The sweet girls from My Sister’s Suitcase are here again today with a truly ingenious way to punch up your outdoor decor with some weather-proof outdoor pillows. Take it away, Nat and Holly!
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We’re thrilled to be back this month, sharing a fun and easy tutorial with you guys! Every time Ishop at TJ Maxx, I always check out their reusable shopping bags to see what new designs they have… on Saturday, I found this one:
I love the design, and I’ve been looking for some outdoor material to add a splash of red to my front patio.Just one problem… that material isn’t cheap! Plus, my kids are always turning on the hose and getting the chairs all wet. So I was a little worried about putting nice pillows out there. When I saw this bag, the lightbulbcame on! I could totally turn this bag into an outdoor pillow 🙂 And, the material is virtually waterproof, so it’s perfect!
It was so easy! Here’s what I did first…
Cut both sides of the bag out, leaving the {gray} trim pieces in tact. You’ll be left with this:
{1} Now, lay out the bag and make sure your pillow insert fits inside. I used a 20″ pillow form and it worked great! {2} Cut the bag handles off, and set aside. {3} It’s already starting to look like your pillow! {4} Now, to cover up that TJ Maxx logo… I decided to use the red handle as a decorative trim piece. It covered it perfectly!
{5} Pin the handle/trim along the front of the bag and {6} sew it on to the bag. Using the same color thread looks best 🙂 {7} Now, fold the bag so the right sides are facing together and {8} sew the top edges together (where the handles were.) I sewed along next to the top seams of the bag so I wouldn’t have to go through all that extra bulk.
{9} Then just trimthat excess material off the top. {10} Turn it right sides out, and the top seam of your pillow is done! The bottom seam of your pillow is already complete too because it is the bottom of the bag… you don’t even have to sew anything 🙂 So now we just have the sides to worry about. Well, I absolutely love that gray trim on the sides and I wanted it to show on the final pillow, so I decided to sew those seams on the outside. I sewed up one side completely, then inserted my pillow.
{11} I squished the pillow over to the side as far as I could, and pinned it in the middle to make some more space while I was sewing the final side. When the final seam was done, I fluffedup the pillowand voila! {12} A brand new outdoor pillow for 99 cents! (and the cost of my pillow form which I already had in my closet.) Yes, I do hoard pillows, don’t judge!!
This entire project only took me about 20 minutes {and I was taking pictures all along the way too!}
Here’s the before and after:
A simple way to spruce up your outdoor space:
I absolutely LOVE it!
Thanks for letting us share this project with your readers Amy. If you lovereusable shoppingbags as much as we do, check out how we made 2 darling aprons with one shopping bag! We’ll see you again next month!
.jpg "Outdoor Pillow from a Shopping Bag - Positively Splendid {Crafts, Sewing, Recipes and Home Decor} (16)")
Nat and Holly are two sisters who share a love of all things creative. Currently living 462 miles apart,their blog, My Sister’s Suitcase, gives them a place to share their ideas {and an excuse for lots of late-night phone calls!} They hopeto inspire you withholidayandhome decor, easyDIY projects, and creativeupcycling. They also have lots of simplekids activities,free printables, and inexpensivegift ideas.They would love for you to join them in their LDCR {long-distance crafting relationship!}
Amy @ Positively Splendid
Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.
