Easiest Pillowcase Ever

 I have participated in several sewing projects for charity that have involved making pillowcases for a variety of causes.  Not only are these a great charity project but pillowcases are a great present or an addition to a quilt and a great way to refresh your bed linens.


The Million Pillowcase Project at APQ has contributed over 270,000 pillowcases to the needy  through a variety of sewing outlets. 


I have made, or helped to make, well over 200 pillowcases, some for the project, some for the American Sewing Guild and some for for various quilting groups.


Over time I developed a swift, accurate and secure method for making them and I would like to share this here.


Why now?  I just made about ten for a local quilt guild and realized that the people who made the kits had probably no idea how to make a pillowcase.

Easiest Pillowcase Ever

Fabric
27" (2/3 yd.) for body
9" (1/3 yd.) for hem
2" for accent
all cut selvage to selvage


Supplies
Sewing machine with thread matching or contrasting with the body fabric
Serger with thread matching or contrasting with the body fabric. (Optional)


Construction
Press the accent and hem fabric, wrong sides together, lengthwise.


Layer the fabrics selvage to selvage with the body fabric right side up, then the accent fabric, then the hem fabric... raw edges together and serge or sew together.

Finger press the hem and accent away from the body fabric and top stitch the serged/sewn edge to the body fabric.

Inside after top stitching

Outside after top stitching

Wrong sides together, serge/sew the raw edges using an approx. 1/4 seam.

Turn the pillowcase wrong side out and re-sew around the pillowcase encasing the serged/sewn seam within the new seam.

Good seam

Turn right sides out, check to be sure your first joining seam is fully enclosed, fold nicely and use in good health.

Oops!

Another way to enclose the seams, including the hem and accent edge, is the 'burrito' method and is explained here.