I’ve lived in my own space long enough to know that it’s never easy to find the right linens, curtains, or covers. It can take weeks, months, or even (heaven forbid) years to find that one perfect shade for the sofa cover, or the matching set of sheets and cases that you saw that one time on Pinterest. It can be a big headache, which is why the simplest solution is to always make things yourself. It won’t necessarily be as expensive, either, since you can tailor to your budget and talent and time.
If you, like me, have trouble finding exactly what you’re looking for, the make-it-yourself option works most of the time. There are dozens of great patterns to suit every decorating need, budget, and style, and one of the easiest projects and patterns to start with are pillow covers.
Of course you can buy handmade pillow covers (and even commission them if you can describe in detail exactly what you want) and there’s no shame in that. If you don’t have the time but prefer that handmade look, this option will work best for you.
But it’s always (at least) just a little more fun to make your own things, so if you’ve got the time, you might want to give these cozy crochet pillow covers a try.
Jo-Ann’s has created several free patterns for various sizes of pillows, with beautiful stitches that work up pretty quickly with thick and bulky yarn. The pattern notes that this is for advanced knitters, mostly because of the special stitches you’ll need to master: double crochet two stitches together (dc2tog) and front post double crochet (fpdc). You’ll also need to be comfortable crocheting with two strands of yarn at a time.
That being said, these patterns are straightforward – basically, you’re crocheting two squares, rectangles or circles and then putting a pillow form inside. The pattern includes specific materials (including the brand of yarn to use) but of course you can try out the pattern and use your own materials or buy something similar (especially if it’s on sale).
You’ll need to do a bit of hand sewing as well, though it is pretty minimal. You can also use a sewing machine if you’d prefer.
If you’d like to purchase pillow covers or find inspiration for creating your own, you can visit Lyly Craft. Or, if you’d like to try one of the free patterns, you can find all of them, as well as other free patterns, at Jo-Ann’s.
