Among the fastest ways to upgrade your mattress or couch is to swap pillow covers. Store-bought pillow covers can be costly, but you can experiment with colours and try unusual patterns by purchasing the fabric and sewing yourself. I’m nowhere near an expert sewer, but that I do have basic knowledge of how to operate a sewing machine and that I create pillow covers all of the time. Let me show you how you can quickly earn a pillow cover.
The finished product: a simple square pillow cover. When you get the hang of it, you can expirement with different shapes also.
Natalie Myers
First, pick your fabric. An upholstery-weight fabric is a fantastic start because the fabric won’t slip and slide. If you are just beginning, geometric patterns like lines, grids, tests or plaid are a fantastic option because the patterns function as built-in guides to help you sew a straight line.
Natalie Myers
Cut out front. Depending upon your fit size, cut on the front of the pillow cover at least an inch larger all around. If you are utilizing a 16-inch square fit, a half-yard of fabric will get the job done. Upholstery fabric usually comes from 54-inch widths, so a half lawn will give you three 18-inch squares.
Natalie Myers
Cut the 2 flaps that will form the back. For the back of the cover, I produce two flaps, one overlapping the other, as a natural closure. No zipper, no buttons. Each flap needs to be larger than half the size of the front, so there’s plenty of overlap. If you are working with a 16-inch square insert, then cut each flap 18 inches by 12 inches.
Natalie Myers
Hem just one end of the back flaps. Fold over the rough edge of each flap and pin it down. For best results, you are able to iron it before sewing for a stiff edge.
Natalie Myers
Sew each advantage.
Natalie Myers
Now for the fun part.
Lay down your bits, right-sides together. Start by putting the front piece with its pattern facing upward.
Put one back flap face down on top of front piece. Make sure that the outer borders of each side match up and the hemmed edge is toward the middle.
Natalie Myers
Put the next flap on top of the first flap with its hemmed border also toward the middle.
Natalie Myers
Pin all round the square, ensuring the fabric lies flat.
Natalie Myers
Now you can carefully sew all around the square.
Natalie Myers
That’s it; you’re done. Twist the cover inside out to show a sharp square ready to be stuffed with your pillow fit. I’m showing you that the back side so that you can see how the overlapping flaps turn out.
Natalie Myers
Proudly display your new pillow. When someone asks you where you bought it, you can say you made it yourself in about 40 minutes.
Next: More great DIY projects
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