Easy Pillowcase Tutorial

                                          Pillowcase Tutorial

  For every holiday or special occasion I make my wee ones a pillowcase that matches the theme of that holiday or special occasion.  I will also, most times, make them matching pajama bottoms.  It has become a bit of a tradition for us and my children always look forward to receiving them.  Making the pillowcase is  very fast and incredibly simple!  With Valentine's Day only a  day away I need to get my rear in gear and start sewing so as to not disappoint the little buggers.  And while I am at it, I thought I would post my first tutorial.  So Peggy, if you are reading this post, this tutorial is for you!!  

   This is just for a very basic standard size pillowcase.  I will later post tutorials on how to make them more frilly and what not using different types of trims. Enjoy!

What you will need:

3/4 yard fabric for pillowcase body cut into a piece that is 27" x width of the fabric
11" x width of the fabric for the cuff edge

Basic Supplies:

thread
scissors/rotary cutter
cutting matt
pins

You will first want to wash and iron your fabric before cutting and sewing.  Once finished ironing, locate your camera that has been taken hostage by a 4-year old photographing herself.  Retrieve your camera once a deal has been made with the 4-year old.  (Usually anything containing sugar will win this particular 4-year old over.)

                          Cut your fabrics to the dimensions below:

                          pillowcase body= 27" x width of the fabric

                                 cuff = 11" x width of the fabric

pillowcase body is the pink fabric with skunks
the cuff is the squiggly print fabric

Place the cuff fabric right side up with the raw edges at the top and bottom and the selvages at the sides.

Then place the pillowcase body fabric right side down on top of the cuff fabric, lining up the top raw edges and pin in place. 

You may find that your selvage sides do not match up, therefore, go ahead and trim the selvage edges to the same width.

                              Now you will  begin rolling the pillowcase body fabric
                        until you reach the bottom edge of your cuff fabric.

Roll until you are able to grab the cuff fabric. 

Then pick up the cuff fabric and  bring the cuff fabric up to the raw edges that have been pinned.

You will now remove the pins and re-pin so that all the fabric is lined up and pinned together again.  This will create a tube.

The cuff fabric will now be on the outside of the fabric wrong side out and the top of the cuff, top of the pillowcase body and bottom of the cuff will now be pinned together.  The pillowcase body will be rolled up inside the tube that you have created.

                 Now sew along the pinned edge using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Then search for my tiny scissors that I prefer to cut threads with.  Pesky   4-year old had decided to play hide and seek with them earlier that afternoon and I am now unable to locate them. Because it is very late at night and the  4-year old is now sleeping ever so peacefully, I opt to let her sleep rather than wake her, demanding to know where she has hidden them.  Grrrr.....proceed with a crummy, dull scissors until tomorrow when, hopefully, favored tiny scissors will be found!!

(I then went back and did a zig zag stitch along the same edge.  You may or may not choose to.  Completely up to you.)

 

Once edge has been sewn, reach inside the tube and turn fabric right side out.

The seam allowances have now been magically hidden inside the

cuff!  Amazing isn't it?  I was in complete awe the first time I ever

did this.

 

Press the pillowcase flat. 

I then did a topstitch along the cuff (bottom of the cuff where the pillowcase

body and cuff meet and also along the top edge of the cuff.  Again, entirely up to you if choose to do this.  I

like how it looks and it  helps keep the hidden seam from

bulking up after multiple washings and drying.  I am not into

having to iron my linens after washing and drying and this seams to help

prevent the unwanted ironing chore).

                                    If you like, iron again to set the topstitching.   Fold the pillowcase right sides together and pin.  Sew the bottom and the side edge followed by doing a zig zag finish along the edges.

           Turn your pillowcase right side out, push out the corners  and give it a final press. 
                             
          Now marvel at your creation!!

You can have these made in well under a 1/2 hour from start to finish.

I also like to make toddler/travel size pillowcase.  Follow
the steps above only using the following dimensions below:

Toddler/Travel Pillow
8.25" x 24.25" for cuff
14.25" x 24.25" for pillowcase body

Happy Valentine's Day!

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