Throw pillows for real rooms

Throw Pillows, DIY Pillow Patterns, and Fabric Yardage Help

Shop finished decorative pillows first, or use the DIY tools below to choose pillow size, print patterns, calculate fabric yardage, place a zipper, and make custom pillows that fit your sofa, bed, bench, or chair.

Choose the right route

Start with the pillow job, then decide finished or DIY.

This keeps the page useful for shoppers who want a ready-made accent and makers who need fabric, dimensions, and construction guidance.

Add pattern fast

Buy finished pillows when you want immediate geometric, floral, stripe, or damask impact.

Warm up neutrals

Use rust, gold, brown, beige, and cream accents to make plain seating feel layered.

Make custom sizes

DIY is best for lumbar pillows, oversized sofas, bed pillows, benches, and coordinated sets.

Coordinate yardage

Shop pillow fabric when the accent needs to match upholstery, welt, cushions, or curtains.

Featured throw pillows

Shop decorative throw pillows first.

These live products are ready-made throw pillows. If you need a different size or matching fabric, continue to the DIY section below.

DIY throw pillows

Plan the size, fabric, insert, and zipper before you cut.

Use these tools before ordering yardage or cutting fabric. They are built for common square pillows, lumbar pillows, and knife-edge zipper pillows.

Pattern size calculator

Choose a finished pillow size and seam allowance to get cut-panel dimensions.

Cut 2 panels: 21 × 21 in. Suggested insert: 22 × 22 in.

Yardage calculator

Estimate fabric yardage for pillows before ordering. Add extra for pattern matching, directional fabric, or large repeats.

Estimated fabric: 1.0 yards.

Tip: If the fabric has a clear top/bottom, nap, stripe, or large repeat, order extra and cut every pillow front in the same direction.

Printable guide

Download the A4/Letter-friendly DIY throw pillow guide.

This is a branded printable reference guide, not an actual-size template. It includes measurements beside the diagrams, sewing steps, zipper guidance, yardage planning, washing tips, and shrinkage warnings so customers can keep it for future pillow projects.

Finished decorative throw pillows on a neutral sofa for DIY pillow planning

Best Upholstery Fabric printable

DIY Throw Pillow Guide: sizes, sewing, zipper, yardage, and care

Designed to print cleanly on A4 or Letter paper. Use it as a project reference while measuring and cutting fabric with a ruler or yardstick.

How to make pillows

Simple knife-edge throw pillow workflow.

This order works for most square and lumbar throw pillows with an invisible or covered zipper.

Choose fabric

Confirm hand, color, and pattern scale with a sample first.

Cut panels

Cut two panels using finished size plus seam allowance on every side.

Sew zipper side

Baste the zipper seam, press it open, then install the zipper centered on the back/bottom edge.

Sew remaining sides

Open the zipper halfway, sew the other sides, clip corners, turn, and press.

Insert form

Use a slightly larger insert for a full pillow and work corners out gently.

Sewing tips

Small choices that make DIY pillows look professional.

Use the right insert

For a fuller look, choose an insert 1–2 inches larger than the finished pillow cover.

Match obvious repeats

Center large motifs on pillow fronts and keep stripes square to the cut edge.

Stabilize loose weaves

Serge, zigzag, or finish edges before assembly if the fabric frays.

Hide the zipper

Place the zipper on the bottom/back seam and keep the pull inside the seam line.

Mind nap and velvet

Cut velvet and directional textures the same way on every pillow.

Order enough fabric

Add reserve yardage for mistakes, repeat matching, welt, and future repairs.

Washing, care, and shrinkage

Plan pillow care before you sew or wash the cover.

Upholstery and decorative pillow fabrics do not all behave like apparel cotton. Fiber content, backing, finish, dye, and construction can change how a pillow cover reacts to water, heat, agitation, and detergent.

Shrinkage notice: any washable fabric can shrink, and some upholstery fabrics can shrink unevenly or change hand after washing. Always test a sample or scrap first, measure before and after washing, and account for shrinkage before cutting final pillow panels. When in doubt, dry clean or spot clean according to the specific product care notes.
Test before washing

Wash, dry, and press a sample or scrap the same way you plan to clean the finished cover. Check shrinkage, color bleed, texture change, backing separation, and fraying.

Pre-shrink when appropriate

If the fabric is washable and the pillow cover will be laundered later, pre-wash the fabric before cutting. Do not pre-wash fabrics with special backing, velvet pile, leather look, vinyl, or dry-clean-only finishes unless the product notes allow it.

Avoid heat surprises

Hot water, high dryer heat, and steam can shrink fibers, distort seams, flatten texture, or change pile direction. Air dry flat when possible and press from the back with a press cloth.

Spot clean first

For finished throw pillows, remove the insert if possible, blot spills quickly, and spot clean with mild soap on a hidden area before treating the visible face.

Protect zippers and inserts

Close zippers before washing removable covers. Do not wash feather/down or specialty inserts unless their care label says it is safe.

Keep care notes

Save the product care details with the pillow pattern or zipper checklist so you know whether the finished cover should be spot cleaned, hand washed, machine washed, or dry cleaned.

Custom pillow path

Ready to sew? Choose pillow fabric by color, scale, hand, and care needs.

Use the pillow and cushion fabric catalog when you need custom sizing, matching welt, bench cushions, boxed cushions, or coordinated multi-pillow sets. Check product care notes before cutting washable covers.

Shop Pillow & Cushion Fabric