The 12 DIY’s Of Christmas – $5 Christmas Pillows

I have the simplest, easiest, most inexpensive idea for Christmas throw pillows. Are you ready?

Even my Rottweiler could make them. If she had thumbs.

Are you ready for another shock?

Not only can you make them for about $5 (if you already have some pillow inserts laying around) but you can make them even if you don’t know how to sew!

Wanna see?

Ever been at a store looking for something specific and found everything BUT what you were looking for? Yup! I was seriously looking for the simplest thing you can imagine. White string. I know, right? Guess what I did NOT find? White string.

BUT – while wandering around looking everywhere I could think of, including the place where they had all their gift wrap and ribbon and tags because maybe they had string for wrapping packages….I saw these fabric gift bags just like I have lots of time before only this time I had an epiphany! Or something along those lines anyways.

You see……I have been looking at all the lovely Christmas throw pillows everyone has on their IG posts and all the lovely throw pillows I see in the stores and all the lovely throw pillows I see everywhere BUT in my house…..because they always cost so much. If you know anything about me by now you know I’m all about making things LOOK expensive without costing much at all. Pretty much all the nice throw pillows are $25 and up – mostly up! I have a couple that I got on sale but not nearly as much as I need to have.

Yes, you read that correctly…..NEED

So when I saw these gift bags the lights came on and I think I heard angels singing.

First I ironed them because they were kind of wrinkly and misshapen. Then I removed the drawstring cord.

Then I took my iron again and I folded over the existing hem that they had the drawstring through and I ironed that to the inside of the bag. If you don’t have an iron (is there anyone out there that is into decor that doesn’t own an iron? Oh well….just in case….) you could always fold it in to the inside and finger press it.

The bags I got were 16×20 so ideally I would use an 18″ pillow form but I had some spare 16″ ones on hand and I was trying to avoid going out and buying more materials. You could use polyfil as well if you don’t have pillow forms and every other week or so Hobby Lobby has their pillow forms on sale for a really reasonable price which would still make these pillows very inexpensive. But I digress….

My pillow forms are 16″ so they aren’t as stuff as I would prefer but it’s okay for now. Eventually I will grab some 18″ forms for these pillows and replace them. Just stuff the pillow form or polyfil into the bag….

Now I’ve been sewing (by machine) since I was 7 and doing things like cross stitch and other handiwork since before that so clearly I chose to really quickly hand sew these bags shut over the pillow forms BUT if you don’t sew at all – like not even a button or you can’t even thread a needle – do not be alarmed. Grab yourself a bottle of fabric glue and set to work. If you don’t have any fabric glue and don’t want to go get some at the store, grab your hot glue gun. I’m pretty sure you have one of those. I shudder to suggest gluing a pillow closed with hot glue because it goes against everything my momma taught me BUT I have seen it done and it does work.

Voila! You have some of the cutest Christmas pillows around for $5 each.

These particular gift bags I bought from Walmart…..I have seen them at Hobby Lobby, Marshalls, Ross and loads of other places as well but can’t quote a price on those ones. You might even be able to find some for cheaper than $5 each! Gasp!

And the next time someone gives you a gift in a cloth bag, pat yourself on the back because you not only got whatever the gift was INSIDE, you also just got yourself a new throw pillow!

Do you hear that music?

Those are angels singing.

Until next time,

Emily’s DIY

To see the DIY Emily is sharing today, just click on the photo below.