Snow Globe Christmas Pillow - Sewing Tutorial

This snow globe Christmas pillow has a fun surprise - sequins for snow trapped under a layer of clear vinyl!  My free pattern and tutorial shows how to make it!

This post originally appeared on Bombshell Bling.  

I love decorating for Christmas with handmade, so every year I try to make at least one handmade something to add to my Christmas décor.  Sometimes it's traditional, like this fabric holly wreath canvas.  And sometimes it's totally off the wall, like my felt taco Christmas ornaments.

This year’s handmade Christmas project is a snow globe pillow cover, and I’ve got a tutorial and pattern to share with you!

The snow globe design on the front of the pillow has a peaceful winter scene – Christmas trees, a bright star, and of course snow.  It wouldn‘t be a snow globe without snow, right?  The snow sequins are trapped underneath a layer of clear vinyl.

The pillow cover itself is easily made with an envelope closure on the back.  No buttons, no zipper!

See my Pom Pom Heart Tutorial to see how you can use this same style of pillow to make a cute throw pillow for Valentine's Day!

In keeping with the peaceful winter scene, I made the pillow front from a gray plaid.  I used a solid gray fabric for the back because I didn’t have enough of the plaid.  The corners are finished off with some big ol’ fluffy yarn pom poms.  They’re totally optional but I think they’re a cute addition.

I made this entire project – pom poms included – from my stash!  (That’s not because I’m particularly thrifty; my stash is just that out of control right now.)

Are you ready to make a snow globe pillow of your own?  Read on to see how!

Snow Globe Christmas Pillow

Materials

1 piece 16” x16” quilting cotton or home dec weight fabric (pillow front)

2 pieces 16” x 13” quilting cotton or home decor weight fabric (pillow back)

Scraps of fabric for applique design

Clear vinyl for snow globe cover

Small piece of vinyl for snow globe base

White sequins

Fusible webbing

Masking tape

16” pillow form

Yarn and pom pom maker (optional)

Free pattern

Prepare the pieces

Trace Background and Applique Pieces to the back of fusible webbing.  REVERSE THE DESIGN for the snowy ground piece.  (All other pieces are symmetrical so they will not need to be reversed.)

Follow manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the webbing to the back of your fabrics.

Cut out the shapes and remove the paper backing.

Assemble the snow globe design

Place the Background on the pillow front, 3.5” from the top and centered horizontally.  (Bottom of the Background will be 5” from the bottom of the pillow front.)

Follow manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the Background to the pillow front.

Next, assemble the applique pieces to make the snowy scene, top stitching around each piece to secure.  Assemble in this order for easiest top stitching:

1. Snowy ground (Top stitch only the top edge. The sides and bottom will be secured when you add the clear vinyl cover.)
   
2. Tree trunks and star
   
3. Large tree
   
4. Small tree
   

Center the clear vinyl Snow Globe Cover over your assembled scene.  The vinyl will be slightly larger than the background.  Secure in place with masking tape. DO NOT PIN.

Sew around the circle close to the edge, leaving 2” open at the bottom.

Vinyl tends to stick to the bottom of the presser foot.  To prevent that from happening, use a Teflon presser foot or cover the bottom of your presser foot with masking tape.

Pour sequins in to the snow globe scene through the hole at the bottom.  The sequins will be your “snow”.

Sew the hole closed.

Place the Snow Globe Base across the bottom of the snow globe.  Secure with masking tape and sew in place.

Sew the pillow cover

Now that you’ve got your snow globe design, it takes just a few easy seams to turn it into a pillow cover!

Take one of the back pieces and press ½” to the wrong side of the fabric down the long side (16”), and then fold another ½” to create a double fold hem.  Stitch the hem in place close to the folded edge.  Repeat with the second back piece.

Place the two back pieces on top of the pillow front RST and with raw edges aligned.  The hemmed edges should overlap at the middle.

Stitch around all four sides with a ½” seam allowance.

Clip corners and turn right side out.  If you need to press your pillow cover, be sure to avoid touching the vinyl with the hot iron.

Place your pillowcase inside the pillow cover.  It will fit tight.

Optional: Make 4 yarn pom poms and sew them to the four corners of your pillow cover.

Your snow globe Christmas pillow cover is done!