The first step to making a pillow is to select your fabric and trims. You will also need to select a filling for your pillow, decide what shape you want your pillow to be, and whether you want your pillow to have a removable cover.

As you select your fabric, keep in mind that many decorative pillows are made using at least two contrasting fabrics. Of course, for your first attempt at making a decorative pillow, you may only want to use one fabric. There are several important things you should keep in mind when you are choosing fabrics.

1. Knit fabrics and slippery materials are hard to work with.

2. Thin cotton fabrics do not usually make a spectacular pillow unless you are using a quilt block design.

3. Geometric prints are more difficult to work with than random designs, since you will need to match the prints up.

When you are selecting your pillow's filling, you will need to decide whether you will be making a removable cover. If so, a pillow form is the best choice, since you certainly wouldn't want to have to remove loose stuffing to wash the pillow and then replace it again after the pillow was clean. However, most decorative pillows are made without removable covers and can be stuffed with polyester fiber filling or chopped foam.

The easiest pillow to sew is probably a simple square pillow without any cording. To make your pillow, cut two squares of fabric that are one half inch bigger than your finished pillow measurement on each side. Place the two squares so that they are on top of each other and so that the brighter side of each square faces the other square's brighter side. (People who work with fabric call the brighter side of a piece of fabric the right side.)

Now you are ready for the fun part. Sew around three sides of the fabric squares, using a half inch seam allowance. (A seam allowance is the measurement from the edge of the fabric to where you want the sewing machine to stitch the fabric.) On the fourth side of the squares, sew a third of the way in from each side. This leaves you with an open space in the middle of that side. Use that space to turn your pillow right side out.

Finally, you are ready to finish your pillow. Stuff it firmly and then hand stitch the opening closed. Now, you can repeat the process to make a matching pillow.