Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to sew a warm pair of pillow covers that refresh a whole room in an afternoon.
Here we go.
First, let's talk about the fabric. This one is Dear Stella Crimp Bronze.
It is a quilting cotton from Dear Stella. The fiber is 100% cotton, sold by the yard.
The width of fabric is 44"/45". The collection is Crimp, and the color is Bronze.
Bronze here is warm and rich. Not too bright. Not too dark.
What makes Crimp special is the texture. It has a fine crinkle texture, so it reads as a near-solid.
The product notes call it a versatile blender. It works for backgrounds, borders, and binding.
Today, I am using it all on its own. I want that warm bronze to be the whole story.
The project: a pair of pillow covers
A pillow cover is a removable fabric cover for a pillow form. Ours are simple envelope-back covers.
Each one finishes at 18 inches square. That fits a standard 18-inch pillow form nice and snug.
There are no zippers in this version. The back panels overlap, so the form slides right in.
This fabric suits the project really well. A pillow front is one big, flat panel. That near-solid bronze shows off beautifully.
The crinkle texture adds interest without a busy print. You can set these on a sofa with printed quilts and they still play nice.
Quilting cotton presses well and sews clean. It holds a crisp edge, but stays soft enough to lean on.
Make both covers in Bronze for a matched pair. That is my preference. Or mix the backs. Completely up to you.
Materials
- 1 1/4 yards of Dear Stella Crimp Bronze Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard for two covers
- Two 18-inch pillow forms
- 50-weight cotton thread to match, for construction and topstitching
- Size 80/12 needle for this quilting cotton
- Rotary cutter, mat, ruler, pins or clips, iron, and your sewing machine
Brief steps
First, press your fabric lightly. Do not press all the life out of that crinkle. A gentle press to remove fold lines is plenty.
For each cover, cut one front at 19 inches square. That gives you a 1/2-inch seam allowance all around.
Then cut two back panels. Cut each one 19 inches wide by 13 inches tall.
Hem one long edge on each back panel. Fold that edge over 1/2 inch twice, press, and stitch it down. Use a stitch length of about 3.0 mm, roughly 8 to 9 stitches per inch.
Lay your front right side up. Lay the two back panels on top, right sides down.
Line up the outer edges. The hemmed edges should overlap about 6 inches in the middle.
Pin or clip all the way around. That overlap is your opening, so do not sew it shut yet.
Sew around all four sides with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Backstitch at each corner to lock it in.
Clip the corners at an angle. Be careful here. Slow down and do not clip into your stitches.
Turn the cover right side out through the envelope opening. Push those corners out gently with a blunt tool.
Press the edges flat. Then slide your 18-inch form inside. Fluff it, shake it, and set it in place. Just like that, one is done.
Repeat the same steps for the second cover. Alrighty, you have a pair.
Practical tips
Measure your forms before you cut. If a form looks flat, keep the cover at 18 inches finished. That snug fit makes it look plump.
Check your overlap before you sew. If the back gapes open, add an extra inch to one back panel next time. Easy fix.
Topstitch if you like a finished look, about 1/4 inch in from the edge. Or skip it for a softer cover. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
I once sewed an envelope back with no overlap at all. The form kept peeking out like it was escaping. I laughed, added a wider panel, and fixed it in ten minutes. Mistakes happen. We just fix them and keep going.
And please hear this part. It does not have to be perfect. You're your own worst critic. If a seam wobbles a little, nobody on your sofa will notice.
Take your time, it's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
These covers are super duper easy to swap with the seasons. Oh my goodness, that bronze really really warms up a room.
Thanks for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Dear Stella Crimp Bronze Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
