Hi all, Amy here! If you are a regular on this blog you know we did a series of scrap busting tutorials this year. We used up fabric that you might have had kicking around to make little snack bags, beeswax wraps and produce bags, and this time, we saved the best for last. Call it our Christmas gift to you: a free sewing pattern for a gorgeous, Moroccan inspired floor pouf.
It's a fun and easy quilting project that also makes additional seating or a nice rest for your tired feet. For this DIY pouf we will be using up lots of those beautiful fabric scraps you love and want to look at, BUT.... we will also be using up a whole whack of scraps/thread/batting/sheets/
Materials + Supplies
- Free pouf pattern, download it above
- 2 x piece A, 12 x piece B, 12 x piece CÂ (use a sturdy, medium to heavyweight fabric; you can use lighter weight fabric if you interface them first)
- 1 x 22" zipper (we used an invisible zipper but a regular one is fine too)
- Heavy duty needle (size 16-18)
- Polyester thread
- Invisible zipper foot or zipper foot
- Light weight mesh fabric for inner bag (old curtain sheers work well for this)
- Drawstring cord
- Fabric for piping (optional)
- Piping cord (optional)
To begin, choose an array of scrap fabrics you find pleasing together. For our sample, I chose a mix of light to dark in a palette of greys and blues. Heavier weight denim, linen and other wovens should be fine on their own, but lighter weight fabrics or anything loosely woven should be interfaced with a non-stretch medium weight interfacing.
If you need to interface your pieces, cut them out first. Arrange them on the interfacing, cut away the excess and then block fuse them all at once (use a press cloth to protect your iron). Once you have them fused you can cut them apart again.
To make your pouf washable (and stand the test of time) finish all 24 pieces (triangles and rectangles) with a serger or zigzag stitch on both sides. I chain-pieced this step, feeding them through in batches and cutting them apart after. Don't finish the short ends of the side pieces - we'll do that in one go at a later stage.
Once you have your pieces ready, you can lay out the triangles in a circle and arrange the colours as you like. That's a nice pizza!
Next, arrange the triangles in pairs and sew the seams at 3/8"(10 mm). Press the seams open. If you are chain-piecing these, make sure to keep track of which pieces are next to which by returning to your circle after each step.
Now sew three pairs together (half the circle) twice, pressing seams open between each step.
At this point you may have to trim and adjust your half circles. Keep in mind if you are using thick fabric you need to press both sides WELL in order to maintain the circle.
Sew the two half circles together. Press the middle seam open.
I suggest making piping for your edges; for a tutorial on how to make piping you can look here. We used leftover Kelly Anorak cord and fabric from Heather's gold Sasha trousers (scrap-busting people!!) that has a thickness of 3/16th. Remember, for this project we are using 10 mm seam allowances so make sure to adjust your piping seam allowance as needed.
Pin your piping to the circle top, and trim at the end, leaving a 2" tail of overlap.
Open up the seam on your piping and trim the cord back so that it butts up against itself. Fold the extra piping fabric inside and pin down. Sew the piping in place all the way around the circle.
Serge or zig-zag the entire circumference of the circle including all fabric.
We are now going to install the zipper on our pouf bottom. Start by serging or zig-zagging the straight edges (I did it after I installed the zipper but it's probably easier to do it now).
On the right side of the fabric draw a chalk line 1" (25.4 mm) from the edge of both half circles. Line the teeth of your invisible zipper up with this line and sew (right sides together) on both sides of the zipper. I used an invisible zipper foot, which is lovely. If you have one, now is your chance to use it! You can also use a regular zipper if that's what you have on hand.
Press well, but use a press cloth to protect your zipper from melting.
Pin piping to top of circle and sew at 3/8" (10mm) repeating steps above. Trim the zipper teeth if necessary.
For the sides of the pouf you will want to arrange your rectangles in a pleasing pattern. To do this I split the 12 pieces into a repeating pattern of dark, grey, white. Depending on how many different fabrics your using you can figure out a similar rationale.
Chain piece these rectangles together on the long sides at 3/8" (10mm). Press seams open.
Finish the top and bottom edge with a serger or zigzag. Sew the edges of both ends of your pieces right sides together in order to create a large loop. Press this last seam open.
Pin the top and sides right sides together. Sew at 3/8" (10mm), using the piping or zipper foot, getting as close to the piping cord as you can. Sew on the top side so you can see the thread attaching the piping. Open the zipper on the bottom and repeat the above step to attach the bottom to the sides. Turn right side out.
Bonus points if you wear your pouf like that episode of Friends where Joey gets his head stuck in the turkey.
For the last step we are going to stuff this baby! I made a super easy drawstring bag out of old curtain sheers using this tutorial as a basic guide. Obviously, this is about ten times the size and is a rough estimation but as long as it is bigger than the pouf it will do the job of holding the scraps. You don't need to make this bag, but we found it much easier to create a lining if you want to wash your pouf - saves you from having to deal with re-stuffing all the tiny scraps.
Now is the time to use up every little odd and end you have in your scrap bag; thread, bits of interfacing, trimmings from the serger, old towels, stained clothing not appropriate for the thrift store - EVERYTHING! It doesn't get any more Reduce, Reuse and Recycle then this.
I stuffed the bag about halfway, placed it in the pouf and then kept stuffing until full. To cram as much as you can in there, push really hard on the bag to try and compress your scraps. Pull the drawstring, tie it in a knot and tuck inside. Now you can zip up your pouf and get ready to lounge!
Heather brought the poof home and apparently it's been seeing a lot of action.
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We love this project because it's a beautiful object that not only uses up those odd-shaped fabric scraps you may not be able to find a use for otherwise, but it's also a lovely reminder of past sewing projects. This pouf uses up scraps from our Jenny Overalls samples, this dress, this Kalle shirt, these shorts and a few different pairs of jeans, and is stuffed with a lot of stuff that might have instead ended up in the landfill (we do try and make frequent visits to H&M to recycle our fabric scraps but this saved us a trip!)
Hope you like this free pouf pattern! Once again, you can get the pattern for free in our sewing resource library. The password is sent in our welcome email. Go forth and pouf!
Finally getting around to making this pattern! Is the pouf pictured made from the pattern pieces? My spatial abilities are crap, but it looks bigger than 10.5″ high and 20.5″ wide. Thanks!
Yes! I think it just looks bigger once it’s stuffed with fabric!
Thanks!
If I wanted to use this pattern and not use scraps—use one piece of fabric for the whole thing, how much would I need?
Off the top of my head I’m not sure. You’d just have to multiple the width of the pattern piece’s width by 12.
hey! thank you so much for this pattern 🙂 i just finished the main pouf and it looks fab. but im struggling to figure out how big to make the drawstring bag for the inside. what size did you make it?
A bit bigger than the pouf itself. That way you can really cram it full!
Thank you! Thanks to some isolation and your great pattern, I now have a lovely pouf made from old jeans in a range of blues. Very happy! Though I probably have enough stuffing to make at least one more!
Hi.. I’m almost finished making my pouf and it is going to be gorgeous when I get finished!
But, my problem is the bottom. I couldn’t get it to print the pattern. I was able to measure off the screen the other pieces and it all came together perfectly. I tried to use the triangles in a half circle to use as a pattern for the bottom, but that seems to be too big.
Is that accurate? Thanks for any suggestions to get my project finished.
Hi Pam. I just measured it for you. See attached image. You’ll need to add 1cm allowance around curve, and 2.5cm along straight seam. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ab35399ca9adfd520e92df42f5c5ec2d071ca47581deae7dbc719cc47f91e6c7.png
This pattern is such an excellent idea – my scrap bag is a hot mess! On the zipper: if using a regular zipper, should I baste a 3/8″ seam, or use the 1″ SA drawn on the pattern piece?
Sorry, I would use the 1″ seam allowance – your zipper should be centred on that.
Thanks so much! And thanks again for the great pattern. 🙂
Could you maybe update the tutorial to say 1 inch rather 3/8? I did not read the comments and had put away the pattern pieces by the time I was installing the zipper, so I was just working from the tutorial and ended up with extra fabric on the bottom pieces. Not the end of the world, I eased it in, but the discrepancy between pattern and turoial is really irritating.
Oh man, I just cleaned out my entire closet and have loads of cast off clothing that I plan on “some day” recycling the fabric into something else but dont have the time right now to pick the best project for each. I also need a footrest or 2. Seems like the perfect solution, just stuff them all inside the poof and forget about them!
What is the finished size of the pouf, please?
The free Pouf pattern is a great scrap buster pattern thanks. Not only do you use scraps to make it , you can stuff it with scraps. Thought it was going to be difficult to fit the sections together but it came together very nicely and there are plenty of seams if you need to make a few tweaks although surprisingly I didn’t need to. The suggested seam finishing for robustness was very good as well as suggesting the inner bag to fill the pouf. I don’t quilt or patchwork so I was pushed out of my comfort zone in a great way. Thoroughly recommend this generous FREE PATTERN . Many thanks
What a wonderful tutorial. Thanks. I’m an avid sewer and have a huge bag of remnants and scraps and would like to make a pouffe.
Your doggie is a sweetheart.
Thank you! And enjoy your pouf!
I have been saving this project for ages and am excited to be about to start. I have just noticed that the instructions don’t match the pattern pieces. as the instructions want 12xpiece A but on the pattern A is the big semi circle. I’m clear what I am doing, just thought you’d like to know that theres a slight typo. I love the project though!
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll take a look at that.
Loved this pattern! I had trouble estimating the size of the drawstring bag to put the stuffing in. I cut some polycotton about 26″ x width of fabric and sewed up the drawstring bag. Started stuffing it with scraps of fabric and batting, etc, and quickly realized that it’s not large enough to fill the pouf. Is there any way to keep the pouf from looking all lumpy? I’m thinking of ordering some fluffy polyfill to pack around the outside of my too-small-liner-bag. That might do the trick!
I saw some other people did that as well! Mine is stuffed with extra blankets and sleeping bags!
Oh that’s perfect – I tried filling mine with an spare king duvet and a king pillow. It’s perfect! And that makes it full but soft. It’s a wonderful pattern… thank you!
This is a great scrap buster, I love it! I’m just curious: How wide should be my bias tape?
Depends how wide you want your piping! As long as it goes around the cord you choose and you have a little seam allowance any size will do!
I just attached my bottom zippered panel last night – today is the day to stuff the pouf!
One question though – I followed the 3/8 seam allowance for all the top wedges and the side panels. All sewn together – these ended up being larger than the finished circle for the bottom. Is that correct? Is the finished top circle larger than the bottom circle?
I used the notches on the bottom piece to match up to my 12 panels, but haven’t found anything online that confirms this different sizing is intentional. Thanks!
Great pattern concept, but I can’t begin because after printing out 4 different times, the 4-inch “scale” square on page 2 is only 3 1/4″. Even on my “actual size” computer screen, it is only 3 1/4″. Is there something I’m not understanding? I frequently print patterns on my printer at home, and the scale of the square always prints correctly. Please advise! I have a mountain of scraps and it’s time.
I use custom scale and set it at 100 percent
I have been daydreaming of making a pouf and stuffing it with all my scraps I have hoarded. Finding this pattern is so validating! I can’t wait to start this project!
I had this same experience – bottom is larger than the sides. The instructions say to sew the zipper on at 3/8" from the edge but there are notches 1" in marked with the stitching line so is there where the difference is generated? Do the instructions need updating? Thank you.
Yeah I wish I’d read the comments! I think the instructions need updating to match the pattern pieces – I had the same experience. Otherwise, this is a great pattern.
I love this idea and I'm working on making it, but I just had a quick question. Approximately how much piping did you end up using on the pattern as written? I'm making my own piping and I'd like to have a rough idea of how much I'll actually need. Thank you đź’–
I just watched a documentary on waste and recycling. H & M does not properly recycle clothing and fabric, it goes to Africa and winds up in piles on land, on beaches, and in the ocean. Going inside a pouf is much better, even the landfill is better. Made me sad.
Awesome pattern! Took a photo of it on my head but obviously can’t upload it haha
Many thanks for the excellent tutorial
Hi there…Have a question about the Closet Core Pouf. What feedback have you received from other sewers about increasing the height of the side Panel (pattern piece C) ?? I cut my side panels from 10 inches to 16 inches. I wanted the height to match the height of an existing foot stool I have in my living room. I have added straps to the 2 of the panels to help with carrying this pouf as the weight will obviously increase as well.
I am hoping that you will mostly likely tell me it is a personal preference. Do I need to alter the Top Panel (pattern piece B) and bottom (pattern piece A) at all to accommodate the increase in height. I should not think so but want to make sure before I start sewing.
Thank You/Merci
Marian B
Hi Marian,
If you increase the heigth of the pouf, it will change its proportions.
If you are fine with a tall pouf, then I guess it’s ok.
But you may want to increase the rest of the pattern. It’s just a matter of preference, but a 60% increase is quite big, and you could end with a very heavy pouf!
Thanks for the plans for this great project! I used scraps which included a floral print (from the draperies in my parents’ bedroom when I was a young child) and a surreal toille (from my daughter’s bedroom when she was 2-10 yrs. of age). They coordinate surprisingly well. I ended up with the top being larger than the bottom. I think this may have been because I serged seams so that (despite mirroring the pattern pieces) they ended up connecting longer in the middle. I ended up tying off a “stump” on the underside of the top middle and adding a button (to match the fabric I used for the cording trim) to cover the “belly button”.
I’ve made this pouf three times in different fabrics and with interfacing, but they still rip between the top seems and sides. Any tips on how to make it sturdier? Will try making it with only old jeans and larger pieces of fabric instead of triangles to see if it holds.
Hi Eliana,
Using sturdy fabric is key here. You can also try sewing stay tape or piping into the seams to strengthen them – this really helps reinforce those stress points where the top meets the sides.
That said, lightweight fabrics will likely rip with heavy use no matter what. Your idea to use denim is smart – it should hold up much better!
Thank you for the DIY but the pattern link doesn’t work, too bad it’s so nice!
The file can be downloaded directly from the “download” button that appears once you have entered your email address. A pop-up blocker may prevent the button from displaying correctly. We recommend that you disable it.
Hello. Where is the download button? I can’f find it. I see another comment that says to enter your e/mail but i don’t see that either.
I can’t find the link to the pattern. Can you help me?
The file can be downloaded directly from the “download” button that appears once you have entered your email address. A pop-up blocker may prevent the button from displaying correctly. We recommend that you disable it.
where is the link to the download? I cant find it?