Envelope Style Pillow Covers

You’re not going to believe just how easy it is to make a pillow cover for any size square or rectangle shaped pillow.

I have outlined the steps below. It should only take you about a 1/2 hour and just about anyone with any sewing skills at all will be able to do this.

Supplies:
-1 Yard of Fabric (per 16″ pillow)
-Matching Color Thread

Tools:
-Sewing Machine
-Scissors
-Straight Pin
-Iron
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Step 1. Measure the pillow you are going to cover and write down the width (w) and height (t) of your pillow.

Step 2. Cut fabric to use for the front of the pillow. The measurement should be  1 inch wider and 1 inch taller than your pillow (1/2 inch larger on each side for seam allowance).

Step 3. Cut fabric to use for the back of the pillow. There will be 2 back pieces that overlap to cover the back of the pillow. The measurements for each piece should be 1 inch larger than the width of the pillow & 2/3 of the height of your pillow.

For Example:
If you have a 18 inch wide x 18 inch tall pillow
Front fabric piece measures 19 inches wide x 19 inches tall
Two back pieces measure 19 inch wide x 12 inches tall

Step 4. Fold & press fabric ½” towards the wrong side. This should be along one of the width wise sides of each of the smaller back pieces. Fold & press another ½” in the same direction along the same edge. Secure with straight pins. (For the example above, it would be along on of the 19 inch wide sides.)

Step 5. Top stitch along this edge to create a hem. Do this for both of the back pieces.

Step 6. Place the front piece on the table with right side up. Place each of the two back pieces (with right sides down) onto the front pieces, so that right sides are touching. The hemmed sides of the back pieces should be in the middle. Pin to secure.

Step 7. With 1/2 inch seam allowance, sew the two back pieces to the front piece. You can start wherever you want. You are finished when you return to where you started sewing.

Step 8. Turn pillow cover right side out and iron.