Featured Fabric: Studio E Blossom & Grow by Maureen Fiorellini

Pattern design by: Lindsay Conner

Sewn by: Lindsay Conner

Making your own pillowcases in pretty fabrics is easy to do and a fun afternoon project! Personalized pillowcases look sweet in a child’s room and will make your house guests feel warm and cozy. This free pillowcase tutorial uses the “burrito” assembly method, which is a bit like a magic trick! If you can sew in a straight line, you can make this pillowcase project.

These pillowcases make a fun housewarming gift and are a great way to treat your friends and family. Kids will love picking out their own fabrics and seeing this project come to life before their eyes! Let’s get started!

Technique: Machine sewing, French seams

Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Size: 30” x 20”

Fabric & Cutting Directions for 1 Pillowcase

Main Fabric (¾ yard): Cut 27″ by the *width of the fabric

Cuff Fabric (¼ yard): Cut 9″ by the *width of the fabric

Accent Strip (1/8 yard): Cut 2½” by the *width of the fabric. Press this in half lengthwise to make a 1¼″ folded strip.

* To cut by the width of the fabric means stacking both selvage ends at the top of your cutting mat. Then line up the left of the fabric with the 0” mark on your cutting mat. Use a ruler to mark your measurement, line it up straight, and slice through the fabric’s bottom fold and going up through the selvages.

Note: This tutorial makes a queen or standard size pillowcase. For a king-size pillowcase, you’ll need to start with 1 yard of the main fabric, and make a 33” by width of fabric cut. The other fabrics will be cut to the same size.

Sew the Pillowcase

1) To start making the “burrito,” stack the fabrics in front of you as follows:

Bottom: Place the 9″ cuff fabric right side up.

Middle: Next, stack the main fabric right side up, aligning the top raw edges.

Top: On top of that, place the folded accent strip, so that the raw edges are aligned with the top raw edges of the other fabrics.

2. Roll the main fabric into a skinny burrito until you reach the middle of the 9″ cuff fabric. If your stack matches this picture, you’re good to go!

3. Take the bottom of the cuff fabric, and bring it up over the burrito. Align the raw edges with the raw edges of all the other fabrics. Clip or pin in place in place along the raw edges, making sure to trap the skinny accent strip. Make certain your rolled up fabric is tucked away from the raw edges.  You are going to stitch along the raw edge and you want to be certain you do not catch your rolled up fabric in the seam.

4. Sew a ¼” seam along the raw edges, removing the clips or pins as you sew. As you sew, make sure the fabric layers do not shift.

5. Reach inside the tube and gently pull the fabric out of the burrito.

Continue pulling until your main fabric is fully revealed.

6. Press the cuff, accent strip, and main fabrics flat. Optional: Topstitch across the accent strip. As shown

7. Fold the pillowcase in half , right sides together, with the selvages touching. Using a long acrylic ruler, trim to the 20½” mark so the fabric will be 41” wide when fully opened.

8. To finish the inside of the pillow, we’ll sew a French seam. First, fold the pillowcase in half with wrong sides together—pretty sides facing you. (This will feel wrong, but it is correct!) Clip or pin the sides and the bottom together and sew a ¼” seam along those raw edges only - the side of your pillowcase and along the bottom of your pillowcase.

9. Turn the pillowcase wrong side out. Press the seams, poking out the corners with a point turner or your fingers. Now, sew a wider ½” seam on the same two sides you sewed earlier. This will trap the raw edges inside and finish the French seam. Press again.

The French seam looks pretty on the inside of the pillowcase and is more durable than an unfinished seam. Turn the pillowcase right side out again and press.

We hope you enjoyed this easy burrito pillowcase sewing tutorial! Now that you’ve sewn some French seams, you’ll be better prepared to sew your own clothing and home décor for every season of the year!

Fabric Details:

Studio E Blossom & Grow by Maureen Fiorellini

View full collection & find a retailer near you here.

PILLOW #1:

6095-2 Multi || Blossom & Grow
SKU: E-BLOSSOMGROW E-6095-2
Butterfly Toss

6093-21 Multi || Blossom & Grow
SKU: E-BLOSSOMGROW E-6093-21
Texture Stripe

6100-22 Pink || Blossom & Grow
SKU: E-BLOSSOMGROW E-6100-22
Tiny Floral Toss

PILLOW #2:

6092-11 Aqua || Blossom & Grow
SKU: E-BLOSSOMGROW E-6092-11
Medium Floral

6097-1 Multi || Blossom & Grow
SKU: E-BLOSSOMGROW E-6097-1
Rainbows

6100-22 Pink || Blossom & Grow
SKU: E-BLOSSOMGROW E-6100-22
Tiny Floral Toss

Learn more about the fabric designer.

Terms Defined:

Right Side: The pretty side of the fabric. You usually sew things with right sides together so the stitching will be on the inside of the finished project.

Wrong Side: The non-pretty side is the "wrong" side of the fabric. The fabric design is sometimes visible on the wrong side of the fabric, but it will be more faded than on the “right side”.

Selvedge: A selvage is the tightly woven edge of a fabric. It prevents the side edges of the fabric from raveling or fraying.

Learn more about Lindsay here.