Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to sew two classic Christmas pillow covers from one stripe print.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric first
We're working with Adorn Classic Stripe Cream. It comes from the Adorn Collection. Makower UK designed it for Andover Fabrics.
This is 100% premium cotton. It is 44 to 45 inches wide. It is sold by the yard.
This colorway is the cream one. Cream is soft and warm, like candlelight. Think rich green, cream, red, and burgundy for the collection colors.
Look closely at the print. You get beautiful poinsettias and holly leaves. You get delicate blooms and sparkling snowflakes. You get classic ornaments and graceful scrolls. Then metallic gold accents run through it all.
And it is a stripe. Stripes bring order to a busy holiday print. We are not reinventing the wheel here. We let that stripe do the design work.
Why this fabric suits pillow covers
Pillow covers are simple fabric envelopes. One front piece, two overlapping back pieces, and a pillow form tucked inside. No zipper needed for this version.
This fabric suits them so well. The stripe looks tailored on a square front. The cream ground brightens a sofa or guest bed. And cotton holds a crisp pressed edge, which makes covers look really really neat.
Best part? Covers come off for washing and storage. Super duper easy, and super duper cute on a bench, too.
Materials list
- 1 1/2 yards of Adorn Classic Stripe Cream, 44/45 inches wide
- 2 pillow forms, 18 inches by 18 inches
- 50-weight cotton thread to match the cream ground
- An 80/12 needle for sewing
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and an iron
- Optional: light fusible interfacing, if you want a firmer front
Finished covers are about 18 inches square. That fits an 18-inch form nice and plump. Want 16-inch covers instead? Cut everything 2 inches smaller. Completely up to you.
Brief steps
Step 1: Press and plan your stripes. Press the fabric flat. Decide which way the stripes will run. My preference is vertical on the front. Mark that direction with a pin before you cut.
Step 2: Cut the fronts. For each cover, cut one front at 19 inches by 19 inches. Keep the stripe centered the same way on both. Matching direction makes the pair look like a set.
Step 3: Cut and hem the backs. For each cover, cut two back pieces at 19 inches by 13 inches. On one long edge of each piece, fold under 1/4 inch, press, then fold 1/4 inch again. Stitch that hem at about 10 to 12 stitches per inch.
Step 4: Layer the cover. Lay the front right side up. Lay both back pieces right side down on top. Their hemmed edges should overlap about 6 inches in the middle. Pin or clip all the way around.
Step 5: Sew it together. Sew around all four sides with a 1/2-inch seam. Backstitch at the start and finish. Slow down at the corners and pivot with the needle down. Rush a corner and it can pucker, every time.
Step 6: Finish the corners. Clip each corner at an angle. Do not clip through your stitching. That little clip helps the corner turn out sharp and clean.
Step 7: Turn and press. Turn each cover right side out through the back overlap. Push the corners out gently with a blunt point. Press the edges flat all the way around.
Step 8: Add the forms. Roll each pillow form slightly, tuck it in, then fluff the corners into place. Smooth the front with your hand. Just like that, you have a matched pair.
I will be honest with y'all. My first pair had stripes running two different ways. Oh my goodness, they looked like cousins, not twins. The fix was simple. I turned one cover a quarter turn, and the stripes lined up again.
Practical tips from my sewing room
Cut both fronts before you cut anything else. That way the stripe placement matches across the pair. Leftover fabric is perfect for the back pieces.
Press every hem before you sew it. A pressed hem stitches straighter, every time.
Check stripe direction one last time before Step 5. After that seam, changing your mind means seam-ripping.
Take your time, it's not a race. If a stripe sits a hair off center, it is still handmade. It does not have to be perfect. You're your own worst critic, I promise you that. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thanks for sewing along with me. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Adorn Classic Stripe Cream 44"/45" Cotton Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
