How to Sew a Pillowcase Burrito Style!
How to Sew a Pillowcase Burrito Style features a contrasting cuff and trim. Learn new sewing skills finishing seams with French seams and a burrito method.
Servings: 1 burrito style pillowcase
Cost: $8
Equipment
- Fabric scissors
- Pins
- Sewing machine using a universal needl
- Iron (optional)
Ingredients
- Fabric 1- 24 inches or ¾ yard* (main pillowcase fabric- for standard sized pillow)
- Fabric 2- 12 inches or ⅜ yard (coordinating fabric)
- Fabric 3- 2 inches or ⅛ yard (used as a trim between the other two fabrics)
- Thread that coordinates with the fabric’s dominant color
- Fabric scissors
- Pins
- Sewing machine using a universal needle
- Iron (optional)
Instructions
Prep the fabrics
- Take the time to wash and dry your fabric according to the directions found on the bolt when you purchase it. Cut the fabrics to the correct lengths, measuring well so they are even all the way across.Fold the 2-inch strip in half with wrong sides together and press it well so it stays folded.
Make the "burrito" and sew the cuff on the end
- First, we stack the materials.Lay the 12-inch fabric with the right side up onto the table.Lay the 24-inch fabric on top of it with right side up and line up the top edges of these two fabrics all the way across.Finally, lay the two-inch fabric (which is folded in half) on top of the other two fabrics with the cut edges lining up with the edges on top.All three layers of fabric are one on top of the other with the edges on one side of each fabric lined up all the way across.Put a few pins on the edge of these stacked fabrics to keep them together for the next step.
- Start rolling up the 24-inch fabric from the unpinned edge. Roll it so that when you get to the top pinned edge the roll is no wider than about 4 inches.This rolled up fabric will be next to your 2-inch folded trim piece, and you will still be able to see the 12” piece of fabric underneath. The 12-inch piece of fabric does not get rolled up with the larger 24 inch piece of fabric.
- Fold the 12-inch piece of fabric in half with the wrong sides together and matching the edges all the way across. Take the previous pins out of the edge and pin all the layers of fabric together with the pins going from the edge of the fabric in towards the fabric. Pinning this way makes it easy to pull the pins out as you sew this seam.The rolled-up fabric is inside this tube like a “burrito”! I know this seems weird, but trust me, it works. This is pretty cool.
- Go to the machine and sew a ¼ inch seam all the way down the pinned edge. Backstitch at both ends. There will be no need to zig zag the edges as they will not show after the next step.
- Now, gently pull the rolled-up fabric out through the end of this “burrito”. It will pull through and the end result will be that the 12-inch fabric makes a cuff on the end of the main 24-inch fabric and it will all lay flat. Press the trim piece towards the contrast fabric cuff.I told you it would work!! Ha!
Trim fabrics to the same width
- Trim the two long edges of the fabrics so that the selvages are cut off (the finished edges of the fabric) and the fabrics are all the same width.
Top stitch the cuff (optional)
- On the coordinating cuff fabric, sew ⅛ inch from the trim fabric. Sew the entire length of the fabric.
Sew a French seam
- This is the second time I ask you to trust me, this works. But the first step just doesn’t seem like it is right. Again, give it a try! You will love this technique for sewing seams.Fold the pillowcase wrong sides together with the cuff on one short end. Yes, I said wrong sides together. Pin the two unfinished edges together to hold them in place as you sew. You will not be sewing the cuffed end (which will be the opening of the pillowcase) or the folded ed
- Sew a ¼-inch seam around the two unfinished edges. Back stitch at both ends of the seam and pivot turn at the corner.A pivot turn involves sewing the first edge of the fabric with a ¼ inch seam until you get ¼ inch from the edge. Stop sewing and put your needle down into the fabric, lift the presser foot, pivot the fabric so you are going the correct direction for the second edge, put the presser foot back down and continue sewing the second edge with a ¼ inch seam.
- Lay the pillowcase down flat on a table.Clip a small triangle piece of fabric from the corner where you pivot turned without clipping the thread of your seam. This makes the corner less bulky when you turn it inside out.Also trim a little bit off each of the two edges you just sewed, cutting about half the seam allowance off. Again, be very careful so you don’t clip the thread of your seam or cut a hole in the pillowcase.Now, turn the pillowcase inside out (or I should say right sides together). Press it well so the two seams you just sewed are nice and even.
- Go back to the sewing machine and sew a ⅜-inch seam on the two previously sewn edges only. Back stitch on both ends of this seam and pivot turn on the corner again.
Video
Notes
Measurements for other pillow sizes are given on the website post under "Variations".