There are a number of ways to make a pillow cover, this is by far the easiest. Four stitch lines on one piece of fabric, some folding, ironing and boom. So simple. Shout out to my tiny 10 year old friend who just got her first sewing machine. You rock, Kenna! The possibilities are endless, babe!
If you have a pillow form that needs a cover, here’s the formula: Add 1 inch to the height , multiply the length by 2, then add 8 inches. Example: For a 12″ x 24″ pillow form, you would cut a piece of fabric 13″ x 56″. I usually use my serger to do pillows but this tutorial uses a sewing machine only. (For serger AND sewing machine go here) Joann’s has several sizes of pillow forms, I use this cheat sheet for the sizes I normally buy:
The pillow cover I am working on is for a 16″ x 16″ pillow insert, so I cut a piece of fabric 40″ x 17″. If you don’t have a cutting mat and rotary blade (or, “pizza cutter”, as Kenna calls it), and are using scissors, it may be easier for you to fold the fabric in half and cut 20″ x 17″ – this will also help you to keep your cut lines straight. The straighter the cuts, the easier it is to sew. Get your iron hot and cut your fabric.
Press it. Your biggest asset in sewing (besides your machine) is an iron. Gonna try to get away without using an iron? Your project will look like shart. Speaking from experience.
With the right side down, fold over the short end of the fabric 3/4″. Press it.
Fold it over one more time. Press it.
Repeat on the other side. This is what you’ll get.
Get your machine ready to sew. Make sure the needle in your machine is suitable for the type of fabric you are using. This is lightweight upholstery fabric, so I’m using a medium-weight needle. I have gotten a needle to the forehead from it breaking while sewing too heavy a fabric. That’s too close to my eyeballs. Worst fear almost realized. Check your needles.
With the folded ends facing up, sew a straight line from top to bottom as close to the fold as possible, like this:
Repeat on the other side.
Next, lay your fabric out, right side up, and fold one side about 1/3 of the way over.
Fold the other side over, overlapping by about four inches.
Next, make sure that your folded fabric matches the width of your pillow, in this case 16″. If it does not, adjust accordingly, making sure that there is still a good overlap in the middle.
Pin it, catching all layers of the fabric.
Now sew the open edges closed using 1/2″ seam allowances. See orange dotted line below:
This is what you get.
Remove those pins and clip your corners, taking care not to clip the stitches.
Turn your pillow cover right side out, pushing your fingers into the corners to give them a nice, crisp point.
You’re almost done!
Press it.
Now, stuff your pillow inside. This part always reminds me of Popples. “The soft fuzzy ball that turns into a friend.” I had two.
Now, wouldja look at that! Just look at it!
So easy you can make several in a day and totally transform a space!
I love how simple you make it!!
Thank you, Cathi!
Thank you sooo much for the tutorial. I’ve never made a pillow sham from one piece of fabric. You just so happen to have the very pattern and mearsurments I needed.
Thank you again.
YES! AWESOME! I love that! Happy pillow making, Deloris!!!
Do you happen to know how much fabric I would need for a 24×24 pillow? Thank you!
For this kind of pillow – Add 1 inch to the height , multiply the length by 2, then add 8 inches. So, for a 24″ x 24″ pillow form, you would cut a piece of fabric 25″ x 56″.
Hello! Please can you give measurements for an 18″ by 18″ pillow?? Thank you!
Hey Rhona! The measurements are on the diagram in the post. For an 18×18 pillow insert, you would need 44″ by 19″ of fabric. Happy sewing!
Thank you for this tutorial…I’m quite new to sewing (understatement) and wondered if you could tell how to calculate how much fabric I’d need to buy per 16×16″ pillow cover. Thanks for your help! On my first project, I bought way too much fabric and am a little skiddish at the fabric store now:(
Andrea, for this tutorial and a 16×16 pillow, you would need a piece of fabric 40″ x 17″. If you buy 1.5 yards of 44″ wide fabric, you can make two 16×16 pillow covers from that. Happy sewing!
Thank you so much! That makes sense…just came across your blog and am reading through. I love it! Thanks for sharing your testimony as well, so encouraging to hear how He works. PTL!
Amen, girl!
Awesome! We have a ton of super soft minky fabric….do you think this would work with that kind of fabric? Mom and I have plans for a bunch of pillows for a sensory area for the boys.
Hey Ginger! I had to google “minky”. This will totally work with that. Hug your family, from me.