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Close up image of the hemmed opening of the pillowcase near the sewing machine.
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Easy How to Sew a Pillowcase Tutorial

This Easy How to Sew a Pillowcase Tutorial helps you turn 1 yard of fabric into a fun pillowcase for your bed or a gift in 15-30 minutes. Make them for every holiday!!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Sewing Craft
Cuisine: Sewing
Keyword: easy pillowcase pattern, easy pillowcase tutorial, kids sewing project, learn to sew project, making a pillowcase, making pillowcases, pillowcase pattern free, pillowcase tutorial, Sew a Pillowcase, Sewing a pillow case
Servings: 1 pillowcase
Author: Shelly
Cost: $7

Equipment

  • Pins
  • Seam gauge or ruler
  • Fabric scissors
  • Iron
  • Sewing machine

Ingredients

  • Fabric: 1 yard for a standard pillowcase 40" for a queen pillowcase (about 1 ¼ yd) ; 46" for a king pillowcase (about 1 ½ yd)
  • Thread that coordinates with the fabric’s dominant color

Instructions

  • Start by cutting the selvages off the full length of your piece of fabric. 
  • The hem is going to be on one end of the pillowcase. So we are going to choose one end and then open up the fabric flat with the wrong side of the fabric up.
    Turn up 1 inch along this entire side of the fabric and press it in place. (It will be turned up towards the wrong side of the fabric.)
    With the wrong side of the fabric still up, this time turn up 4 inches of fabric and press. The 1-inch folded edge will now be hidden under this new folded edge.
  • After all that work, I want you to open the fabric up flat again. We will come back to the hem later and the pressing will be worth it.
    Refold your fabric along the existing fold line so the right sides are together this time. 
    Pin your fabric, right sides together, on two adjoining sides (leaving the end you will use for the hem unsewn). Go to your sewing machine and sew a ½-inch seam on those two edges, making an “L” seam. Back stitch on both ends and pivot turn on the corner. 
  • Zig-zag the edges of your two seams to finish the edges. Set the sewing machine stitch length on 2 and the width on 4. Zig-zag right on the unfinished edge of the seams. This will keep the fabric from unraveling.
  • The creases are still in the fabric from the pressing you did earlier. See them?Refold the one inch toward the wrong side of the fabric. 
    Then refold the 4 inches toward the wrong side of the fabric.This is going to be your pillowcase hem.
    Pin the edge down that is four inches from the pillowcase edge. This is what you will be sewing down next.
  • Go to the sewing machine and sew a ⅛th inch seam along this pinned edge. Try to make it as straight as possible, close to the edge but not sewing off the edge. 
  • Turn the pillowcase right side out and pull the corners out well so they look square. You may want to press it before folding it up if giving it as a gift.
    That's it!! Enjoy!!

Video

Notes

Fabric: 1 yard for a standard pillowcase; 40" for a queen pillowcase (about 1 ¼ yd) ; 46" for a king pillowcase (about 1 ½ yd)