Make It Or Break It Crafts – DIY Pillow
I have a new series called Make it or Break It Crafts. Today I am sharing an Anthropologie DIY Pillow hack.
For this DIY Pillow, I am going to show you how to make something for a lot less than if you bought it. This pillow was very fun to make and so much cheaper as a DIY.
A Fun DIY Pillow
You all know how much I love to share how to make decorative pillows.
I have a new and exciting way to decide what kind of DIY Pillow I want to make. I find a really expensive pillow online and then make a better version for a fraction of the retail cost.
How awesome is that?
For this pillow, I decided to make my own because it cost $330 to buy. I spent under $15 to make mine.
This pillow is from Anthropologie. I like that it was painted and I love the french knot embroidery. I wasn’t crazy about the colors but I knew I wanted to make something similar.
Here is the pillow online:
My decorative DIY pillow looks like this.
I know it looks a bit different. But I honestly think mine is cuter. Ok, I think it is way more cuter.
DIY Pillow
If you look closely you can see that I painted a white pillow pink, but left white circles. Then I used Bernat Blanket yarn and made french knots just inside the outside of the white circles.
I painted the pink paint very loosely because I didn’t want you to think it is hard. It’s actually painted quite sloppy. If you follow me, then you know I love things that are not perfect.
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What You Need to Make This Craft
- One Pillow Cover
- Bernat Blanket Yarn
- Acrylic Paint
- Large Eye Embroidery Needle
How to Make a Painted and Embroidered DIY Pillow
Here are photos of the steps you will need to do this pillow. I used a round jar top for the circle design and a white pillow cover from Amazon (see below).
- It seemed that four circles fit the best in both directions so I found a jar lid that would fit four circles on my pillow. I used erasable chalk and outlined the circles.
- Next, I painted with pink acrylic paint in the areas that weren’t the circles.
- At first I painted the circles perfectly but I didn’t like it. So I went back and messed up all of the edges. I think it looks so much better painted loosely.
- I found a slightly smaller jar, made another outline of a circle and I used an embroidery hoop and tied french knots all along the smaller circle outline.
- The knots are so easy to make. Because I used a very thick chenille yarn, I only wrapped my thread over the needle once, not twice.
- Just move your embroidery hoop around the pillow to make the knots. I like the embroidery hoop because it holds the fabric tight. It is so much easier to tie a french knot when the fabric is in a hoop.
Don’t worry if your circles are all exactly the same. What makes this pillow look so great is that it isn’t perfect. It’s loose and fun.
You can even see that my knots aren’t exactly the same. But it doesn’t matter either.
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Here is an overview of the completed pillow. As you can see, it is far from perfect. And I love it that way!
Which Pillow Do you Like Better?
It’s fine with me if you like the $330 one better than the $15 one. Hehe.
Frequently Asked Questions
A French Knot is a very easy embroidery stitch. You make it by winding the thread one (or more) times around the needle and drawing the needle back through the material near or at the point where it came out.
You make a french knot by winding the thread one (or more) times around the needle and drawing the needle back through the material near or at the point where it came out.
Similar Posts
Here are some of my favorite pink decorative pillows that you can make too.
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You are so talented. And yes…yours is way cuter.
I LOOOOVE it!!!!! Yours I way cuter! Brilliant!
Leslie ~YOU are over-the-top AMaZiNg!.!.! Soooo Talented!!! JuSt beautiful HOME & fab ideas! ~ Can’t wait to try some of them!
Jeanine
Yours is a lot cuter. You are so talented which I’m not!!!!!!! But I would never pay the price that that pillow was. Love seeing the things you make. Have a great weekend
Very cute and I cannot wait to get started. My last project using french knots was probably 30 or more years ago making Christmas tree ornaments, so I hope my skills are still with me as this pillow will be perfect Easter gifts for special friends. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
You are talented,will you sell them
Leslie,
You have such vision! Your pillow is really charming. I can see more handcrafted gifts in my future.
These are darling! I agree, yours are way cuter than the Anthropology ones! 💛
😊 Thank you Michelle!
Leslie, your pillows are so unique & pretty to look at! My question is there any product that sets the paint set? I’m worried the acrylic paint may run off on my chairs. That would not be good at the Fitzgerald’s house!
🌷
LESLIE, I love your pillow and especially the price! Very pretty, colorful, and charming. I am not a “crafter” but love to buy others’ crafts. You need to market your pillow and a few other items!
Yes!!!! Way better, and I love orange but yours is better
Thanks Debbie!
Love Love Love! Thank you!
Such a cute idea! Was it hard to pull the blanket yarn through the pillow fabric?
It wasn’t too hard Colleen. Just make sure you get a needle with a big enough eye to thread the blanket yarn!
AWESOME!!! THIS WILL BE FUN WITH THE GRANDCHILDREN!!!
You really are my hero! I love your pillows, all of them
Oh Lws, Your pillow is way prettier. I love pink and the other is burlap and orange/red. Not good.
Thank you Jenny!
I’m going to make one of these over the summer when I head up to Maine. I got the buttons for one pillow and the Pom poms for the snowflake pillow. I also picked up a bunch of paint for the pinecone wreath. Lol I may have more supplies but can’t think of them right now. I stay , in Maine for the summer and have plenty of time to craft.
I love your blog! It is so useful!!! Not like so many I read!!!
That is so wonderful to hear! Thank you Donna!
Your pillow is absolutely gorgeous! What a creative way to DIY!
Thank you so much Amanda!
Oh yes!!!! Your knock off DIY is definitely more charming. One more project added to my growing “to do” list. Thank you for the inspiration…
I am glad you think so!
I love to hear that! You got this!
Leslie, gosh darn it, you’re the BEST! You do all the work for us and make it so easy to make our homes more beautiful. Thank you!
KC
I love to share with everyone! Thanks my friend.