Pillowcases with French-seams

I bought.....yes, you heard me bought a new bedspread.  We were is desperate need as the 30's pinwheel quilt I made 16 years ago had seen better days......MUCH better days.  It was time for retirement and a new look.

I have no time nor inclination to make a queen size quilt, so off to Target I went.  And for a mere $50 and 1/2 hour of time a got a nice reversible two-tone aqua quilt.  It was just what I wanted, perfect color and everything, it just needed wild pillowcases to punch it up a bit.

Pillowcases are the easiest thing to sew and if you're like me and don't have a serger, french-seams are a nice was to finish the seams.

Here is a quick tutorial for making pillowcases with french-seams.

For one pillowcase cut the following:
Body Fabric: 25 1/2" x 41"
Accent Fabric: 1 3/4" x 41"
Cuff fabric: 10" x 41"


Making the Pillowcase Body

Attach the accent strip to the cuff and press the seam to the accent strip.  Attach the body fabric to the accent strip.  Press the seam to the accent strip.  Your pillowcase now looks like this:

Make sure that all edges are even, trim if needed.  It seems that after I don't how many years of sewing and quilting I still have trouble with this.....I think I cut something wrong!  So pay attention as you cut!

Press the raw edge of the cuff under 1/4" (sorry about the pic, my battery was fading fast).

Fold the cuff to the inside, covering the accent seam up to the stitching.

Use a few pins on the wrong side to hold in place making sure the accent seam is covered.  The turn to the right side and pin (remove the pins from the back BEFORE you start to sew).  Using matching thread, top stitch along the accent strip about an 1/8" from the edge.  This is what the front should look like:

This is what the underside should look like:

Making the French-Seam

Fold the pillowcase in half, WRONG sides together, lining up raw edges on 2 sides.  Stitch a very narrow 1/4" or 1/8" seam on these 2 sides.  Although hard to see, it will look like this:

If you had sewn a 1/4" seam, carefully trim to 1/8".  Turn pillowcase inside out.  Make sure corners are poked out and square.  Press along the stitched seam so it is nice an flat. Stitch approx. 1/4" to 3/8" along the seamline, encasing the raw edge.   It should look like this on the inside:

Turn the pillowcase right side out and your done!

Here are my fabulously LOUD pillowcases, made from Michael Miller's Feelin' Groovey fabric available at The Cotton Loft, of course!

Now go and make some WILD pillowcases for your bed, or your teenager's, or your toddler's or anyone's!