Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to sew a neat burrito-style pillowcase.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric first
This fabric is Blue Henri, from Cloud9 Fabrics.
It comes from the Birds and Branches collection. Kirsten Sevig is the designer.
It is a quilting cotton. It measures 44"/45" wide. It is sold by the yard.
The tags on this one also list it as organic cotton. It carries cream and ivory tones alongside the blue.
Now, a pillowcase shows off a print honestly, y'all. You get one big, smooth piece of fabric. No tiny cuts. No busy seams chopping the design apart.
Birds and branches need that room. The print can spread out across the pillow. It reads like a little scene right there on the bed.
Quilting cotton suits this project, too. It presses crisp and sews smooth.
The project: a burrito-style pillowcase
We are not reinventing the wheel here. This is the classic roll-up pillowcase.
Some folks call it the burrito method. You roll the body up inside the cuff. You sew one seam. Then you pull the whole thing right side out.
Just like that, every raw edge hides inside the cuff. No serger needed. No raw edges showing anywhere.
Finished, this case fits a standard pillow. It measures about 20 by 30 inches.
Why does this fabric suit it? One fabric does the whole job here. Body and cuff both come from a single yard. The print carries the front, the back, and the cuff.
Materials list
- 1 yard of Blue Henri Birds and Branches Cotton, 44"/45" wide, for the body and cuff — or use 3/4 yard of this fabric for the body plus a 1/4 yard coordinating fabric for the cuff, completely up to you
- All-purpose thread that blends with the fabric
- A size 80/12 needle for the quilting cotton
- Pins or clips
- A rotary cutter, a ruler, and a mat
- An iron and a pressing surface
Here is the cutting math. Trim off the selvedges first. Then cut the body piece 27 inches long by about 41 inches across the width. Cut the cuff piece 9 inches long by the same 41 inches across. That uses your full yard, with nothing wasted.
Brief steps to make it
Step one. Press your fabric well. Square up the edges before you cut. A crooked start makes a crooked case.
Step two. Lay the cuff piece right side up, long edge along the top. Lay the body piece on top of it, right side down. Line up those top edges and pin.
Step three. Roll the body up toward the top, like a burrito filling. Stop a few inches below the pinned edge.
Step four. Fold the bottom edge of the cuff up and over the roll. Pin it to the same top edge. Now your roll sits tucked inside that cuff tube.
Step five. Sew that pinned edge with a 1/4 inch seam. Go steady. I use a stitch length of about 2.5 here. Slow down if the layers feel thick under your fingers.
Step six. Reach inside the cuff tube. Grab the rolled body. Pull it gently right side out. Oh my goodness, that moment never gets old. Press the cuff flat.
Step seven. Fold the case right sides together and sew the side and bottom seams. I like a French seam here: sew wrong sides together at 1/4 inch, trim, turn, press, then sew again at 3/8 inch. Every raw edge ends up tucked away clean.
Turn it right side out. Press it once more. Slide your pillow in.
Practical tips from my sewing room
One warning, friends. Prewash this case fabric if you plan to wash it later. Cotton can shrink a touch. Better it shrinks before you sew, not after.
I once sewed a cuff on twisted, just one little twist. I did not catch it until the pull-out. Learn from me, y'all. Check the roll before that long seam, not after.
Pressing is your friend here. Press the cuff before you sew the side seams. A crisp cuff makes the whole case look store-bought.
That is your permission beat, folks. It does not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic. If one seam wanders a little, nobody sees it once the pillow is on the bed. Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. One yard, one long seam, and a little roll-up magic. Super duper easy, and really really useful.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Blue Henri Birds and Branches Cotton 44”/45” Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
