Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to sew a fresh pair of envelope pillow covers in one afternoon.
Here we go. The fabric is Bright Green Sweet Pickle Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard. It is a cotton fabric from Poppie Cotton. It comes from the Country Confetti collection.
The width is 44"/45". That width is handy for pillows. You can cut two fronts side by side from one width. Just like that, you waste very little.
The color is right there in the name. Bright green Sweet Pickle. It is fresh and cheerful. It wakes up a couch fast, folks.
I like quilting cotton for covers like this. It presses clean. It cuts clean. It sews smooth. And when a cover needs washing, you can slip it right off.
The project: a pair of envelope pillow covers
We are making two covers for 18-inch square pillow inserts. Each finished cover is about 18 inches by 18 inches. The back closes with a simple overlap. No zipper needed.
Why does this fabric suit it? A pillow front is one big, flat panel. That bright green gets to be the whole show. You do not need piecing or fancy blocks to make it pretty.
You have options here. Make both covers in this green, like mine. Or make one green and one from a print you already love. My preference is the matching pair. It looks calm and tidy. Completely up to you, though. And if I can do this, y'all can do it.
Materials list
- 1 yard of Bright Green Sweet Pickle Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard
- Two 18-inch square pillow inserts
- All-purpose quilting thread in a matching color
- A size 80/12 needle for regular quilting cotton
- A rotary cutter, ruler, and mat
- Pins or clips, and a good iron
Those are honest numbers. One yard gives you two fronts and all four back panels, with small scraps left over.
Brief steps
Step one, press your fabric well. Square up the edge first. Take your time. A crooked first cut makes every panel crooked.
Step two, cut two front panels, each 19 inches wide by 19 inches tall. That includes a 1/2-inch seam allowance all around. Then cut four back panels, each 19 inches wide by 13 inches tall.
Step three, hem the back panels. On one long 19-inch edge of each panel, fold under 1/4 inch and press. Fold under another 1/4 inch and press again. Stitch that hem close to the fold. I aim for about 8 to 10 stitches per inch.
Step four, lay one front panel right side up. Place two back panels right side down on top of it. Put their hemmed edges in the middle so they overlap by about 4 inches. Line up all the outside edges and pin well.
Step five, sew all the way around with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Backstitch at the start and the end. Clip the corners at a angle, but do not clip into your stitching. That helps the corners turn out neat.
Step six, turn the cover right side out through the overlap. Push the corners out gently with a chopstick or a point turner. Press the edges flat. Then repeat for the second cover, slip in your inserts, and fluff. Just like that, you are done.
Practical tips from my table
Here is a warning at the right moment. Slow down where the back panels overlap. That spot has extra layers of hem. Slow down there, or the needle can snap.
Want a plumper pillow? Try a 20-inch insert in an 18-inch cover. It fills the corners really really well. Want it softer? Stay with the 18-inch insert. We're not reinventing the wheel here. Both ways work.
Here is a mistake I have made. I once hemmed the wrong long edge on a back panel. Oh my goodness, the overlap faced the wrong way. The fix was simple. I took out that one hem, turned the panel around, and sewed it again. Check the overlap before you sew around the outside.
And here is the permission beat. These covers do not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic. If one corner is a tiny bit soft, nobody on your couch will ever know. Take your time. It is not a race.
Press the finished covers really well at the end. A crisp edge makes the whole pillow look finished. Super duper cute, and super duper easy to change with the seasons.
Alrighty. Fluff those pillows and set them out where you can enjoy them.
Thank y'all for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Bright Green Sweet Pickle Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
