Hey everyone! Today we're making a reversible duvet cover, and you're going to learn how one wide piece of black cotton can refresh a whole bedroom.
Here we go. The fabric we're spotlighting is the Black Kona Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard, from Robert Kaufman Fabrics. Just like the name says, this is a cotton wideback, and it measures 108 inches wide. That width matters a whole lot here, folks. A duvet cover needs big panels. With regular width fabric, you'd be piecing and joining panels together. With 108 inches, one cut spans the bed. No center seam. No patchwork line showing through.
The color is a rich, solid black. Simple, sophisticated, and easy to live with. Because it's a solid, there's no print direction to match at the seams. The product notes call out its comfortable feel and durability, and that's exactly what you want for bedding that gets used and washed often.
Why a Reversible Duvet Cover Suits This Fabric
A duvet cover is basically a big fabric envelope for your insert. It protects the insert, and it changes the look of the bed without buying new bedding. Making it reversible means both sides are finished to be seen. Flip it over, and you get a fresh face on the bed.
A solid black fabric is perfect for that. Both sides look intentional. The wideback also means each panel comes off the bolt in one clean piece, so the cover drapes smooth and flat. Super duper practical, really really sharp looking.
We're sizing this for a queen insert at about 88 by 92 inches. Measure your own insert first, y'all — inserts vary.
Materials
- Black Kona Cotton Wideback Fabric — 5 1/2 yards total for a queen cover (the 108-inch width gives you both panels; see cutting notes below)
- Duvet insert — queen, about 88 x 92 inches, or your own size
- Closure — 6 to 8 buttons, hidden snaps, or a long zipper for the bottom edge
- Twill tape or ribbon — about 2 yards, cut into 8 short ties for the inside corners and sides
- Thread — good all-purpose sewing thread in black
- Size 90/14 universal or quilting needle, pins, a ruler, and a rotary cutter or shears
Brief Steps
1. Measure and cut. Measure your insert's width and length. Add 2 inches to each for seam allowance and a little ease. For an 88 x 92 inch insert, cut two panels at 90 x 94 inches. Lay the 108-inch width across, mark carefully, and trim. Take your time — a long, straight cut is the whole job here.
2. Add the inner ties. Sew a short tape tie at each inside corner of both panels, plus one at the middle of each long side. These grip the insert's corners so it stays put.
3. Sew the envelope. Place panels right sides together. Pin the top and both long sides. Sew with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, around 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Backstitch at the start and end, and tie off neatly. Leave the bottom edge open.
4. Finish the opening. Hem both bottom edges with a simple folded hem. Then add your buttons and buttonholes, snaps, or zipper, spaced evenly, about every 10 to 12 inches. Slow down on the buttonholes or the stitching can pucker — ask me how I know.
5. Turn and fill. Turn the cover right side out and poke out the corners gently. Lay it flat, set the insert on top, tie the corners, then roll or shake the insert down inside. Button it closed. Flip it either way — both sides are ready.
Practical Tips
Press your panels before you sew. Cotton this wide can hold a fold line from the bolt, and five minutes with the iron saves you fighting a crease at the machine. Pin those long sides well, too, because layers can creep over a 90-inch seam and leave you short at the far end.
Wash and dry the fabric before cutting. Cotton can shrink a touch on that first wash, and you want that shrink before the cover is sized, not after. Completely up to you, but I do it for bedding every time.
And here's your permission beat, folks. That bottom closure does not have to be perfect. A slightly uneven button spacing will never be seen from the doorway, and you are your own worst critic here. It's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it. We're not reinventing the wheel here — just sewing a big, useful envelope and letting this black wideback do the heavy lifting.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Black Kona Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
