How to Make Pillow Cases

How to Make Pillow Cases

I love to have lots of pillows, all shapes, sizes, colors…I love having the ability to change out the covers often as well. This tutorial will give you instructions on how to make pillow cases and pillows, I hope you enjoy it and find it useful.

To start you’ll need:

  • newspaper or other paper to create your pattern pieces
  • standard pillow case to trace (if desired)
  • pen/pencil/marker for tracing
  • tape, to tape pattern pieces together as needed

There are a couple options you can use, when creating a standard pillow case, you can make a pattern piece or simply cut around an existing case- use your preferred method. When making shaped cases, I highly recommend creating a pattern.

Fold the pillow case in half and place onto your paper, leaving between 1/4 and 1/2 inch for a seam allowance. I also included 1/2 the length of the pillow case cuff to the pattern piece, this will allow me to make cases, without having to create an additional cuff. You can also remove this piece from the pattern and use it as the cuff pattern piece (just cut on the fold)

Here I have cut fabric for two toddler sized pillow cases. I’ve included several pictures so you have a good idea of how these go together.

Start by placing fabric right sides together, serge or sew one long side, the bottom and up the opposite long side. Once finished, turn the fabric right side out.

 

Now, take the cuff, fold it right sides together and serge/sew the short side only

Take the cuff piece and fold it in half, revealing the right side of the fabric. Try to make sure the seam faces the same direction on both ends- this will ensure there is no “bump” inside the cuff.

You now have the two pieces needed to complete your pillow case, both with right sides showing. Take the cuff piece and slide it over the body, line up the raw edges.

Try to line up the seamed edge of the cuff, with one side of the body, this will give you a neater look once the pillow case is complete. Serge/sew the cuff to the body.

Once you’re done, flip the cuff up. You can top stitch the seam down, if you’d like, but it’s not necessary.

Your cases are now complete!

If you would like to make a pillow as well- simply follow all the instructions above, leaving a small opening in one end, then hand sew the opening. If you’d like to make a pillow to stuff your hand made pillowcase, make a casing about 2 inches smaller than your case, stuff, sew and insert into case.

If you have any questions, please feel free to post below!

Also check out our How to Make Boppy Cover Pattern and How to Make Pillow Shams tutorials!

Thanks to Shannyn of SimplyShan for this How to Make Pillow Cases tutorial

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Topic: How to Make Pillow Cases