so easy you’ll be shocked! DIY bolster pillow cover…
As the saying goes, a leopard can’t change its’ spots. Or perhaps it’s a tiger can’t change his stripes? Whatever the saying, I’m glad to be neither a tiger nor a leopard.
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Although their coats are quite lovely, after a while, I’d crave an outfit change. Leopard print may be very on trend right now, but at some point, it’s going to go the way of all fads. So if that fad is permanently affixed to my back, I wouldn’t be a cheerful cat.
I am a girl, after all. And women, on the whole, must admit to being just a touch fickle. And I wholeheartedly embrace that issue quality. Change, after all, is inevitable. Times change, tunes change, we have changes of heart, changes of mind, and in my house at least, lots of changes in decor.
Today I want to share with you a very simple and cheap DIY. We’re going to make a no-sew, zero commitment, temporary bolster cover. With this project, you can change out your cover to match your seasonal decor.
Or switch things up when you get a little bored. PERFECT project to tickle that funny fickle bone 🙂 Anywho here’s what to do…
One-Minute Video Tutorial of DIY bolster pillow and quick change pillow cover:
First of all, if you don’t HAVE a bolster pillow, MAKE one!
Supplies for DIY Bolster Pillows:
- Two bath towels OR an old flat-ish standard or king-sized pillow
- Rubber bands
How to Make DIY Bolster Pillows:
Step 1:
Using EITHER a pillow (shown above) OR two stacked bath towels…roll em up the long way. Just like you’re packing up a sleeping bag after a horrible, uncomfortable night of camping (which you still do even if you don’t like it because I’m sure you’re a rockstar parent) and ready to get the heck out of Dodge.
Step 2:
Secure your roll with rubber bands.
Voila! We have a fancy (and free!) towel or pillow-roll bolster insert.
Next…
Let’s make our fast, no-sew, no-commitment no sew DIY pillow cover!
This method is a riff off of ideas from two of my favorite blogs, Miss Mustard Seed & Thistlewood Farms. Miss Mustard Seed has a post entitled “3-minute, no-sew bolster cover“. Her rendition is completely removable and no-commitment too!
And Kari Anne, from Thistlewood Farms, created this no-sew variety, which is secured with glue and/or some hand-stitching and made to be permanent, but it’s the same in terms of style to what I’m going to show you…
Bolster Pillow No Sew DIY Pillow Cover Supplies:
- Bolster pillow insert (or the one you made above)
- Rubber bands
- Safety pins (1-3)
- Fabric remnant, scarf, or other creative material you’d like to use as a cover (I linked some fun options below)
Bolster Pillow No Sew DIY Pillow Cover How To:
Step 1:
Wrap your fabric/scarf (INSIDE OUT) around your bolster so that it’s completely covered. *My scarf looks the same on both sides, but if your fabric does NOT, the bad side should be facing you at this point.*
Step 2:
Grab the excess on one end at a time, and secure it with a rubber band. When you’re done, you’re done, your bolster will look like a tootsie roll (like Miss Mustard Seed’s bolster linked above).
Step 3:
Remove the cover, and flip right-side-out.
Step 4:
Replace your bolster pillow into the cover, which has now been turned right-side out.
Cover the bolster completely, and smooth out any lumps and bumps from the excess fabric that will now be inside the cover on either end.
Step 5:
Secure the loose edge/seam with a safety pin, or several. And your DIY pillow cover is DONE!
Making a bolster pillow, if you need one should take less than a minute. Adding the DIY pillow cover will take another 1-2 minutes, tops. Most likely, you already have the supplies on hand to make this right now.
I use this technique to switch out bolster pillow covers all year long. Sometimes I don’t even tuck in the ends. Instead, I’ll tie them with a nice ribbon or rustic jute twine, like below in our foyer.
So embrace those fickle feelings! Be a commitment-phobe! With a project that costs nada, and requires almost no time…why not?! Who said a modern-day tigress can’t change her stripes? Silly saying, if you ask me 😉
Cheryl says
Great idea! I’m certainly going to try this, thanks for sharing… That said, I found the 3 advertisements on a less than 2 minute video to be a bit much ?.
Heather says
I agree Cheryl. Working on it with my ad network. Always a difficult balance. Have the ads, and be able to pay the electric bill, or scrap the ads and have the site look better, but bye bye electricity 😉 Sadly the two are constantly at odds. Thanks for your candor and bringing it to my attention!
Kirsten Stephens says
Wow! Never knew this was so easy to do. Me thinks I am going home to see which scarf I want to turn into a bolster pillow…?
Heather says
YAY! Do it!!!!