On Turning Shirts Into Pillows

I bought a shirt for Hubby at the thrift store that didn't fit. I shouldn't have been surprised since it sported the very vague size Large tag. I should know by now that I have to buy size specific shirts for him with his long arms and broad shoulders. This particular shirt hit his wrists about 3 inches higher than it was supposed to.

Unfortunately, it was one of his very favorite colors and prints.

I guess he could have rolled up the sleeves, but I figured that would get old after a while. And so I got the idea into my head that it would become Christmas pillows. I did not get permission before I did this. Note to self: do that next time.

By the time Hubby found me, I had already started cutting.

Sorry, Love.

But the material was sooo perfect.

The front of the shirt was about 18" across from armhole to armhole so the finished pillow cover would fit a 16" insert. Since I planned on using the placket as the opening, I just measured a 17" square(to make room for seam allowances), making sure the buttons were centered in the square, and then cut it out. And because of the stripes, it was totally easy to get straight lines. I lined my scissors up with a line and cut.

I made sure I got the front pocket too.

I then pinned it all around, making sure the pocket was far enough away from where the side seam would be, centering the placket the best I could, and lining up the pattern. Then I sewed a 1/2" seam all the way around, clipped the corners, unbuttoned it, turned it inside out, and stuffed it with a pillow insert. My insert ended up being 18" to my cover's 16" so it's a very full pillow but I don't mind.

I did not pay attention to the back seam that goes across the shoulders when I cut it. It wouldn't lay right until I put in the insert. Now it looks fine but if I was doing it again I'd probably cut out the front first, then lay that piece further down on the back, lining up the pattern and then cutting out the back piece.

But it's all good.

And I think Hubby likes them after all.

Merry Christmas everybody!