diy: Pillow Case

A nice thing about making your own pillow case (and really everything else) is that you get to have it exactly as you want it. You get the fabric you want, and not just one of the 10 shades you're offered at the store, and because it's custom fit, you can have make it an overlap pillow case and have a much more tailored look to your bed.

These small floral (I'm obsessed just like everyone else) pillows are the one's I rest my tired head on at night, but because they don't have the open end cases I feel you can put them out front. No one has thus far seemed alarmed.

It's also an easy project and adaptable to any square or rectangular pillow, therefore, I've left most of the measurements up to you.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Fabric, how much depends on your pillows
• Thread, scissors, sewing machine, iron, flexible measuring tape... nothing extraordinary

TO MEASURE YOUR PILLOW

Use a flexible measuring tape to measure from one seam to it's opposite of your undressed pillow form. Do not pull it taught or apply pressure to flatten out the tape, you want to account for the roundness of the pillow. So let it gently lay over the arch and then take your measurements. If you'd like to give your pillow some floating room, add another inch to each measurement.

CUT

Cut your fabric for the front of the case. This piece should be the length and width of the pillow plus a quarter inch seam allowance.

For the back-under piece, cut your fabric the width of your pillow plus a quarter inch seam allowance and the length will be 2/3 the length of the entire pillow plus 3 1/4 inches [for a 2 1/2 inch band (B) with 1/2 inch seam allowance (c) and a quarter inch seam allowance on the opposite end].

For the back-over piece, cut your fabric the width of your pillow plus a quarter inch seam allowance and the length will be 1/3 the length of the entire pillow plus 5 3/4 inches [for a 2 1/2 inch inch overlap allowance (B), 2 1/2 inch band (B) with 1/2 inch seam allowance (c) and a quarter inch seam allowance on the opposite end].

CREATE BACKS

On each back piece fold one short side in for a 1/2 inch seam allowance and press. Next, fold this edge in 2 1/2 inches and press. Top stitch along the outside edge and the inside fold (with your 1/2 inch seam allowance) as show in this diagram above.

ASSEMBLE PIECES

Place the front piece face up, next place the back-over piece on top of the front: right sides together and aligned with the left of the front. Then place the back-under piece on top of this: right side together with front piece and aligned to the front's right side. Pin all the fabric in place and stich along the outside edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Here is an awkward section (with a plan reference showing section cut, sorry, four years of architecture school...) diagram of how the pieces are sewn/assembled.

FINISH

If you can, serge the raw edge of your seams. Otherwise, turn right side out, press and insert pillow. Done!