How to Make a Pillow With Zipper & Piping

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If you want to step up your pillow game, here’s a fun DIY that’s more adventurous than a basic pillow cover. Today’s video tutorial will show you how to make a pillow cover with piping and a zipper closure. Though this design is slightly more complicated and involved than a simple pillow cover, our video walks you through the entire DIY process. You’ll be able to follow along and successfully make your own great-looking pillow cover. Let’s get started on today’s fun pillow project.

Video Chapters:

  • Measuring Pillow — 0:26 min.
  • Cutting Plates to Size — 1:20 min.
  • Sewing Plates together — 2:46 min.
  • Adding Zipper — 5:35 min.
  • Cutting Panel to Pillow Size — 12:30 min.
  • Cutting & Sewing Piping — 14:21 min.
  • Basting Piping to Plates — 17:45 min.
  • Sewing Plates together — 19:46 min.

Materials List:

  • Outdura® Upholstery fabric — We used Flurry Neptune 54" Upholstery Fabric (6932) #124760
  • Indoor/Outdoor Square Pillow Insert 18" x 18" #122148
  • Tex 70 (V-69) Derby Navy UV Bonded Polyester Thread 4 oz. (1,000 yds.) #103795
  • Lenzip® #2 Black Continuous Coil Zipper Chain #126080
  • Lenzip® #2 Style A Single Locking Metal Zipper Pull (Coil Chain) #126085 Black or #126084 White
  • Seamstick 1/4" Basting Tape for Canvas & Upholstery (36 yds.) #122065
  • Polyester Braided Piping 3/16" (10 yds.) #106730

Tools List:

  • Tape Measure 120" #102986
  • Sailrite® Edge Cordless Hotknife 18V Package #122177
  • Sailrite® Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" #102400
  • Chalk Pencil Cartridge Set #121669
  • Precision Cutting Blade & Foot for Edge Hotknife #125495
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine (110V) #311602
  • Suisei Magnetic Sewing Guide #102983
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® Industrial Sewing Table #120934
  • Seam Ripper Deluxe #18104
  • Basic Thread Snips #123222
  • Gingher® 8" Scissors Right Handed #19104
  • Iron
  • Screwdriver
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We chose Outdura® upholstery fabric for our pillow cover. Outdura is an indoor/outdoor performance fabric brand. These 100% solution-dyed acrylic fabrics feature outstanding UV, water and stain resistance. With colors that won’t fade and impressive abrasion resistance, Outdura fabrics are ideal for marine, patio, and living room upholstery and cushion projects. With hundreds of colors and patterns to explore, we have an Outdura fabric perfect for your living space.

Our pillow is going inside the cabin of a Seaward sailboat. If you’re making a pillow for your boat or patio — or anywhere that might experience moisture or humidity — we recommend using an indoor/outdoor pillow form. The pillow forms we stock at Sailrite® are all water-resistant, indoor/outdoor pillow forms. They are made with a garnetted fiber, which is a material stuffed into the pillow and processed in a way that ensures the pillows have more body, less compression over time and higher overall quality. 

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Here's a closeup of the zipper closure on the back side of the pillow.

This tutorial is part of our Seaward 32RK Project Series. Click here to view all the projects we’ve completed for this total boat overhaul project. This Seaward is getting the full DIY treatment — inside and out, top to bottom!

And if you’re looking for more pillow and cushion projects, check out our roundup of relevant blogs and tutorials here

Tag us on social using #Sailrite so we can see your pillow projects! We love seeing all the creative and unique DIYs our talented customers make.