Do It Yourself Tuesdays: The T-Shirt Throw Pillow

[Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. These things are easy, fun and a great way to save some serious cashola.]

So, based on my DIY crafting history, it is obvious that I have a lot of t-shirts lying around. A lot. I just can’t part with stuff that has so much history. And these t-shirts are all souvenirs from really big moments in my life (except the free credit card tees I get on the way to class – I’m not sure why I haven’t gotten rid of those ones yet…)

I’ve been lugging some of these shirts (like the one from my high school senior-all-night-party) around for 3+ years and I recently realized it was time to put them on display like they deserve. Which is why I’ve started turning them into things I actually use. Like an awesome shop-till-you-drop tote bag. Or an adorable throw pillow for your bed or couch.

This little project frees up space in your closet, adds some cute comfort to your bedroom/living room, and allows you to display those important memories (without risk of getting really crusty/yellow armpits). Yes, the DIY T-Shirt Pillow is a total win/win.

Materials:
1 Old t-shirt
Throw pillow sans cover, or pillow stuffing (found at craft stores)
Needle and thread or sewing machine

Steps:
1)    Mark cutting lines on the shirt with chalk or washable fabric pen. To decide the size you need, take the dimensions of the pillow and about 1/2″ on each side for seam allowance, plus about 1/2″ ease. So, add 1.5″ to each dimension side so the material is big enough to fit around the pillow.

2)    Cut along the lines you drew (through both the front of the t-shirt and the back!).

3)    Separate the two layers of fabric and flip both sides upside down (so the designs on the front and back face each other) and stitch along the edge of three sides (usually left, top, and right).

4)    Flip it back out so you can see the design and stuff the inside, either with the throw pillow sans cover or with stuffing.

5)    Sew along the bottom of the square-shaped pillow to enclose the stuffing.

6)    Put in a movie, pop some popcorn, and relax on the couch with your favorite t-shirt throw pillow!