There are simply too irresistible even if you don’t know what you are going to make with them in the moment when you purchase the textiles.
If you need to reduce some of your craft stash or you are looking for a super quick handmade present, then a pillow cover is perfect.
Making a double sided pillow cover doesn’t cost much (especially when you already have the fabric), and you also don’t need lots of sewing experience.
In this article, we guide you through each step making a pillow cover that looks beautiful on both sides.
Tutorial For A Two Sided Pillow Cover
Making a pillow case is surprisingly easy and you don’t even need expensive equipment.
Just make sure that you have plenty of fabric available, depending on your chosen size pillow. You will also need some thread, scissors and needles.
Here is a step by step guide on how to make a handmade pillow cover.
1. Choose Your Fabric
Choosing the right fabric for a pillow case is important as pillows often get a lot of use, so you need to pick a fabric that can withstand some wear.
Natural fibers, such as cotton or bamboo, are ideal for pillow covers. You can also use faux leather, wool, linen and even velvet for a touch of luxury.
The right fabric depends on your interior design and where the pillow will sit in the future. Throw pillows can sit almost anywhere around the house.
You can vary the pattern, texture and design depending on what a room looks like or perhaps you even have a certain theme in some of your rooms.
When it comes to making a pillow cover, there’s no limit to what you can do, and the more creative, the better.
You can choose to pick the same pattern fabric for both sides, although it’s a nice touch to have a different design on the front and keep a neutral color in the back.
2. Pre-Wash Your Fabric
Most fabrics contain chemicals, so it’s a good idea to wash your textiles first before you start working on them.
However, you can also choose to make your pillow cover first and then put it into the washing machine.
3. Iron The Fabric
If you decide to pre-wash your fabrics, then leave it to dry for a while. You can either let it fully dry before you iron the fabric, or you can choose to iron it while it is still a little damp.
When your fabric is still damp, it’s easier to get any wrinkles out.
4. Measure And Cut Both Sides
When your fabric is beautifully flat, it’s time to measure the pillow cover size that you need.
First, decide what size pillow form you want. One of the standard sizes is 14” x 16” but you can choose whatever insert size you prefer.
Make sure that you add an extra inch to the width and length to allow for the seams. For example, for a 14” x 16” pillow, you will need pieces of fabric that are 15” x 17”.
You can mark the size on your fabric and cut the textiles with scissors. Do this for both sides and make sure that they measure exactly the same size.
Once you cut the first side, you can easily use this as a template for your second.
5. Pin Both Sides Together
When you have your two fabric pieces that measure the same size, you should not use some needles to pin both sides together.
They should be facing the right sides together.
6. Mark And Pin The Outside
Now lay the fabric on a flat surface with the bottom side facing up. Measure 3 inches from the outside of each side and mark this with pins.
The middle should be large enough to allow plenty of space for your pillow insert.
7. Sewing
Once you pinned each side to outline your sewing line, you are ready to start sewing.
You can use either needle and thread and sew everything by hand, or you can use a sewing machine which would be much faster.
Whatever method you choose to sew your DIY pillow cover, it’s a good idea to start in the bottom right corner, and then start stitching.
When your first bottom edge is done and you get to the corner, you need to turn the fabric to make sure that you can sew along the second rim.
If you are using a sewing machine, then just take the foot off the machine, leave the needle in place and turn the fabric.
This will create a seamless, continual stitch. Continue to stitch two more sides and until you get to the fourth side.
When you reach the last side which is the bottom side, just stop sewing and continue with the next steps.
8. Tidy Up The Corners
Now, cut each corner of each side above the seam. This will ensure that your corners will look nice and neat when you turn the pillow cover the right way out.
Once you cut the corners, you can turn your pillow cover the right way out. Use the top of a pencil to push the corners out. They should look neat and pointy.
9. Iron The Pillow Case
Before you add the pillow insert and close everything, it’s a good idea to iron your nearly finished pillow case.
When you press each side flat, it will look much neater and you also remove any wrinkles that might have appeared while you were working on the fabric.
10. Insert The Pillow
Time to stuff your pillow cover. Take your pillow form and put it inside the pillow case squeezing it through the gap left at the bottom.
It’s important that you work with care here as you don’t want your seams to open again.
Gently push the insert inside the pillow case, and if you measured everything correctly, it should fit perfectly.
It’s intentional that the pillow is a little more plump. This makes it much more interesting to look at and it’s also more comfortable.
Make sure that the insert is even throughout the entire cover. There shouldn’t be any lumps or limp corners.
11. Close The Gap
The final step is to close the gap that you left open to stuff your insert inside. Sew the rest of the bottom side shut and you are done.
It’s worthwhile fluffing up your pillow cover a little more and then it’s ready to go to its new home, where this will be in your own home and it may end up as a gift for friends or family.
Final Thoughts
Making a handmade pillow cover that looks beautiful on both sides is surprisingly quick and it doesn’t take much sewing experience.
Once you tried your hands on a few different pillow covers, you can also get more creative with different fabrics, patterns and even other handmade accessories.
It’s also a nice touch to add pearls, little gemstones or even tassels to a decorative pillow cover.
There’s nothing better than sitting down after a long, stressful day with a good craft or hobby - right?
Hi, my name is Helena Forsite and I am a self-proclaimed crafter. I love everything to do with DIYs, baking, crafting, and more!
When I was younger, fresh out of college, I developed a pretty strong anxiety disorder. I found it difficult to go to work, socialize with friends, or even get out of the house at all.
