I guess you can read that anyway you’d like – this tutorial creates a pretty pillowcase, and it’s also pretty quick! And a bit addicting too. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to just keep on making them.
As I said in the previous post, I based my measurements for Whitney’s pillowcase on a pillowcase that we have here. I don’t really know what a standard pillowcase size is, but these measurements result in a pillowcase that measures about 20″ x 29″. If you have a larger pillow, you may need to adjust your measurements accordingly. What’s nice about pillowcases is that the measurements don’t have to be so exact – there’s a pretty good chance that even if you’re shy an inch or so of fabric, you’ll still be able to stuff your pillow in its new case!
Materials:
1 yard of fabric per pillow (Note: if you want the cuff of the pillow to be a different fabric, you can reduce the main fabric to 3/4 of a yard, and add in 1/4 yard of a coordinating fabric for the cuff)
1.5″ x width of fabric for the trim (or, alternatively, you could use other trim here – I used rick rack for these pillowcases).
Note: For these pillowcases I used Anna Maria Horner flannels, which are a standard 42/44″ width. All fabrics have been prewashed.
2nd note: This works best with a non-directional print, due to the way it’s sewn together.
Let’s make a pillowcase!
Cut your fabric pieces. For each pillowcase you’ll need to cut one piece that’s 9″ by the width of fabric (this is for the cuff), and one piece that’s 26″ by the width of fabric (main body of the pillowcase). Leave the selvedges on the fabric. This will give you an extra bit of width, and they’ll be hidden when we finish the pillowcase with french seams later on. Cut the fabric you’re using for trim to 1.5″ by width of fabric.
Prepare your trim by folding it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
Next we’ll sew the trim and cuff to the main body. To do this, stack these three fabrics together in this order — on the bottom, open up the 9″ cuff piece and place it face up. Next, align the long edge of the 26″ main body piece on top of the cuff piece, also face up, matching the selvedges. On top of this, align the raw edge of the trim and pin all three layers together. You might be able to see this better in the photo below:
Sew the entire length, sewing all three layers together using a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Now if you lift up the fabric for the cuff you’ll have a little something that looks like this -
Press the seam up, towards the cuff fabric. Then iron the top edge of the cuff under 1/4″.
Next, we’ll make the actual cuff by folding down the ironed edge to meet the trim. Leave about 1/4″ of the trim showing. Pin in place and iron the cuff edge.
Top stitch along this edge using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance, covering the stitch line you made when sewing on the trim.
It should be looking a bit more like a pillowcase now, and we’ll finish it up by sewing together the body of the pillowcase. As I mentioned in the beginning, I use french seams so there aren’t any exposed raw edges.
In order to do this, you’ll fold the pillowcase in half, wrong sides together, aligning the edges. Pin along both edges, making sure that the cuff edges match.
Sew along the two edges, using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Trim your corners, then flip inside out. Press both seams so you have a nice straight edge.
Sew these two edges again, this time using a 3/8″ seam allowance. This will enclose the raw edges inside the new seam.
Flip right side out and admire your pretty new pillowcase!
babies and their quilts
the weekend in photos
yay! thanks!
The stack of Anna Maria Horner pillow cases is so pretty I want to sew some up right now!
Thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for the great tutorial! I so need to buy these fabrics already! =)
awesome! I am working on pillows for my bed this week and need to make a couple of these! Perfect timing! Thanks!
What a great tute! And THANK YOU for the easy French Seam tutorial. Somehow, I couldn’t wrap my brain around it before….
Thank you! I’ll be trying this soon.
This is great- thanks for sharing!
Gorgeous. Thanks for taking the time to out together a tutorial. I just love that Fortune print.
Thank you! I’m definitely going to give this a try!
I adore making pillowcases… Like you say they’re so much fun and sooooo special! it’s a gift you know that someone will use. best of all the fabric options are unlimited!
I’m so glad you posted this tutorial! I saw your finished pillowcases and thought, “now I have to figure out how to make them”. Thanks!
Great pictures to illustrate your construction. Makes it easy to follow along and copy your projects. Great p+s (pictures + stories)!
Thank you so much for the tutorial. I am now adding “make a bazillion beautiful pillowcases” to my to do list.
Thank you sooooo much!!! I can’t wait to give them a try!
Great tutorial. Thanks!!
Yay! Thank you! I’m going to cut fabric for these right now…
Sweet dreams!
Thanks for the great tutorial! I am so inspired.
This is great! I’m a visual learner so the pictures are a BIG help … thanks!!
Thank you so much for the tutorial! They are really cute! I will have to make some!
hooray! thank you!
Ashley, have you seen the new method of doing the pillowcase so there are no unfinished seams at all? it is an amazing method and easy to do. You roll the case up into the edging and when it is turned inside out the seams are all finished. Add the French seams and Voila! Here is a good tute: http://www.countrycrossroadsquilters.com/pillowcase_instructions.pdf
Hi Corky,
Someone sent me a link to a tutorial the other day, but I had already made these pillowcases using this method. It looks like a cool method though – thanks for linking to it! (always nice to have another option!!)
Love these! I can’t wait to get some snuggly flannel and try this out!
Great Tutorial. Thanks
I’ve always zigzaged the edges because I didn’t understand French seaming instructions, but you’ve made it so simple. Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for the tutorial.
So easy, I’m never going to buy another pillow case again!
Great tutorial Ashley. Thank you.
Pardon my silly question please… But am I right in assuming these pillowcases are just open ended without the bit that you tuck your pillow into? Or is that somehow done in the initial cuff bit? thanks
Roseanne,
yes, these are just simple pillowcases – no extra fabric flap to cover the pillow (I never bother to use those even when my pillowcase has them so I didn’t include it in this tutorial)
How easy and fun! My daughter has requested a satin pillowcase as she’s heard they prevent major bedhead. I’ll try this method with some poly satin and see how it goes. Thanks!
Thanks for a great tutorial !! Cant wait to make one. Enjoy reading your blog. Your quilts are so inspiring. I am in the market to upgrade my sewing machine & am a bit overwhelmed. Think I have read you have a Pfaff machine?? If so what model? Would love any advise on what to buy. THANKS !!!
great tutorial, thanks for sharing.
x
I love the fabric! You made it look so easy! I’m giving this a try this week!!
Thanks for the tutorial! My son is moving from crib to a big boy bed and to make the change easier I makeing him a pillow. I found Brown Bear Brown Bear flannel! Hope it turns out as cute as yours
I love this! Your pillows cases are gorgeous. Thanks so much, I’ll be linking.
Thank you ! This is exactly what I was looking for!
Goodness me, how beautiful
.
Thanks for the great tutorial! Love the pillowcases… they look fab!
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Holy sheets, Batman! Now that I’ve made myself a bedskirt, pillow cases are up next!
Thanks for the tute…
Hey Ashley,
This is a great tutorial. I’ve made one pillowcase and have the second one cut, pinned and ready to go. (The second one is sure to turn out better than the first since I’ve read all the instructions now!) I posted the pictures, and linked to this tutorial, on my blog thegallopinghorse.wordpress.com. I also posted pictures of a quilt in progress inspired by your Hope Valley series of baby quilts. (Hopefully you aren’t embarrassed by it!) Thanks for having such an awesome blog!
Trina
Just made my first one and ohhh, did it turn out lovely! Such a great tutorial and so easy I may never buy another pillowcase. I’m sure I’ll be linking you to my website real soon. But I have to send my daughter the pillowcases before I post
I little care package treat for her and I can’t spoil the surprise!
Thanks for this easy-to-follow tutorial! I made my first ever pillowcase on the weekend following your instructions and I’m so pleased with the results! French seams are so satisfying!
Thank you so much for this tutorial. Just made two pillowcases in Liberty Tana Lawn…wonderful, easy instructions for perfectly polished pillowcases!!
Your tutorials are stinkin’ awesome!!
Thanks for the tutorial! I’m going to make up a few of these to replace the pillowcases that were stolen when our house got broken into in December. Apparently they used the pillowcases to stash the loot in. Now I can replace them with something even better–handmade!
Hello,
This is a good pillowcase construction method if you are using a cord trim with a lip as the accent piece. Thank you. What do you mean by trimming the corners before you sew the second seam?
Best Wallis
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I love this tutorial. I’m working on a quilt for my daughter and this would be just the thing to finish out her room! Simple construction methods easily explained, I can do it!
Thanks for this tutorial. I just used it to make pretty cuffs for my new pyjama pants.
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There is a way to make this so there are no exposed seams and no topstitching…it’s all in the pinning and folding.
These are my number one little kid gift. I love the look of french seams but am lazy and use my serger. Great tutorial!
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These are gorgeous! Thanks for the tutorial!
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Thank you for showing me (us) with such great visuals. The photos helped hugely with understanding how the trim was to be attached.
As soon as we settle in I’d love to do this sewing project with my kids. We have a bit of jetlag from our adoption to Ethiopia.
By the way, we love VT…we have a cabin in Bradford!
Nice to meet you…thank you again.
Kimmie
mama to 8
one homemade and 7 adopted
wow, great tutorial and very clear instructions and pictures too, good for me as beginner. I’m going to make this soon! Thanks for sharing ^_^ & greetings from Melbourne- Aussie.
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Thanks so much for sharing the tutorial. It helped me make a set.
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Thank you for this great tutorial. I have decided to make pillowcases for my grandkids at Christmas as a new tradition. I hope it is ok… I posted one of your pics (giving you credit of course) with a link back to here for others to find this great tutorial. Thank you again!!
Grammie Marcia
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Very beautiful pillowcase. Love them.
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Thanks so much for this tutorial!! I am teaching two young girls to sew and this was their third project. We didn’t put in the trim but all else just as you have instructed. They were so pleased with their projects and are going to give them for Christmas gifts.
YES! I am making a pillowcase for my sister too! And my brother. This is such a easy tutorial. So my siblings are twins, of course one a boy and the other a girl. I have to make the pillowcases fit their personalities. BUT whats nice about that french seam is I can take a little fabric from each and swap it. That way they are unique but share some qualities… just like twins! SO thanks for that tutorial! hehe VERY pretty blog btw. I am definitely going to take a look around, become a follower, that sort of thing! Cheers
Love this tutorial! Thanks so much. I made a pile of them over the weekend: http://www.filminthefridge.com/2010/01/27/pretty-quick-pillowcase-tutorial/
er, this is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brungrrl/5388792437/in/photostream/
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WOW! My daughter and niece use the little rice heat packs and they needed new covers for them. I used this pillow case pattern idea to cover it, it was amazingly easy, quick, and adorably cute! Thanks for posting!
Hi Ashley,
Check out my blog…I used this tutorial today and made some lovely little pillow cases for my guest room! I love that you put these up! They are so fun, and since I am “nesting” not for a baby but for Spring, they were perfect!
Hope all is well!
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Thanks for the clear sewing instructions. I had learned to do this several years ago and couldn’t quite remember the steps — your photos were a good reminder.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I love how it is designed to look like piping. Your fabrics are so pretty.
Thank you for this tutorial. I just finished several pillowcases that will be going to US soilders using your pattern. They turned out beautifully.
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finally used your tutorial, came together great! Thanks
These were so fun and easy to make! I’m glad I tried the french seam on scrap fabric first though! Thanks for the tutorial.
Used this technique again to put a cuff on the bottom of some pink&white curtain panels for my girls’ room. Worked great! Thanks again!
REMINDS ME OF THE PILLOWCASES OF MY YOUTH…NICE!!!!
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I can’t remember if I’ve commented before, but I just made my second pillow case from this tutorial today, and it is perfect. So easy and gorgeous! Thanks again!
Luv these pillowcases these are so cute and easy to make
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I didn’t see a place to email you, but I wanted to tell you thanks for the great tutorial and let you know that I linked to it and used a picture (and linked back to you) for a post I did on sewing pillowcases to send to a pediatrics ward in Rwanda. Thanks again!!
You can see my post at http://www.ktmade.com/2012/02/pillowcases-for-good.html.
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I love this tutorial…I have been making simple pillowcases out of top sheets left from set where the bottom has worn out and paired them with plain colored sheets to but am looking forward to trying this method of finishing..it looks more polished than my simple fold over hem..thanks for the great info
Thanks so much for this tutorial. I made some of these tonight with a first time sewer friend of mine and it was a great project for her. Our three girls love their pillowcases!
I love, love, love the trim! They look so professional. And you did an awesome job on the tutorial & pictures. Thank you so much for sharing.
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just did up 3 of these…love,love,love them….never buying a boring pillowcase ever again!
thank you! such a nice tutorial and i have to admit….i’m a little addicted to making these~
happy weekending!
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I have used this great pattern for 3 cases and I can’t thank you enough for it. I really LOVE it.
I’ve been looking for a great pillowcase pattern or tutorial for a while. I love this tutorial and don’t think I would have any problems making a set or two for everyone in my family in no time!! Thanks!!!
Can anyone tell me how to print the instructions for future use. For some reason I can’t find a print icon anywhere? Growing old sometimes is so….frustrating.
I am a beginner and have become addicted to making these! Thanks so much for sharing
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