DIY Cozy Plaid Fall Pillow from a Dollar Store Scarf

Want to make a beautiful DIY Fall pillow for your home on a budget? Try creating one from a dollar store plaid scarf! Here’s how.

Materials List

For this project you’ll need:

• small oblong pillow insert (mine is 12″ x 20″)
• dollar store plaid scarf (that’s at least as wide and twice as long as your pillow insert; mine is 12″ by 50″)
• sewing machine OR fabric glue OR hem binding
• needle & thread
• fabric scissors

Find a wide scarf at the dollar store

I found my flannel plaid scarf at Dollarama. Most dollar stores like Dollar Tree and Dollarama have various scarves in stock. The trick is to source one that’s at least as wide and twice as long as your pillow insert; mine is 12″ by 50″.

Cut the scarf into two pieces

Next, cut the scarf into two pieces for the front and back of the pillow. Make the pieces exactly the same height and width as the pillow insert. Your final pillow cover will be slightly smaller than your pillow insert, but that’s desirable for a fluffy look.

If your scarf has a fringed ends like mine, don’t include the fringes in the measurements. Make sure there is a fringed end on the opposite sides of each piece.

Pin the pillow cover pieces together

Now, lay the two pieces right sides together and pin them in place.

If you have a fringed ends, fold the fringe to the inside of the pillow cover. I folded mine over about 1/2″ from the edge of the fringe as shown.

Sew the pillow cover together

With a sewing machine, sew around the perimeter of the pinned pieces using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Leave a hole that’s about 6″ long at the bottom center of the pillow case. If you have fringed ends, make sure to keep the fringes on the inside of the pieces.

If you don’t want to use a sewing machine, you could use fabric glue or hem tape instead. Here is a no-sew DIY pillow tutorial video using hem tape.

Turn the pillow cover right-side out

Now, turn the pillow cover right-side out through the hole you left. You can clip the corners of the cover at an angle before turning it if you’re finding there’s extra bulk in the corners.

Place the pillow form inside

Next, stuff the pillow form inside of your DIY Fall pillow cover. Line up the corners of the pillow form with those of the cover.

Sew the DIY Fall pillow shut

Finally, use a needle and thread to hand stitch the pillow cover opening shut. I use a blind stitch / invisible for this. Here’s a video tutorial on how to do an invisible stitch.

To wash the pillow, I put the entire thing in my washer on the gentle or hand-wash setting and then lay the pillow flat to dry.

Now you have a gorgeous DIY Fall pillow that’s the perfect addition to your decor this season! I love how mine turned out, and it looks lovely mixed with other throw pillows in the warm brown and tan color families.

Video tutorial

Watch my YouTube video below for a video tutorial on how to make this cozy Fall pillow:

Let me know in the comments below: Would you try making this DIY pillow from a dollar store scarf?

More DIY pillow tutorials

Click here for 9 more DIY throw pillow tutorials with both sew and no-sew options!