A beautiful pillow is the perfect finishing touch for a sofa, chair, or bed. Whether you’re looking for easy dorm room choices or quick ideas to spruce up your personal space, creating an easy and attractive pillow requires only a few simple steps.

Simple Square Pillow

Create simple pillows from elegant or vintage place mats, napkins, and other “squared-off” linens. Sew two matching choices together (design sides face each other) leaving one corner open, invert, then stuff and sew closed to create a perfect pillow of any size, color, or pattern.

Roll-Up Bolster

A long bolster-style pillow is easy to make — just roll a piece of fabric into a tube, stuff, then tie the ends with ribbons to make a “candy roll” bolster. For a more permanent design, fold a long, narrow strip of fabric with the design side facing itself; sew the side, the invert, stuff, and pull the ends closed and sew them closed in the center. Trim off the excess fabric and cover the center seams with a button or ornament.

Cross-Stitch Fancy

An easy way to create an elegant or colorful design is to sew a simple cross-stitch pattern. Cut around the design in a square, then lay it on a second piece of fabric, facing the fabric’s design side. Sew around the edges, leaving a small opening — invert, stuff, and sew closed at the corner to create a an easy embroidered pillow.

Creating a unique and easy pillow only takes a little imagination. Fill your favorite lounging spot with beautiful creations that take only a little time and a few simple materials to complete.