First off, I am really enjoying reading the comments on my Giveaway post about hand making Christmas gifts. Many of you have mentioned giving pillowcases which I think is a fabulous idea ... leading me to Exhibit A: The pillowcase above. It will be a gift for a family member. I'm about 99% sure she doesn't read this blog, but just in case I'm not giving a name. -
Anyway, to make my pillowcase, I used a store-bought pillowcase as a guide. My goal was to make it as fancy (gaudy?) as possible, while not doing anything out of my skill range or making it too fancy to use and wash frequently. So, this is the result. I dressed it up by using four fabrics, two piping rows, variegated thread and some decorative stitching.
The two rows of piping.
The decorative stitching. It is on the edge of the cuff.
So ... I am really happy with this. But there was definitely a learning curve involved.-
Lessons learned in no particular order ...
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If you are using French seams (this was my first attempt), take that into account and cut everything a smidgen bigger as more fabric disappears into that double seam than you are used to.
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Two rows of piping looks super-cool, but it is also super-bulky at the seams. My sewing foot seemed to travel up a little mountain to get over this area and I went back and over it a few times to be sure everything was sturdy.
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Decorative stitches are annoying, actually-like- capital -A-Annoying, to pick out. Especially flowers. If you leave plain white thread in your bobbin and only use the nice variegated thread for the top, then your finished stitch line has a pretty side and a plain white side. Be SURE when you attach the cuff with the decorative stitches, that the pretty side is up. (I thought I had double checked, but oh well.)
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Make the iron your friend. I pressed this constantly to keep everything straight and even and it really helped. It all matches nicely and lays flat.
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If you use a store-bought pillowcase as a guide to freestyle the pattern like I did, make your pillowcase a little longer to really hide the pillow. Longer is better and somehow seems more deluxe.
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So, now that this practice prototype is done, I think the other ones will go faster.
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Happy Stitching!
