Easy Pillow Cover Tutorial

Our couches came with a set of pillows that were ok but not really my style.  They're not terrible but they are more traditional and formal than we really are.  So I wanted to make some new pillow covers.

I stumbled across some of my favorite fabric in the remnant section in Joanne's.  This is the same fabric that I used for the dinning chair makeover that I did.  These chairs are the ones we add to our table when we have company over and need more seats.

The remnant that I found was about 1 ¼ yard and I knew that I could use it make two pillow covers.  I snatched it up because it was one of those days when the remnants are 50% off so it ended up being really inexpensive (I don't remember exactly but like $4).

1. First I took the old pillow covers off and measured them.  They measured about 21 inches X 21 inches.

2. Then I washed, dried, and ironed the new fabric.  Next I cut my fabric.  After washing my fabric was about 51 inches X 44 inches.  I cut the fabric down the middle making two pieces that were 51X 22 inches.  I asked my assistants to hold them up to show you the two pieces but they wanted to be ghosts.

3. Next I folded the selvages (ends of the fabric with writing on them) on the end over and ironed them down.  Then I folded them over again and ironed them down again.

4. I sewed a line along each folded edge.

5. Then I laid the pillow cover on the ground with the right side facing down.  I folded the long ends over to line up the outside flap so that it would be near the middle since it's the one that shows.

As I did this I measured and moved the flaps around until my pillow cover measured 21 X 22 inches (The 21 inches was folded side to folded side and the 22 inches was from open edge to open edge) .  After pinning everything down I sewed along the open edges (not the folds).

6. Next I turned the pillow case right side out and pushed the corners out with the non-pointy end of a pen.

7. I put the pillow in and voila!

Now I just need to figure out what other fabrics to use for the coordinating pillow covers.  I'll take a scrap of this fabric with me each time I go to the fabric store just so I can hold it up to potential fabrics and see what I like.