Pillow Cases

Pillow Cases are a great gift, they are fun to make and you can make them for yourself, a gift for a cousin, niece or nephew, or your little girls dolly.  They only limit is your imagination. 

I have just recently started teaching a young neighbor friend, and she decided to make one for her cousin's birthday.  She made a Standard Pillow case and mine is a "baby-doll" size.  I measured the doll crib to help me get my measurements.  I knew I wanted to make the finished pillow case 14" X 9" - I had to do a little math to get all the dimensions just right, but it was a fun project to do.  

What you will need is:

Fabric for the body (I like to use a cotton/polyester blend- it has minimal shrinkage and after washings it doesn't need ironing as much.)

Contrasting color of fabric for the hem

Thread

Scissors or Pinking shears or cutting blade

Straight Pins

Sewing Machine

NOTE:(*fabric usually comes approximately 42"to 45" wide when you are buy it off the bolt from the fabric store, so if the fabric measures 42-45 inches these are the right measurement to follow.  If the measurements are different you will need to make appropriate adjustments.)

The measurements for the different size pillow cases are:

Baby Doll:       Body: 10" x 11"  (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 8" x 10" (cut 2)

                        Finished: 9" x  14"

Fabric needed for 1 Pillow Case:

                        12 x 12 inches of fabric (for the body)

                        9 x12inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

Standard:        Body: 22" x 28"  (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 9" x 22" (cut 2)

                        Finished: 21" x 32"

Fabric needed for 1 Pillow Case:

                        30 inches of fabric (for the body)

                        10 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

For A pair of Standard Cases

                        60 inches of fabric (for the body)

                        20 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

Queen:            Body: 22" x 32" (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 9" x 22" (cut 2)

                        Finished: 21" x 36"

Fabric needed for 1 Pillow Queen Sized Case:

                        1 Yard of fabric (for the body)

                        10 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

For A pair of Queen Sized Cases

                        2 Yards of fabric (for the body)

                        20 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

  

King: :             Body: 22" x 38"  (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 9" x 22"  (cut 2)

                        Finished:  21" x 42" 

Fabric needed for 1 King Sized Pillow Case:

                        1 Yard of fabric (for the body)

                        10 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

For A pair of King Sized Cases

                        2 Yards of fabric (for the body)

                        20 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

After you purchase you fabric it is important to pre-wash your fabric.

Wash it on a normal setting and dry it on a medium to low setting.

Iron it gently- DO NOT STRETCH OR PULL your fabric

  

Square up you fabric and cut to the appropriate measurements.

Follow the measurements for the body and the hem.

Fold your HEM fabric in half and press. 

It now should measure 4 1/2 inches x 22 for the standard, queen, and king sizes 

 and  4 x 10" for the dolly size.

Take the ironed hem fabric and the body fabric, with right sides together line up and pin,

 (line up the raw edges of the hem to the edge of the shortest side of the body fabric).

Set your needle position to the center of the presser foot, measure 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Straight stitch - be sure to back stitch at the beginning and at the end of your seam.

After you have finished your straight stitch set your stitching  for a zig zag and place your presser foot to the edge of your fabric, zig zag along each edge of your pillow case.

Press your seem  toward the body of the pillow case.

Repet these steps with your other "body and hem" fabrics.
   

Now you should have two halves that look the same. (front and back)

Match up the two halves, place right sides together,

pin and sew a straight stitch all the way around the case

Trim corners
Turn Right sides out and press.

I like to use a double needle to "TOP stitch" around the hem,
but you can use a single needle and straight stitch over it twice.
this puts a nice finishe look on it, but also helps the hem to stay flat after washings

You are finished!  Turn it right side out and Press.
Put your pillow inside and ...

TA-DA!!! you have finished another wonderful project!

HAPPY SEWING!