The covers are so easy to sew, this is a great project for a beginner.
The Cliff Notes:
- I use a 20 year old singer machine. Very basic, nothing fancy. (My favorite machine is actually an old metal 1940's model, but it's too hard to get replacement parts now...)
- I like to use a lightweight canvas /heavy muslin material. I often buy it at Wal-Mart!
- Cut your fabric the width of the pillow, and the length x 2 + 4. So for an 18 x 18 pillow, your fabric should be 18 x 40.
- I get my inserts at Wal-mart too - they are super cheap there.
- HTV. It has to be HTV on fabric. Always. :-)
- Where To Find Free SVGS
The Material:
I have access to a local discount fabric store, and can often find great cheap fabric there. But I still also buy a heavy muslin/light canvas material at Wal-mart. Regular thin muslin wrinkles a bit too easily for me, I prefer a thicker fabric. Wal-mart usually has an entire row, with heavier options as well as the super light. You don't need it to be as heavy as a paint drop cloth (although you could use those too!) but you want it to be heavier than a regular cotton fat quarter. Although regular cotton will work just fine - it will wrinkle a lot more.
I buy my inserts at Wal-Mart too. They are cheap there!
I bought 2 yards of lightweight canvas fabric (right beside the muslin in the fabric aisle at wal-mart) and that made two 18x18 covers, 2 16x16 covers, and enough leftover for a dust cover for my cricut, with more to spare...
The Measurements
Width, by length x 2 + 4 inches for seam allowance
This is not normal - if you are a sewer, you are probably thinking if it's a 16 inch pillow, you need to add a seam allowance. But that is NOT the case for throw pillow covers. You want them to fit snug so that the pillow looks full, so you will cut your fabric the same width as the pillow insert.
For a 16x16 pillow - Cut a piece 16 x 36
For an 18x18 pillow - Cut a piece 18 X 40
For a 20x20 pillow - Cut a piece 20 x 44
Throw pillows are the only time you want the exact width with no seam allowance - because you want them to be snug around the pillow so the pillow "fluffs" a bit, and doesn't look too flat.
You're going to sew a total of 4 straight seams. Quick and easy.
Hem the short sides. Two straight seams.
I do this as a rolled hem, so that they are less likely to fray.
Just roll the edge under, and sew through 3 layers of fabric.
Then fold - but more than in half. For a 16 inch pillow, try something like 7 inches on one side, 9 inches on the other.
You want one hemmed side to overlap the other hemmed side, to form an envelope.
Place the "right sides" of the fabric together - you are sewing on what will be the inside of the fabric once you are finished.
Once folded, pin in place, then sew the sides.
Remove the pins, turn right side out, and that's it - you have an envelope pillow case!
Iron on your vinyl (I use a silicone baking sheet inside of mine - when adding htv)
Then add your insert.
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Making Christmas Throw Pillows - and all the free svgs & designs -
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