Hey everyone! Today we're making a sweet holiday pillowcase, and you'll learn the simple burrito method for clean, enclosed seams.
Here we go.
Meet the Fabric
This is the 12 Days of Christmas Star Stripe Pink cotton, from Quilting Treasures.
It comes from the 12 Days of Christmas collection by Julie Lynch for QT Fabrics. The fabric is 100% cotton. It measures 44/45 inches wide.
The collection features holiday characters, elegant birds, florals, and ornaments. Stripes and stars round it out. The colors feel rich and happy — teal, jade, and joyful red, with charcoal, gray, soft aqua, and touches of lime green.
This print is the star stripe in the pink colorway. That pink brings a soft, sweet feel, and the stars bring the sparkle. Oh my goodness, it is really really pretty on a bed. It presses well and sews clean, too. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
The Project: A Sweet Holiday Pillowcase
Our project is a standard pillowcase, finishing about 20 inches wide by 30 inches long. That fits a standard bed pillow nicely, for a guest bed, a kid's room, or your own bed.
Here's why this fabric suits it. The stripe gives you a built-in line to cut and sew by. The stars show up big and clear on the front. And that pink feels festive, but still soft and sleepy.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. One main panel, one cuff, and one little accent strip. Roll it up like a burrito, sew two seams, and pull it right side out. Just like that, you have a fast finish to gift or keep.
Materials
- 1 yard of 12 Days of Christmas Star Stripe Pink cotton, 44/45 inches wide, for the main body
- 1/3 yard of a coordinating solid or small print cotton for the cuff
- 1/8 yard of coordinating cotton for the accent strip
- Matching thread, 50-weight for piecing and seaming
- A size 80/12 universal needle
- Rotary cutter, long ruler, cutting mat, pins or clips, and an iron
Brief Steps
Step 1: Cut everything straight. Press your fabric first. Line your ruler up with a stripe edge, not the raw cut edge. From the star stripe fabric, cut the main panel 27 inches by 42 inches, with the stripes running the long way. From the cuff fabric, cut one piece 9 inches by 42 inches. Cut the accent strip 2 inches by 42 inches and press it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
Step 2: Roll the burrito. Lay the cuff piece right side up. Lay the accent strip along the top raw edge. Lay the main panel right side down on top, lining up all the top edges, and pin. Roll the main panel up toward the top. Fold the bottom edge of the cuff up and over the roll to meet the top edges, then pin again. Sew across the top with a quarter-inch seam, about 10 stitches per inch. Go slow here. A thick roll can shift if you rush it.
Step 3: Turn and press. Reach inside and gently pull the rolled panel out. You will see the cuff and accent are now sewn cleanly. No raw edges show. Press the cuff flat and press the accent strip down. Add a little topstitch along the accent if you like. Completely up to you.
Step 4: Finish with a French seam. Fold the pillowcase wrong sides together, lining up the stripes at the side. Sew the side and bottom with a scant quarter-inch seam. Trim to about an eighth of an inch. Turn it wrong side out, press, and sew again with a three-eighths-inch seam. That encloses the raw edges. Turn it right side out, press, and slip in your pillow. Super duper cute.
Practical Tips From My Sewing Room
First tip: let the stripe do the measuring. Check your ruler against the printed line before every cut. If the stripe starts crooked, every seam will tell on you later.
Second: prewash if you can. Cotton can shrink a little, and washing first helps the fit.
Third: press, don't push. Dragging the iron can stretch that cuff edge just enough to wave.
And remember, it doesn't have to be perfect. A cuff that is a tiny bit wavy will still look sweet on a bed. You're your own worst critic. Take your time, it's not a race. If a seam goes on crooked, take it out, press, and sew again. We've all done it, y'all.
Make one for the bed, then make a second to gift. These stack up fast, and folks really love them. Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 12 Days of Christmas Star Stripe Pink Cotton Fabric 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
