Pillow case instructions

More sewing! We really went to town yesterday! I made three more pillow cases and even Marcy got in the act. Kiana has another pillow case lined up for today and I think we're making another trip to JoAnn's this afternoon. Yep. Marcy has decided that she knows what this year's Christmas presents are going to be for friends and family.

Okay, I think the instructions called for 3/4 yard main fabric and 1/3 yard border fabric but as usual I cheated a bit. One reason is because pillows are not as big in Japan so an inch difference isn't going to make for that tight a fit with me. If your pillows are standard size then buy a bit more fabric. Marcy used 1 yard and 1/3 yard for her pillow cases because she has king sized pillows. Here is the way I made two matching pillow cases. Sorry, no step-by-step pictures.

1. I bought 1 yard of fabric in two matching colors. Hopefully your width of fabric will be the same length on both fabrics to make things easier but if not do something so that they will even up.


2. Line the two fabrics up and roller cut about 10 inches from the edges. (As previously mentioned, no roller cutters in this house so do what you have to do with scissors.)


3. Now you have two pieces in each fabric, a large piece and a narrow piece. Fold the narrow piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.


4. Sew the narrow fabric piece onto one cut edge of the matching fabric, right sides together. Well, the narrow piece is all right sides now that it's pressed but you get the idea. 1/2 inch seam worked best for me here.


5. Go back and zig-zag the raw edges.


6. Press towards main fabric.


7. Sew around one side and across the bottom (right sides together) with a 1/2 inch seam and zig-zag the bottom as before.


8. Turn right side out.


9. Do the same for the matching pillow case (opposite colors, right?) or if you're a quilter like me you can flag sew everything one after another and make two or more pillow cases at one time. Marcy thought this was clever but you and I know this is a basic of machine quilting!

I know. Strange patterns for those two dark blue pillow cases but Marcy and Kiana and I decided that Takumi likes strange so those are for him.