Bow Throw Pillow

I cut three pieces from ¾ yard of cotton fabric. Cut one band piece to 13 x 24 inches, and two pillow pieces to 15 x 20 inches.

Making the Band Piece

Let’s start by making the center band piece. Lay the 13 x 24 band piece face down. Fold in one short edge a ½ inch and press.

Turn over so the pattern is face-up, and fold in half lengthwise. Pin the long open edges together.

Sew the long pinned side with a ¼ inch seam. Turn right side out.

Center the seam so it’s in the middle of the tube. Press.

Tuck the raw end of the band piece into the hemmed end about ½ an inch to form a loop. Pin, then sew together near the hemmed edge with a ⅛ inch seam. Be careful to not accidentally sew your loop shut.

Double check that the long center seam is positioned on the inside of the loop, if not, flip it right side out.

Making the Pillow

Now we’re ready to make the pillow. Place the two 15 x 20 inch pillow pieces right sides together and pin. Sew all the way around, but leave a 5-inch gap in the center of one long side for turning and stuffing.

Trim the excess fabric at the corners at an angle, being careful not to snip your stitches. Turn right side out and press.

Fill with Polyfill stuffing. You want the pillow to be full, but not firm.

Fold the raw edges of the fabric in and pinch shut. Handsew the hole shut with a blind or ladder stitch. It doesn’t need to look perfect, as the band will cover this area.

Finally, slip the band piece around the center of the pillow, positioning the band so the seam is along the bottom edge of the pillow. It will take a bit of squishing and fluffing to get the pillow to look just right. You can leave the center band flat and wide, or you can scrunch it a bit so it has pretty pleats.