Designer Fabric Pillows On the Cheap

I walked into my mom's living room this week after a few months absence and found the most gorgeous new pillows. I asked her about them and she confirmed my suspicions that she is the thriftiest sewer I've ever met.

Can you guess how much she spent on fabric for each pillow?

Two dollars. That's right, she spent $2 a pillow.  What's her secret for avoiding the $30+/yard price tag of home decor fabrics?  Did she buy during a big sale or purchase remnants on the cheap?  Nope.  She found discontinued samples of home decor fabrics at Joann's.  At a dollar per sample, she had just enough in each sample to make one side of a throw pillow (about 16" size) without having to waste the extra fabric should would have had to purchase if she were using by-the-yard fabric.

They work perfectly for a couch, but you could definitely do something similar for a bed or in a different shape such as a circle.  And off course, no one has to know you spent next to nothing, now do they?

(Oops, yes, I realize now that damask is sideways.)

What an excellent way to save big bucks without sacrificing style.  And I love that she mixed up her patterns and colors.  Bravo Mom.