How To Quickly Sew Classy & Elegant Pillowcases

Hello sweet friends! I don’t mean to be indiscreet, but I have a question for you and hopefully your answers will somehow be similar to mine … I’m on the bed linens subject today and I would like to know how often you guys, launder your bed sheets. A long long time ago, I had a routine and washed the bed sheets once a week. Gradually, the week became ten days and later on the ten days became two weeks. Nowadays, I’m not on a schedule anymore and I wash our bed sheets whenever I feel it’s time but I sense that I often exceed the fortnight by a few days. So, knowing that I should be more disciplined on such a hygienic issue, I decided that one very easy thing to do was to replace our sleeping pillowcases with fresh ones in between sheet laundering. That worked fine for a couple of months, but I soon realized that I didn’t have extra pillowcases to match the sheets and the duvet covers. Not to mention the frustration for getting the sheet sets all mixed up in the linen closet. I decided that a few extra sets of pillowcases would solve the problem.

I knew that I could find plain pillowcases for about $15 per set in many of my favorite stores, but I needed more than one set, and the bill would add up so I decided to make my own for a lot less. And mine could have a simple and elegant detail that would match my bed linens!

With limited sewing skills, a sewing machine and basic supplies,

I made sets of two pillowcases in five different colors ~ olive green, fuchsia, dark brown, grey and white.

I chose a white fabric mainly because our bed sheets/duvet covers/coverlets etc. have either a white backdrop or white details, but you can use any solid color you like or even a patterned fabric if that matches your bedroom setting. Also, I went with a 100% cotton fabric, but the technique I’m sharing below can apply to every other fabric such as linen or flannel. For obvious reasons, it’s best to stick to a natural fiber fabric.

For the trim I used cord piping – it adds just that little bit of color and gives an elegant and crisp touch. Piping comes in many colors and you’ll surely find one to match your bedding (or you can make your own, if you’re an experienced sewer).

And here’s the pillowcase with the grey detail in my daughter’s room.

We’ve all already used the new pillowcases and they feel great. Sleeping on a clean pillowcase is almost just as refreshing as having clean sheets, but with a fraction of the work!

These pillowcases are quite easy to make and I’m not experienced in sewing.

1. Prewash your fabric.

2. To make one pillowcase, you will need two identical pieces of fabric (to make a set of two pillowcases, cut four identical pieces of fabric). The dimensions of the cut fabric will depend on the size of your pillow (standard, queen or king). Instead of measuring, you may find it easier to lay down a pillowcase that you already have and use it as a pattern. You’ll just need to cut your fabric 0.4″ (1 cm) wider on each three sides (i.e. the two long sides and the one short side).  For the second short side (the one that will be the opening of your pillowcase), cut your fabric 5″ (12.8 cm) longer .

3. Start with the one piece of fabric and lay it good side down. Select one short side to be the opening of your pillowcase and make a hem: fold in the raw edge of the fabric 0.3″ (0.8 cm)  and press.  Then make another fold 0.4″ (1cm) and pin. 

This is what it will look like:

4. To create the cuff: Measure 4.3″ (11 cm) from your folded end and fold as shown below. If you want, you can you use an iron to press the crease, it will make things easier for the next step.

5. Next, remove the first pin on the left, insert the piping and place the pin back where it was originally, only this time, pin the fabric on the bottom part of the cuff as well. This way, the piping will be pinned in between the two layers of fabric. This is what it will look like from the front:

And it will look like this from the back:

Continue, removing the pins one by one, inserting the piping little by little and repining. This is what it will look like after you’ve inserted the piping.

And the back side:

6. You are now ready to sew. Sew along the fabric, as close as possible to the piping.

7. After you have completed two identical pieces, you can sew them together to create the pillowcase:  place good sides together, align the cuff on both fabrics and stitch all the way around the three sides using a 0.4″ (1cm) seam allowance.

8. Then, run a zig-zag stitch around the three sides of the pillowcase for a finished edge.

9. As a last step, cut the excess piping, if any.

10. Turn your pillowcase right side out ~ you are done!

You are now ready to launder your pillowcase, let it air dry, iron it and use it fresh for a good night’s sleep.

I haven’t calculated exactly how much each set of pillowcases cost me, but if I need to give an estimate, I would say about $5 per set.

I now keep these new/extra pillowcases in a separate spot in the linen closet; they’re always at easy reach and I don’t make a mess anymore while trying to find fresh and clean ones to use between sheet laundering.