HOW TO MAKE PILLOWCASES | IDEAS AND DECORATION

The pillowcases are necessary to protect, and at the same time decorate the pillows just as we can get with the sofa covers  with regard to the sofa, and although we can find many models in home stores, we can also try to make them with our own own means. Let's see then how to make pillowcases: ideas and decoration.

Pillowcases are elements that can add a very special level of aesthetics and personalization to your room . However, it is often difficult to find a suitable design or measurements in stores. The good thing is that they are very easy to make so, if you find yourself in this situation, today we will show you how to make pillowcases both basic and decorative .

For a pillow with a simple design, the most important step is, without a doubt, choosing the fabric . All the magic of the cover will reside in it, be it for its touch, its comfort and, of course, its color. Regarding the latter, it is best to choose in relation to the tones in the room and also to the bedding . We don't want a pillow that doesn't match. You will also have to make sure that it is an easy to wash fabric , at least if you are going to use it to sleep and that it is also an easy fabric to sew or manipulate since if you choose a very thick one, you may end up getting tired of the effort you will have to do to sew it.

The second step is to fold the fabric in half lengthwise so that the reverse side, the unfinished part, is facing out. Now we will sew on the longest side and then on one of the short ones. To sew it we can do it both by hand and use a sewing machine and remember to use a thread that is discreet, so that it does not show on the fabric. 

If you know how to sew, you can try to make some type of stitch that is beautiful, such as the scallop stitch, but if what you want is to sew the fabric without noticing the stitch, it will only be enough to sew with an interior stitch that is basic .

Once we have sewn all the indicated sides, one of the sides must have remained open, in which we will have to hem. Starting with a fold of a centimeter and a half and then ironing it and, thus, leaving the mark. Then we make a second fold, this time of eight centimeters, and we iron it again.

Now it will be the turn to sew the base of the hem by hand or by machine.

If you want to add other details to your pillowcase, you can add decorative elements. Bows , borders or small fabric decorations, so that they stand out on it (especially if you have chosen a base fabric of a single color).

Once we have completely finished, it will be enough to place the cover on the pillow . Before having completely sewn it, however, or halfway through the work, it may be a good idea to check how it will stay on the pillow, since in this way we will end up convincing ourselves if the chosen fabric is really the right one or if for example Maybe the measurements are not correct (something that happens to us very frequently but it is also possible that it happens).

HOW TO DECORATE PILLOWCASES

If our pillow, in addition to its function of covering the pillow, is going to have a decorative function, then it is better to follow these other steps that we are going to offer you below. First of all, it will obviously be to do as before and choose the right fabric. As it is a pillow for aesthetic purposes, take the opportunity to choose a design with interesting prints or patterns or, directly, create your own.

For example, you can choose one fabric for the main section of the cover, another to create a curb at the openings, and a last to add decorative elements . If this last idea is the one you want to follow, then it is best that your fabrics are solid color, and a palette that matches, or that the prints are not excessive. 

As for the edges, we can tell you that the best option in this case will be to choose fabrics that are lace, or we may also like the idea of ​​sewing fringes, taking into account that these are now a trend.

The next step will be to cut the fabric to size. For a normal pillow, we will need the main fabric to measure 65 × 110 centimeters , the fabric of the edges 30 × 110 centimeters and that of the decorations 50 × 110 centimeters. When we have them, we will iron them all and we will fold the ornament fabric in half and mark the fold with the iron.

Then we will put the second fabric inside out and align it with the trim fabric on the bottom edge. Then we put on top, also aligning it to the lower edge, the main piece of fabric. We proceed to fix the position with needles. Lay the medium piece of fabric face up on your work surface. Align the trim fabric with the edge of the medium piece, so the cut sides are on the outside and the folded edge is on the inside . Finally, stretch the large piece over the medium and trim fabrics, face down.

With great care, we will take the opposite end of the main fabric and begin to roll it until it is one centimeter from our needles . Without releasing it, we will fold the medium fabric on top of that "roll" and until we reach the edge. Now, we'll hold it all together with more needles.

It is time to sew this border that we have made. We can do it both by machine and by hand , the important thing is that the seam is a centimeter and a half from the edge of the fabric. You will also need to make sure that we sew all layers of fabric and that the seam is as straight as possible.

We again go very carefully to undo the roll of fabric. 

The idea is to turn it around so that the inside fabric , the big one, comes out. We gently stretch and iron the cover so that all the pieces of fabric are smooth and without needles. If we have done well so far, we can already begin to appreciate the finish of our design.

Now we only have our decorated fabric to finish making the cover . To do this, we will fold the fabric inwards, with the reverse facing out, and we will sew one of the edges corresponding to the length and another of the width. The edge with the beautiful decorated hem that we have made is the one that should be left open.

Finally, we only have to turn the cover back over and iron it one last time, that's it!

THE MOST ORIGINAL PILLOWCASES

Need ideas for a pillowcase design ? The main thing is to determine what type of room it will be in.

For a children's room, the best are covers in bright colors or with cheerful prints . Stars, animals, or flowers are good starting points. Although what any child is sure to appreciate is a cover of their favorite fictional characters. In a teenage room, more neutral colors are more common. The same with the prints, which become more discreet. Few teens will say no to a Star Wars or Pokemon pillow though .

And the most daring adults can risk decorating their room with covers in the shape of a macaron, fruit (plus for the colors) or emoticons. If not, minimalist and symmetrical prints are the more sober alternative.