long.

2.  Cut 2 pieces for the back of pillow.  The first piece needs to be cut at 22″ wide x 15 3/4″ long, and the second at 22″ wide and 3 3/4″ long.

make a flanged pillow

3.  First we're going to work on the back of the pillow.  Serge the 2 edges of the back pieces where the zipper will be inserted, or you can zig-zag along the edges to keep the fabric from fraying.  (You could also use pinking shears on the two edges if you don't have a serger.)

make a flanged pillow

4. Sew the two back pieces, right sides together, using a 3/4″ seam allowance.  Use a small stitch for the first 3 1/2″ and the last 3 1/2″, and a long stitch for the middle.  This is where the zipper will be sewn in, and the long stitches will be taken out later.

make a flanged pillow

5. Sew the zipper into the seam.  I have done a short video showing how to insert a zipper in this type of pillow.  I've also written out the instructions below the video.

Directions for inserting zipper –

a. You will have two pieces of fabric, or in the case of the neckroll pillow, one piece of fabric.  Serge the two edges that you will be seaming together for the zipper.  This will keep the fabric from fraying when the zipper is opened and closed.

b.  With right sides together, sew a  seam 3/4″ away from the serged edges.  The first and last couple of inches of the seam will be sewn with a medium sized stitch, and the middle section will be a long stitch.  (These long stitches will be taken out later.)

c. Your zipper length should be slightly larger than the zipper opening.  For instance, if the zipper opening needs to be 14″, then I would use a zipper that was 15″ or 16″ long.

d.  Lay your zipper face side down and centered on the seam.  The top and bottom edges of the zipper should overlap slightly, 1/2″ or so, into the medium seam stitching.

e.  Using a zipper foot, start sewing to the left of the top of the zipper teeth.  Continue sewing down the left side of the zipper teeth.

f.  At the bottom of the zipper, turn and sew across the bottom edge.

g.  Turn again and sew up the other side of the zipper.

h.  When you reach the top, turn again and sew across the top edge.

i.  Take out the long stitches in your seam, so that the zipper can be opened and closed.  Remove any loose threads.

Here's a photo of the front and back sides after the zipper has been sewn in.

make a flanged pillow

6.  Next we're going to work on the front of the pillow.

To make the cording and apply it to the pillow front-

a.  Fold fabric so that selvage edge is lined up with the cut edge, with right sides together.  This will make a fold on the bias.  (If you can cut the cording strips on the bias, then the cording will stretch around the corners of the pillow better.)

make a flanged pillow

b.  Cut the folded edge open.

c.  Cut strips of fabric that will go around you cording plus 1″ for the seam allowances.  For my 1/4″ cording, I cut the strips at 1 5/8″ wide.

make a flanged pillow

make a flanged pillow

d.  For the length of your cording strips, cut out enough strips to go around the outside edge of the pillow plus 5″ for extra.  For this pillow I needed about 85″ of cording.

e.  Pin your strips of cording together – right sides together.  The strips will be at 90 degree angles from each other.  Sew the strips together using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

make a flanged pillow

f.  Wrap your long strip of cording fabric around the cording, and sew using a zipper foot.  Staying close to the cording.

make a flanged pillow

g.  Sew the cording around the outside edge of the front of the pillow –  starting on the bottom edge of the pillow.  Clipping the cording at the corners.

make a flanged pillow

make a flanged pillow

h.  Join the ends of the cording together by clipping the cord on both ends so that it meets evenly.  Cut the fabric on one of the ends too.  On the other end, turn the fabric under and overlap the other end.  Sew the cording to the pillow fabric.

make a flanged pillow

make a flanged pillow

7.  Sew the front to the back, right sides together, using a 1/2″ seam allowance.  Clip the corners and turn right side out.

make a flanged pillow

8.  Press seams.

make a flanged pillow

9. Cut both the batting and the lining at 20 1/2″ wide x 16 1/2″ long.  This is what you'll use to beef up the pillow so that the corners don't droop.

make a flanged pillow

10. Fold the batting in half and insert into the pillow cover.

make a flanged pillow

11.  Do the same for the lining.  Laying it on top of the batting.

make a flanged pillow

make a flanged pillow

12.  Close the zipper, and pin all layers of the pillow together in several places, to keep all of the layers from shifting.

make a flanged pillow

13.  Sew the flange stitch line 1 3/4″ away from the outer edges of the pillow cover.  (The flange is 1 1/2″ and adding in the 1/4″ cording equals 1 3/4″)

make a flanged pillow

14.  Insert the pillow form into the cover, and close the zipper.

make a flanged pillow

I hoped you've enjoyed this tutorial for how to make a flanged pillow.  Do you have a favorite type of pillow that you like to make?

 Make A Flanged Pillow

If you like this style of flanged pillow, you'll like this flanged pillow with an overlay!

make a flanged pillow


Want to learn more about creating your own beautiful custom pillows and bedding?  Jann has a class on Craftsy to teach you just that.  You won't regret it – check out my review of the class here.

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Introducing Jann from Newton Custom Interiors

Hi!  I'm Jann Newton, and I blog about home decor, sewing tutorials and DIY projects at Newton Custom Interiors.

Recently, I was asked to teach a class for Craftsy -  Custom Bedding - Decorative Shams & Bolsters.  So Sew Easy readers enjoy a discount on my class!

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Kay
Kay

I always sew batting and lining into the seams when I sew the layers together. . All the layers together make the flange stand up because lose fabric will eventually droop.

pam elconin
pam elconin

I am curious as to why you are using batting and lining, and why they are not basted to the outer fabric for stability. I agree on the need for batting in a flanged pillow. And I can’t believe how many horrible home made pillows are shown on Pinterest.
I started a spruce up project for the guest room which has morphed in to more. But I just decided the bed needs flanged pillows that match the new dust ruffle I made as it lacks a headboard.

Thanks for your reply.

Pam Elconin

Mayra Cecilia
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Noble Member
Reply to  pam elconin

Hi Pam, this too will keep the corners from drooping down. When you sew the flanged stitch it will catch all the layers of fabric. Saves time but you still end up with a beautiful pillow.

Dori Johns
Dori Johns

Thank you so very much! Your thorough tutorial is wonderful and the pictures are perfect. Happy New Year.

Bette
Bette

LOVE IT-LOVE IT-LOVE IT!!!!! FINALLY NO FLAPPY FLANGE

Susan Porcher
Susan Porcher

I’m still a bit confused regarding measurements for a flanged corded 18” pillow, of which I intend to make several. Your website has been a godsend and I would truly appreciate your assistance.

Thank you.

Susan Porcher

Tammy Frank
Tammy Frank

This is the type of pattern I was looking for. Thank you so much Jann!

I am planning to use a 16 x 16 pillow size. Do you agree that the front fabric should be cut to 20 x 20 and the back fabric pieces should be cut to 20 x 17 3/4 and 20 x 3 3/4 long?

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Top 10 Pillow Tutorials for Beginners - Mama Makes Crazy

[…] This is such a great way to take a casual throw pillow and give it an upscale look. Jann over at Newton Custom Interiors designed this tutorial for So Sew Easy and she knows a thing or two about pillow making – you can actually find her over on Craftsy with a popular tutorial all about Custom Bedding Shams & Bolsters. She is quite talented. To view the full tutorial here’s the link to How to Make Flanged Pillows. […]

Sandra Hauger
Sandra Hauger

Thanks for sharing! Enjoyed your tutorial on filling the flange, and the zipper technique

Jann Newton
Reply to  Sandra Hauger

Thanks Sandra! I’m glad it was helpful!

Liza Creavey
Liza Creavey

Awesome tutorial! Thanks so much for sharing this with us. Your class is definitely on my Craftsy wish list!

Jann Newton
Reply to  Liza Creavey

Thanks Liza!

Pam @Threading My Way

As well as stopping the corners from flopping, I rather like the effect the batting gives to the flanged edge. I’ve featured your fab tutorial today, Jann.

Jann Newton

Thanks Pam! Yes, the batting gives the flange a beefier look.