Oversized pillows in Standard Pillowcases

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

jlwquilter,

If you find the instructions, please post. Looks like I am not the only person with the problem, I was beginning to wonder.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I've been looking at my foam pillows in a new way lately.

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

jlwquilter,

If you find the instructions, please post. Looks like I am not the only person with the problem, I was beginning to wonder.

Sorry... been really busy with the rental house this week. Finding new tenents is a big job in this crazy world!

Anyway, I will look for the instuructions later today...promise!

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

No problem, I have rental property and know what a pain in the they can be at times.

[Cheryl Barsness Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Cheryl Barsness]

pillowcase instructions

I have a set of instructions (no pattern needed) that uses one yard of fabric (pick your favorite - holiday, flannel, cotton sateen, etc.) and it makes one professional pillowcase. I mean with the cuff at the case opening and everything. I haven't made pillowcases in 2 years so would have to look for the directions if anyone is seriously interested.

I would love the instructions. I've measured the width of my old, old pillowcases and they are at least an inch wider than new ones I buy. The new ones are just too narrow - now I look for measurements on the package looking for the widest ones. But making some would be very satisfying.
THANKS,
CHERYL

[libraria Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close libraria]

I've TRIED to make these instructions as simple as possible, but we all know that everything is easy if you know how to do it, so if you have any questions, please e-mail me.

ALSO, if your would love to have me make them for you, I'd be happy to do that. I have a lot of time on my hands.

EASY, EASY PROFESSIONAL LOOKING PILLOWCASE INSTRUCTIONS

For standard size case:

Use 100% cotton or similar (do not use polyester)
Fabric is normally 44" wide (Trim off the selvedge edges):
27" (3/4 yard) fabric for body of pillowcase
9" (1/4 yard) for “header”
1 ½" fabric for piping

Fold the piping strip in half lengthwise (wrong side together) and press.

Lay out as follows(horizontally, the 44" measurement):


First, lay out the header (9" x 44") fabric with the RIGHT SIDE UP.
Second, lay body (27" x 44") fabric on top of header fabric, RIGHT SIDE UP (align left edges) (
Third, place piping strip on top of the body fabric, lining up the raw edges of the piping strip along the top and aligning the left edges.. Pin these three layers together.
Next (this is the fun part), from the bottom of the “body” fabric roll it up making a “roll” toward the pinned top.

Pull the bottom edge of the header fabric up over your “body” fabric roll and (one pin at a time) unpin your three layers and add the bottom edge of header fabric to make four layers pinned with left side aligned. Stitch across the pinned layers using about a 3/8" to ½" seam allowance.

From either side of your “roll” turn the inside out. You will now have a rectangular pillow body with a header and piping. Trim the sides if necessary. Press with the piping toward the body. Voila, your seam is on the INSIDE of the header! All that is left is to fold this rectangle with right sides (piping on inside) together and stitch along side and bottom. Turn right side out and it’s done!

This will make one case approx. 21 1/2" wide by 30" long. Since this measure uses the whole width of fabric (44"), if you want to make a wider case, you will have to buy more fabric. For example if you want your case 23" wide, you would have to buy 47 or 48" of fabric and cut it 27" lengthwise instead of crosswise. I hope this makes sense!

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

Yes! That is how I do it too. I couldn't find my directions and it'd been too long since I made them but I certainly know the method when I read it. I do my "piping" a bit different but no big deal.

The only hard part is indeed getting the layers of fabric all inside the header tube for sewing. You do need to pin VERY well and sew slow (and use a walking foot if you have one!) as the layers of fabric will want to shift. A bit of shifting however will not ruin the end result, which is indeed "store bought" looking pillowcases.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Thanks

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

Here is a web page that gives the directions as well as some pictures:

Operation Support for Deployed Military

Click on Operation Pillowcase.

FYI - I got this link from a friend that I asked if she had the instructions. She's been doing the pillowcases for troop give-aways for quite some time now.