Hey everyone. Today we're making a pair of pillow covers, so this marbled blue-green batik can freshen your whole couch.
Here we go. The star is the Essence Grunge Texture-Multi Blue Green Marbles Batik from Lumin Fabrics. It is 100% cotton batik. It runs 44"/45" wide. It comes per yard, in the Essence collection.
The pattern is Grunge Texture. Soft, mottled, and marbled. No hard lines anywhere. The color is Multi Blue Green Marbles. Blues and greens swirl together. Deep in one spot, lighter in the next. Like water over smooth stones.
For pillow covers, that matters, y'all. A pillow sits right at eye level. You see every bit of that color play. And because the texture is all-over, no motif gets cut off.
The project: a pair of 18" pillow covers
We are making two pillow covers. Each one finishes 18" by 18". That is a classic throw pillow size. It fits a standard 18" pillow form. Two of them dress up a couch, a bench, or a bed.
Why this fabric suits it? Pillow fronts are one big, flat square. There is nowhere for a pretty fabric to hide. So let the fabric do the work. The marbled blues and greens carry the whole front. No piecing chops them up. No seams break the swirl.
And batik cotton is a smart pick here. It presses crisp. It holds a nice edge. Just like that, a simple square looks finished. Want zipper backs instead of envelope backs? Completely up to you.
Materials list
- 1 1/4 yards of Essence Grunge Texture-Multi Blue Green Marbles Batik, enough for both fronts and all the envelope back panels
- Two 18" pillow forms, or two tired pillows ready for a new cover
- 50-weight thread in a soft blue, green, or neutral for seams and topstitching
- An 80/12 needle, rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and an iron
Brief steps
First, press your fabric well. Give it a good steam press. Then cut your pieces. For each cover, cut one front at 19" by 19". Cut two back panels at 19" by 13". That extra 1" on the front is your seam allowance. The back panels will overlap to make the envelope.
Second, hem the back panels. On one long 19" edge of each panel, fold under 1/4", then 1/4" again. Press it flat. Stitch it down close to the fold. Use a 2.5 stitch length. That hemmed edge is the one you will see and touch, so take your time.
Third, layer one cover. Front piece face up first. Lay the two back panels face down on top. Hemmed edges overlap about 4" in the middle. Raw edges line up all around. Pin or clip well. That overlap is your opening, so no zipper needed.
Fourth, sew and turn. Stitch all the way around with a 1/2" seam. Backstitch at the corners. Slow down right there, folks. Rush a corner and your seam can wander. Trim the corners at an angle, close but not through the stitching. Turn the cover right side out. Push the corners out gently with a blunt point. Press it flat.
Slide in your pillow form. Repeat for the second cover. Just like that, you have a pair.
My honest tips
Cut both fronts before you cut anything else. The marbling shifts along the yardage. Cutting the fronts first lets you pick the prettiest swirls for the faces that show. Save the quieter stretches for the backs. Nobody sees those, and the color still matches.
Press every step. I know, I know. Pressing feels slow. But batik rewards it, really really well. Crisp hems and flat seams make these covers look store-bought. Skip the pressing and they look homemade in the wrong way.
I have sewn an envelope back shut before. Oh my goodness, yes. No opening at all. The fix was easy. Unpick one side seam, flip a panel, and sew it again. Ten minutes. Nobody ever knew.
And here is your permission beat. Your seams do not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic here. Push the pillow into the couch, step back, and look again. From across the room, they read fresh, cool, and calm. That is what your family will see.
It does not have to be perfect. It just has to get used and loved. Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. One pretty batik, two simple squares, an envelope back. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Thanks for sewing along with me today, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Essence Grunge Texture-Multi Blue Green Marbles Batik 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
