30 Easy DIY Accent Pillows That You Can Make In An Afternoon

Accent pillows are a wonderful way to add color and design to any room, and they’re not particularly expensive.

Of course, DIY accent pillows are even less expensive than anything that you can buy in the store and they are not that difficult to make.

If you’re looking to add just a splash of color to the living room, bedroom or den, these are definitely the DIY accent pillows that you want to check out.

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1. Upcycled T-Shirt Throw Pillow

You can turn any old t-shirt into a great new throw pillow and do it without sewing the first stitch. These pillows make great gifts for anyone who loves a certain band or sports team. Just take the t-shirt and cut a fringe into it. Once you fill it with pillow form or batting, you just tie up the fringes to hold it all in place. You could also repurpose flannel shirts in the same manner and make your pillows super soft.

Tutorial: 3peppers-recipes

2. DIY Animal Shaped Pillows

How adorable are these little animal shaped throw pillows? They look like animal crackers and are perfect for nurseries or little ones’ rooms. You can do these in any animal shape that you want and add color with pom poms. You’ll need to sew these but it’s not at all difficult and they’re super comfortable when they are finished.

Tutorial: studiodiy

3. Butterfly Pillows

This butterfly pillow is absolutely stunning and it’s so easy to make. Cutting out the butterfly shapes is the most time consuming part of this project and even that will take you less than an hour. Once you have the shapes cut out, just add them to your homemade pillow or a plain store bought pillow. This entire pillow making project will take you less than two hours total.

Tutorial: rufflesandstuff

4. Easy Spray Painted Wheat Pillows

You can do these spray painted pillows in any design that you want, but the wheat is great if you’re looking to get that rustic look from your accents. Just make your templates from freezer paper and then use your chosen spray paint colors to create the design onto muslin fabric. You could do these in so many designs and sizes and they are really quick and easy to finish.

Tutorial: vanessachristenson

5. Easy DIY Cactus Pillow

This little cactus pillow is almost too adorable and it’s super easy to make. You’ll need to stamp cacti onto fabric to cut it out and then just sew those cutouts onto your pillow form. This can be done in any number of images and designs, as long as you have a template or can freehand one. It’s a simple and really easy pillow to make and it gives the room such character.

Tutorial: patchworkcactus

6. DIY Conversation Hearts Pillows

It may not be Valentine’s Day just yet but now is definitely the time to start making these adorable conversation heart pillows. These may just be the easiest pillows you will ever make by hand and they’re perfect for girls’ rooms, nurseries or anywhere you want a conversation starter. Just cut a heart template out of cardstock and use that to measure and cut your fabric. Sew it together, add your batting or pillow stuffing and then use iron-on letters to make your conversations.

Tutorial: brit

7. DIY Button Pillow

Take any old pillow – or a new one that you DIY – and turn it into a work of art when you add buttons. That’s right, buttons!

This may not be the perfect pillow to lay your head on, but it is absolutely perfect for adding a bit of color and design to the living room and all you have to do is choose a specific design and then use your buttons to create it.

Button crafts are so great and buttons are so inexpensive that they are the perfect embellishment for pillows and so much more.

Tutorial: makeit-loveit

8. Diamond Shaped Pillows

These diamond shaped pillows take very little work and they’re adorable when they are finished. You just have to cut out your shape and sew – adding your pillow stuffing, of course.

You can use different colored fabrics to create the lines in your diamonds. These are so easy that you can make several of them and do them in all different sizes.

Tutorial: little-white-whale

9. Easy Dorm Room Pillow

If you have a child who is headed off to college soon, this dorm room pillow is the perfect gift. It looks like a decision cube and is such an easy project to sew.

The hardest part about it is deciding what decisions you will place on it. The cube shape is so unique and it’s such a fun pillow – your college student is going to love this one!

Tutorial: thechillydog

10. DIY Felt Sunflower Pillow

Felt pillows are really simple to make and they are so comfortable. This one is also really gorgeous when it’s finished.

You use felt to create sunflower petals that adorn the entire front of the pillow – or you could go all out and cover the entire pillow if you want. Cutting out your petal shapes will take the most time.

Once you have that finished, the rest of this one is a breeze.

Tutorial: fabyoubliss

11. Fleece Macaroon Pillow

I love this little macaroon pillow. You make it from fleece and it can be done in any number of colors and sizes. These plush pillows are so comfortable and they are perfect for bedroom throw pillows.

You will need fleece in a number of colors, depending on how many of these you want to make, and you’ll need white for the “filling” of the macaroon. It takes about a yard of fleece for each pillow.

Tutorial: camelotfabricsblog

12. DIY Gold Foil Accent Pillow

This gold foil accent pillow is so elegant and it’s super easy to make. You make the embellishments with gold foil – like wrapping paper – and white cotton fabric for the base really sets off the gold.

You could also do this in silver or if you’re looking for a great holiday accent pillow, use red and/or green foil to create lovely Christmas colors.

Tutorial: abeautifulmess

13. Easy DIY Leather Accent Pillow

Did you know that you can make your own leather pillows? And, it’s pretty easy to do. These can be made with upcycled material from an old leather couch or a coat if you have one that you want to use.

You just cut the shape and size that you need from the leather and then sew it up like a regular throw pillow. Then add your pillow form or batting and you’re all done.

Tutorial: vintagerevivals

14. Huge DIY Pom Pom Pillow

This mondo pom pom pillow is so easy to make and it’s such a comfortable pillow, too. You can buy these at Pottery Barn…and spend way too much money on them…or make them yourself using bulky yarn and canvas.

First, create your pillow from the canvas and then make the pom poms to add to the sides. Pom poms are super easy to make and are a wonderful project for the kids.

Tutorial: livingwithpunk

15. Quilt Work Look Pillow

I love this multi fabric pillow that looks like an old quilt or bedspread. This is a great chance for you to use up those fabric scraps.

You make the pillow by sewing together your choice of fabrics and then embellish it with burlap roses or anything else that you want. If you want a great project to upcycle fabric scraps, this is it.

Tutorial: justanotherhangup

16. Easy DIY No Sew Pillow

Here is a great no sew pillow that is so easy, you will definitely want to make more than one. You make this with any fabric that you want and use iron on fabric tape to stick it all together.

This is a great throw pillow or you can use the idea to make pillow covers for your current throw pillows. Choose seasonal fabrics and change them out every season!

Tutorial: stylemepretty

17. Lovely DIY Peacock Pillow

If you are obsessed with peacocks, this is the perfect throw pillow for you. It has such a gorgeous peacock design and is so colorful that it fits into any room décor.

You need printable templates for this one as well as a pillow form and white twill fabric. The colors are so gorgeous and the felt feathers are so easy to make and attach.

Tutorial: positivelysplendid

18. Easy DIY Pleated Accent Pillow

I love the look of pleated pillows. I found one at a department store recently that was priced at more than $30, but this one can be easily made at home. Pleats are really not that difficult to sew on and these are made from ribbon so they’re much easier than fabric.

You’ll need to choose the ribbon that you want and you’ll need fabric for the pillow itself. Overall, this could be one of the easiest pillows you have ever sewn.

Tutorial: shabbynest

19. Easy Pouf Pillow

You’ve seen those pouf pillows in department stores, right? They’re really cute and really comfortable but unfortunately, also a bit expensive. If you have fabric and some pillow stuffing, you can easily make your own.

You need about a yard of coordinating fabrics to make this one as well as a yard of muslin, pillow stuffing and your sewing machine. These can be done in all sorts of designs and colors.

Tutorial: designsponge

20. Rustic Recycled Roses Pillow

Roses made from all sorts of fabrics adorn this easy to make pillow and make it so beautiful. You just cut out the shape that you want your pillow to be from any fabric that you want and then use those cloth roses to decorate it.

Add in as many or as few as you like. This is a wonderful way to use up fabric scraps and you can use your roses to embellish other things, as well.

Tutorial: alisaburke

21. DIY Rose Petal Pillow

This elegant little pillow almost looks like angel wings and it’s super easy to make. You will need white canvas or white denim material to create the pillow and then sew on silk rose petals that you can get at the Dollar Store or Walmart for just a
few dollars per box. Those petals come in many different colors so you can make a matching rose petal pillow for any room in your home.

Tutorial: beyondthescreendoor

22. Rustic Potato Stamp Pillow

If you want a rustic pillow to match all of that DIY farmhouse furniture, this is it. You make this one by stamping designs on with a potato. Remember potato stamps from school? This is the same concept and you can do any number of designs with it. This would be really great with burlap or canvas material to give it an even more rustic look.

Tutorial: bigdiyideas

23. Easy Ruffled Taffeta Pillow

These pillows are made with taffeta and muslin and they are pretty easy to put together.

The pattern is for a pillow sham but you can easily turn this into an accent pillow. Just fill it with a pillow form or pillow stuffing and sew it closed. The materials are gorgeous together and really accent any fabric that you want to use for the base.

Tutorial: mabeyshemadeit

24. DIY Shag Accent Pillow

This little shag pillow is super comfortable and really easy to make. You’ll need a yard of jersey fabric for each pillow as well as cotton fabric that matches the color.

You create the shag look by sewing bits of fabric rectangles that you make from the jersey fabric onto the cotton fabric. Once you have the shag created, just add your pillow form and sew it all up.

Tutorial: vanessachristenson

25. DIY Sprocket Pillow

These sprocket pillows can be done in any number of sizes and they are really adorable.

You just print out templates for the design that you want and then create the look by sewing those designs together to create the pillow form. You can use this same concept to create pillows in different shapes, too if you don’t like the sprocket form.

Tutorial: cluckclucksew

26. Easy DIY Sunburst Pillow

The sewn in design is what makes this sunburst pillow so gorgeous and it’s actually much easier to do than it looks. You just choose the fabric that you want to work with and then create the sunburst pattern by folding over your fabric when you are sewing.

Once you turn the fabric right side out, it has a lovely pattern and you can do this on both sides if you want.

Tutorial: versusmag

27. Upcycled Sweater Pillow

I really love upcycled sweater projects and this pillow is one of my favorites. You don’t even have to use one of your favorite sweaters. If you don’t have one that you want to cut up, just head to your local thrift store and see what they have.

You just cut the sweater material to fit the size and shape of your pillow, sew it together and then add your pillow stuffing. These are so cozy!

Tutorial: brassyapple

28. DIY Tassel Accent Pillow

Colorful tassels give this DIY accent pillow such character and this is a really easy one to make.

This one is inspired by a similar tassel pillow from Anthropologie but it’s much cheaper and so much fun to make. You could do single colors for a more elegant look or use different colors of the rainbow to add a lot of color to an otherwise bland room.

Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GANH5OiPozk

29. Tuxedo Throw Pillow

An old shirt can be used to create this lovely little tuxedo pillow that ads such elegance to any room. You need an old button down shirt and if it has a ruffle, that’s even better.

Just button up the shirt and then cut out your pillow pattern. Then sew it up and add your stuffing or pillow form and finish it off. This is a great little pillow for the bedroom or you can add it anywhere that you need a little elegant décor.

Tutorial: jensownroad

30. Easy DIY Watercolor Pillows

Create your own little watercolor pillows and do it in a snap. These pillows have an envelope enclosure which makes them really easy to stuff and the watercolors are absolutely gorgeous.

You can do these in so many colors and color combinations. You could match any existing décor and create a lovely little watercolor pillow for every room.

Tutorial: tidbits-cami

Conclusion

These are perfect no matter what style or design you are trying to achieve.

There are pillows made from felt, upcycled from old t-shirts and even some that are made from multiple fabrics.

These have a great rustic country look that you are going to love. Even if you don’t sew often, you can easily turn these out in just a few hours.

You could make an entire set for the living room in less than a day and save yourself a fortune over buying them in the department store.

You know me – anytime I can DIY something I prefer that to buying. Just look at these 30 DIY teal décor ideas.

So, if you prefer the DIY way too, you can flood your home with comfortable and cozy pillows that you can make in a jiffy.

There are pillows for teen’s rooms, dorm rooms and any room in the house! From an adorable cactus print to conversation heart pillows that are perfect to give as Valentine’s Day gifts, you are sure to find the perfect accent pillow that you can DIY.

And, if you’re looking to add even more DIY accessories to your home, take a look at this DIY jewelry box that you can make from an empty duct tape roll.