Everyone loved our piano stool covered in a nubby bath mat project so much, we decided to use one to make a unique accent pillow.

This project takes a bit of time, especially if you're an amateur with a needle like me, but it's pretty simple. Even better, the supplies only cost me $25!

Here's what you will need:

• One "Cirrus" rug from CB2. They change the colors around frequently, and often put the discontinued colors on sale. We snagged this "pool blue" version for $14.95 on sale.
• One 16" square pillow form from a fabric store. I got one on sale for $4.49.
• One 14" all-purpose zipper in a color that matches the rug. I found a blue one that was a pretty close match for $2.29.
• A spool of general-purpose thread that matches the rug color.
• General hand sewing supplies, including scissors, pins, needles, and a straight edge.

Making the pillow:

1. Lay out the rug on a flat surface. The rug has nicely bound edges. We're going to use these on the zipper edge of the pillow.
2. Cut the rug in half, to create two pieces roughly 23 ½" x 17 ¾".
3. Cut 5 ¾" off of the longer side of both pieces, creating two pieces that are 17 ¾" square.
4. Lay both pieces on a flat surface, with the wrong side facing up and the bound edges touching each other.
5. Place the zipper in the middle of the two bound edges with the wrong side facing up. Use pins to hold the zipper in place.
6. Using a backstitch, attach each side of the zipper to the bound edge of each rug piece. Be sure to keep the zipper closed and make certain that the edges remain touching.
7. Fold along the zipper so that the right sides of the two rug pieces are touching and the edges are aligned. Pin edges together.
8. The nubby bits of this rug are very messy and bulky. To keep the edges of the pillow looking neat, you may need to pull away some of the nubs. To round the edges a bit, cut away the fabric of the four corners in a quarter-circle pattern. Cut sparingly!
9. Unzip the zipper.
10. Stitch together the pieces using a backstitch. Note that you will want to create a large knot at the end of your thread to prevent it from pulling through the loosely-woven material. Stitching about a half inch from the edge seems to work best.
11. After you've finished the stitching and removed all of your pins, turn the pillowcase right side out and insert the pillow form. Finished!

Stitch together the two pieces with the wrong sides out.

The zipper is sewn to the bound edge.

After the case is finished, flip it right side out and insert the pillow form.

Zip it up, and enjoy!