I’ve
been sewing pillows like crazy over here. After the amazing sale at
Hancock fabrics, I bought tons of fabric and four pillow forms.
Recovering a couple old pillows at home, plus some ingenious two fabric
sided pillows using leftover fabric from earlier projects, I had enough
materials for six new pillows! I still have one pillow to sew, but I
was so excited about the ones I’ve made, I had to show you now.
In order to have a two sided pillow, I had to learn a new sewing technique. My earlier envelope pillow style wouldn’t work for this, so instead I made zipper pillow covers. Having never sewn a zipper before, it was quite the adventure. My handy dandy Martha Stewart Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts taught me the basics, and this youtube video from Expert Village helped clarify using the sewing machine to sew the zipper.
Here’s how you can sew your own zipper pillow case:
Materials:
Enough
fabric to cover your pillow + 1” extra for seam allowance. (I mostly
used two fat quarters - 18” x 21” - for each pillow)
Pillow form (consider recovering an old pillow!)
Zipper the same length or longer than you pillow opening
Zipper foot for sewing machine
Basic sewing supplies
Step
one: Measure your pillow form and add one inch to the height and
length for the seam allowance. Measure these dimensions on two pieces
of fabric using a ruler and fabric pencil and cut your squares.
Step
two: Pin your squares right sides together. Mark 3” in from each side
on the edge you want the zipper on. Starting at one side, sew to your
3” mark using a ½” seam allowance, backstitch to secure. Repeat on the
other side. Using a basting stitch, sew between the 2 marks using a ½”
seam allowance. (This is where your zipper will go.)
Step
three: Press your seam open using a hot iron. Using your fabric
pencil, mark the pressed seam 3” in from either side (over your first
marks.)
Step
four: Prepare your zipper: If your zipper is longer than the pillow
opening, mark the zipper the same length as the opening. Use a needle
and thread to sew around the coils of the zipper at the mark, 5 to 10
times. Then trim the zipper ½” below the mark.
Step
five: Place the zipper face down on your pressed seam, making sure the
zipper pull is flipped up so you can unzip the zipper later. Carefully
pin the zipper to the fabric, lining up the coils with the seam as you
go. Use a needle and thread to baste the zipper tape to the seam for
extra security.
Step
six: Replace your presser foot with your zipper foot on your sewing
machine. I sewed on the right side of the zipper foot (zipper is to the
right of your zipper foot.) Starting two inches below the top of your
zipper, machine sew around the zipper about ⅛” from the coil. When you
get to the other side, stop about two inches from the top. Pull the
zipper below the 2” mark and finish sewing around the top of the zipper.
Step
seven: Using a seam ripper, remove the basting stitches along the
pillow opening and the zipper tape; unzip the zipper. Pin the front and
back pieces together, right sides aligned. Replace your zipper foot
with your presser foot and sew the three sides with a ½” seam allowance.
When finished, clip your corners and turn the pillow inside out.
Step eight: Push the corners out using a closed pair of scissors or a point turner. Insert your pillow form into your new pillow case; repeat steps to your hearts' content!
Now
my couch is covered in pillows all handmade by me! It’s such a great
feeling to have completely unique and hand crafted items. Someday I’d
like my whole house to be handmade/up-cycled/refurbished by my boyfriend
and I, from dishes to cabinets, curtains to maybe even furniture! As
that is a project to last a lifetime, for now I'll settle for my couch.
Until next time, happy crafting!
