Introduction: How to Make a No-Sew Button Down Shirt Pillow

Button down shirt pillows are great ways to salvage an button shirt, while also adding a new, practical, and unique touch to your home. Whether it be a button down that was outgrown, shrunk in the dryer, or even belonging to a deceased family member, a button down shirt pillow is a great way to cherish old memories. This tutorial will show you, bit by bit, how to make a button down shirt in five steps/ parts in about an hour's time.


You will need:

  • clean button down shirt
  • scissors (fabric scissors are ideal)
  • ruler
  • no-sew Heat n Bond
  • polyester fiber filling
  • iron
  • hard surface (i.e. table)

Optional:

  • iron on transfer fabric (any color of your choice)
  • cologne/ perfume (scent of your choice)
  • fabric glue


Step 1: Layout

  1. Wash the shirt and smooth wrinkles and by hand or by ironing.

Step 2: Measuring, Cutting, and Preparing

  1. Take your scissors and cut off the sleeves, making a rectangle.
  2. Take ruler and measure in from the middle of the shoulder, and cut the base of the shirt.
  3. If there are any buttons or snaps, button/ snap them together, and turn the shirt inside out.

Step 3: Sealing the Edges

  1. Cut strip/s from the Heat n Bond and line up along the bottom edge of the shirt, smooth side up, leave a little of the fabric hanging off the Heat N Bond.
  2. Take iron with NO STEAM, and apply heat to the Heat N Bond and shirt.
  3. Peel off paper backing once bottom side is sealed to fabric, appearance should be a "shiny" strip lining.
  4. Apply heat to the shirt to seal the two sides of the fabric.
  5. Repeat all steps above on the adjacent sides, or the arm sides of the shirt.

Step 4: Turning Right Side Out

  1. To turn the shirt right side up, unbutton/ unsnap the buttons/ snaps of the shirt, turn right side out.
  2. Re-button/ Re-snap the buttons/ snaps.

Step 5: (OPTIONAL) Personalization

  1. Take iron on transfer fabric, and cut out any shapes, letters, numbers, etc. that you wish, and apply following the manufacturer's instructions.
  2. Take perfume/ cologne and spray the polyester stuffing before "Stuff and Complete" to add a light smell to the future pillow.

Step 6: Stuff and Complete

  1. Take polyester stuffing carefully by hand and fill the shirt through the open side, or the "head" of the shirt, do above step carefully, otherwise you could rip the seals
  2. Take the top opening and the collar/ head of the shirt and seal with the Heat N Bond (see "Sealing the Edges" and follow steps), hold for 1-2 minutes or until the "neck" Heat N Bond is sealed.
  3. If you struggle with the Heat N Bond on the neck, use fabric glue.

Step 7: Show It Off!