Felt Circle Pillow Tutorial

This is a super-easy method for making a fun throw-pillow. This project is practically no-sew as well! I saw a throw like this last year in Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn, or one of those magazines, and thought: I could make that. And now, you can too.

Here are your supplies: heavy canvas fabric, felt for the circles, sharp scissors, Elmer’s glue, DMC floss, and a biggish needle for embellishing, batting/stuffing and fabric for the pillow backing.

Gather the variety of felt you’d like to use. Scraps are great.  I used mostly the el-cheapo felt from any craft/big-box sewing stores, but because I wanted a few more color options I bought a little bit of the nicer wool-felt from a quilt shop.  Using a fine-tip Sharpie trace different circle shapes on the felt. Look around your house for a variety of circle sizes. I used my Accuquilt GO! Cutter die cuts for a bunch of mine. Love it!

Cut the canvas to the size you want your finished throw pillow to be + at least 1/4″ on all sides for seam allowance. This project will work best with heavy canvas or duck cloth. (I had some left over from this throw pillow last year.)  Lay out the circles on the felt, playing with colors and size until you get a look that you like. (Pretend there isn’t any embellishing on these circles yet – I got excited and forgot to take a picture of that part.)

Now pull out that Elmer’s glue. I loved the way the Elmer’s worked. Wasn’t too heavy or messy (or hot), plus it’s washable. Glue sticks won’t work. (I tried it.)  Apply a very small line around all the edges of the circle and a dab in the middle. YOU DON’T NEED MUCH! If you put too much on it could get bumpy and dry clumpy. A very little bit works great and won’t show up like bumpy patches under the felt. The heavy canvas helps provide great stability.  I was amazed how well these circles stuck.  At first I was just going to use the glue to hold things down temporarily and then sew them in place, but they stuck so well, I didn’t need to sew!

Working with your circles already in position, pick-up one at a time and glue it in place. Start with the circles that aren’t double or triple layered.

If you are going to embellish with any kind of stitching on the double/triple layered circles do it BEFORE you glue them to the canvas.  I glued the small circles on top of the big circles and then embellished when the glue was dry. I used a simple running stitch, back stitch or whip-stitch (above.) This part is totally optional because that glue works!

When all circles are in place, cut a back to match your front. Pin on all sides. Leave a 5-6″ opening on one side and sew the rest of the way around.

When done machine sewing, carefully clip corners before turning the pillow right-side out.

Generously stuff that pillow full and whip-stitch the opening shut and voila! A quick, fun little holiday throw-pillow! I made this so fast- one afternoon easily. I can’t wait to try it in non-Christmas colors.