Birthday Shop Hop: How to Make a Pillow Case

I really haven’t had the opportunity to sit down and chronicle our Idaho trip, but thought I’d jump ahead in the narration and share what my dear hubby did for me on my birthday. He drove me over 50 miles to take me to a quilt shop!

We had a wonderful week at the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch near Stanely Idaho. Horse back riding (tales to follow), white water rafting (also on my birthday) as well as time to just chill out on the porch or to hike up the mountain behind the lodge, and the food – oh my! I don’t think I was really prepared for “fine dining”…

My birthday was on Weds 7/23 and my husband arranged to borrow one of the two vans that had been rented to haul our 10 member clan around Idaho. He knew I’d checked the handy dandy quilter’s traveler’s yellow pages way back when and that there was a shop in Hailey – The Fabric Granary…so off we headed for a morning adventure.

Did I mention it was cool in Idaho in the mornings? Here’s a photo of me on my birthday wearing a sweatshirt! I tell ya’, that doesn’t happen much to this Texas gal! It warmed up pretty quick for a most beautiful day!

The fun thing about visiting new quilt shops has to be the eye candy. I love seeing the shop samples on the walls – actually saw one just like one I’d quilted for our local shop. It’s like being in a familiar environment – lining the walls were fabric lines that I was familiar with from back home (it was great to see some of Robyn Pandolph’s fabric, she’s a local designer in my neck of the woods). But the real treasure hunt is trying to find something unique to take home as a souvenir…and since I make a lot of scrap quilts I usually look for fat quarters to add to my stash.

While I was visiting with another customer and the shop clerk (quilters make friends easily ya’know) my husband was actually looking around (he’s gotten extremely good about noticing fabrics, patterns, quilting styles, etc.) All of a sudden he appears behind me as I’m choosing a half yard cut for my memories and declares “I’ve found some fabric you need to buy me.” I thought he was joking.

He wasn’t joking! My husband is a big car fan having had owned a paint and body shop back in the day, He raced some in his younger days as he turned NASCAR and NHRA fan. Well, low and behold he found fabric with ’57 Chevys all over it. Yes, he had to have this fabric….

So for my birthday, I bought a half yard of a really cute juvenile ladybug print that will find it’s way into the next scrap quilt and a yard and a half of Chevy print to make my wonderful husband, who drove 50+ miles ONE WAY to a quilt shop, a pillow case….

Here’s the recipe for making a pillow case with no exposed seams. The exact measurements are not given as you will need to measure your pillow. (We have very small orthopedic pillows so my size is smaller than the norm). I hope you enjoy this pattern and seeing my birthday fabric purchase!

Pillowcase

Fabrics:

¾ yard main print or 1 ½ yard if directional

1/8 yd for accent trim

1/3 yd for band

Assembly instructions:

1. Trim the 1/8 yd of fabric to the desired width, I use either 2.5 inches or 3 inches.
2. Fold the accent trim in half lengthwise, wrong sides together and press
3. Lay the main fabric right side up, with the raw edge on top – pay attention to the direction of the fabric and which side you want the opening with the trim to be on
4. Pin the trim fabric to the right side of the main fabric, matching raw edges
5. Pin the right side of the band fabric to the right side of the main fabric layered with the trim
   

Next, sorta flip the band fabric out of the way where you can see the main fabric again, gently fold or roll the main fabric up to the pinned area – the loose side of the band fabric will encase this roll and be pinned to the back forming a tube. (The right side of the band fabric will be on the wrong side of the main fabric on this side)

1. Sew across the width over the pinned seam, forming a tube.
2. Reach inside the tube and pull out the main fabric, pressing well – ta-da, no exposed seams!
3. Sew the side seam with a French seam or serge
4. Sew the end with a French seam or serge

French Seam:

1. Match raw edges with wrong sides together
2. Sew a 1/8” seam, it is important to sew a small seam!
3. Press well
4. Reposition to right sides together with sewn raw edges inside
5. Sew again this time with a ¼” to 3/8” seam.

Enjoy making your own pillow cases!
Professional Quilt Model not included