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How to Make Cards and Tags with Stripes and Dots

How to Make a Stylish Inverted Pleat Pillow

Linda Lee, contributor

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This pleated pillow looks difficult to make, but it is a simple, classic design.

Linda Lee

Fold the fabric to the wrong side and align the raw edge with the chalk line.

Linda Lee

Press each raw edge individually. Don’t try to press both folds at one time.

Linda Lee

This pleated pillow looks difficult to make, but it is a simple, classic design.

Photo: Linda Lee

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This crisp, tailored pillow has a contemporary feel for today’s youthful lifestyle. Just a hint of color inside the inverted pleats is a fun surprise. It looks difficult to make, but it is so very easy. The finished pillow is 16 inches square, but it can be made in any size with a variety of choice sizes.

What You'll Need:
3/4 yard primary fabric for pillow
1/4 yard accent fabric for inside of pleats
16-inch x 16-inch down and feather pillow form*
Thread
Sewing machine

Preparation:
Cut two pieces of the primary fabric 3 inches x 16 inches for the top and bottom strips of the pillow front.
Cut four pieces of the primary fabric 6 inches x 16 inches for the center strips of the pillow front.
Cut one piece of the primary fabric 16 inches x 16 inches for the pillow back.
Cut two pieces of the accent fabric 2-1/2 inches x 16 inches for the top and bottom pleats.
Cut two pieces of the accent fabric 3 inches x 16 inches for the center pleats.

*Note: If you are using a polyester fill pillow form, then change all of the 16-inch numbers to 17 inches and change the 3-inch number in the first line to 3-1/2 inches.

Construction:

Use 1/2-inch seam allowances.

1. On each narrow primary fabric strip, draw a chalk line 2 inches from one long edge. Press the raw edge to this chalk line to make a 1-inch fold.

Fold the fabric to the wrong side and align the raw edge with the chalk line.

2. On each wide primary fabric strip, draw a chalk line down the center of the strip. Press each raw edge to the center line.

Press each raw edge individually. Don’t try to press both folds at one time.

3. Beginning at the bottom of the pillow front, lay a narrow strip on a table with the wrong side facing up and the fold at the top. Place a double-folded wider strip next to the first strip with the folds touching. Pin a narrow accent strip on top of the folds, matching the raw edges, with the right side facing down. Stitch two seams, one that catches the bottom strip and the other that catches the top strip.

It is more important that all the pieces lie flat than to match the raw edges exactly.

4. Continue sewing accent strips to the pressed and folded primary strips, using the second narrower strip at the top.

5. Baste the pleats in place along the seamlines.

Make sure that all of the folds are lying flat, even those that you can’t see.

6. Mark a vertical line in the center of the pillow. Stitch along this line to hold the pleats in place at the center.

This is a subtle line but important nevertheless.

7. With right sides together, sew the pillow front to the back, leaving an opening at the bottom.

8. Turn the pillow to the outside. Insert the pillow form and slipstitch the opening closed.

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