Hey everyone. Today we're making fresh pillow covers that let one bold, garden-inspired print do all the pretty work.
The fabric first
Our star today is Bloomful Starburst Glory, from the Flourish and Bloom collection for Free Spirit Fabrics.
It's a cotton fabric, 44/45 inches wide, sold by the yard. The tags on this one say floral, geometry, and plants, and y'all, that is exactly the mix here.
Flourish and Bloom celebrates gardens. Their ability to thrive, transform, and burst into life.
The designer works through a signature "Clay to Cloth" process. She draws and imprints motifs into soft clay. Then she layers it with tinted slips and glazes.
That foundation becomes the textile. So a starburst on this fabric is not just a shape. It carries that handmade, garden-grown feeling with it.
I love that for a pillow cover. A pillow front is one big, flat square. Nothing hides. A starburst gets to open up and be the whole show, front and center.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. One great print, one simple cover, and a room feels new. Just like that.
The project: envelope-back pillow covers
We're making covers for 18-inch square pillow forms. Finished size is about 18 inches by 18 inches.
That's a real, useful size. Big enough for a sofa. Easy enough for a bed or a reading chair.
Why does this fabric suit it? First, quilting cotton is smooth and presses crisp. Second, an envelope back means no zipper to fight. Third, the covers come off for washing, which matters at my house.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Two covers are a relaxed afternoon project, not a big commitment.
What you'll need
- 1 1/2 yards of Bloomful Starburst Glory Flourish and Bloom cotton — enough for two 18-inch covers with a little room to center your starbursts
- Two 18-inch square pillow forms
- All-purpose thread to match your fabric
- Rotary cutter, mat, and a clear ruler
- Pins or clips, an iron, and a fabric marking tool
- Your sewing machine — a size 80/12 universal needle and a regular presser foot are just right here
Brief steps
1. Cut for each cover. Press your fabric first. Cut one front square, 18 1/2 inches by 18 1/2 inches. Then cut two back rectangles, each 18 1/2 inches wide by 13 inches tall. Lay a starburst where you want it before you cut. Fussy cutting is completely up to you, but take the extra minute — slow down here and the front will thank you.
2. Hem the back panels. On one long edge of each back piece, fold under 1/4 inch and press. Fold under another 1/4 inch and press again. Topstitch that hem at about 8 to 9 stitches per inch, so roughly a 3.0 stitch length. Do the same for the second back piece.
3. Layer it up. Lay the front right side up. Place the two back pieces right side down on top, hemmed edges overlapping in the middle by about 4 inches. That overlap is your envelope opening. Pin or clip all the way around.
4. Sew and turn. Sew all four sides with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Backstitch at the start and finish. Clip the corners on the diagonal, just outside the stitching — careful here, get too close and the corner pokes through later. Turn the cover right side out through the envelope opening. Push the corners out gently with a chopstick, not scissors.
5. Press and stuff. Press the edges flat and roll the seams between your fingers as you go. Slip in the 18-inch form, fluff the corners into place, and smooth the back overlap flat. Done. Repeat for cover number two.
Practical tips from my table to yours
Want a snug, store-bought fit? Sew the front at a full 18 inches square instead of 18 1/2. A slightly smaller cover fills out a soft form beautifully. Want it relaxed? Keep the half inch. Options, not verdicts, folks.
Match your two covers as a pair if you like, or let each starburst land somewhere different. I prefer them close cousins, not identical twins. Completely up to you.
And here's your permission beat, because I mean it. It does not have to be perfect. A hem that's a hair wavy still works just fine. You're your own worst critic here. Everyone else sees really really pretty new pillows. Take your time. It's not a race.
Alrighty, that's our pillow covers. Thanks so much for sewing along with me, friends. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Bloomful Starburst Glory Flourish And Bloom 44"/45" Cotton Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
