Create your own farmhouse style ruffled pillow cases effortlessly! Share the love by gifting these shabby chic pillows to friends for a touch of handmade charm in their homes!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Active Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr
Course: Sewing
Cuisine: International
Keyword: ruffle pillow, ruffle pillowcase, ruffled pillow case
Start by measuring your pillows in width and length.
You will have to cut one panel for the front and 2 panels for the back of the pillowcase.
Mark your fabric with a fabric marker; using a yardstick is very helpful. Cut or rip the fabric as follows (I recommend ripping for the frayed effect):
1 panel for the front of the pillowcase, matching your pillow measurements plus an extra 1" to the width and 4" to the length. The extra inch is for seam allowance (you'll sew the top and bottom of the pillow cases using a 1/2" allowance on each). The extra 4" (2" on each side of the pillow case) are to accommodate the ruffles and the seam allowance (which is not enclosed as they typically are on pillowcases but sewn on the outside and exposed).
1 panel for the back that is as wide as the front panel and is half the length of the front panel plus 1" allowance
1 panel for the back that is as wide as the front panel and is half the length of the front panel plus 1" allowance plus 5" for overlapping the first back panel.
For the ruffles, you'll need two strips twice as long as the width of the pillow (front and back; i.e your pillow is 10" wide so you have 10" for the front and 10" for the back of the pillow; you'll then need a 40" strip for 1 ruffle and 40" strips for the second ruffle).
The back panels will need to overlap in the back and create some sort of a "pocket" where you can insert the pillow into the pillowcase.
The raw overlapping edges need to be finished as follows.
Working with one panel at a time, get the overlapping edge, fold 1/2" and press with your iron. Fold again 1/2" and press. Get the panel to your sewing machine and run a regular stitch along the pressed edge, using a 1/ seam allowance.
Repeat for the second panel.
Run a small stitch along the sides of each panel (font and back), about 1/2" away from the frays to prevent over fraying in the future.
Remove 3-4 threads on both sides of each panel.
Place the front panel right side out.
Place the long back panel over the front panel, on the left hand side, wrong side out, sewn edge facing towards the middle of the pillowcase. The front and long back panel should match at the raw sides, top and bottom.
Add the short back panel on the right hand side, wrong side out, sewn edge facing towards the middle of the pillowcase. The front and short back panel should match at the raw sides, top and bottom.
Pin the top and the bottom seams.
Sew down each seam with 1/2" seam allowance then finish the seam with a serger or a zig zag stitch.
Turn pillowcase right side out.
Remove 3-4 threads along both sides of each ruffle strip.
Run a small stitch along one side of each strip.
Ruffle the strips using your preferred method (I've got a tutorial for gathering fabric here) to match the width of the pillows as indicated above.
Measure 2" away from each side, mark and trace a line with a fabric marker using a yardstick
Using lots of pins, attach the ruffles following these marks. The edge of the ruffle(the one without the small stitch) should match the line you traced on the pillowcase. Each ruffled strip should go all along each side, from front to back (like a circle)
Sew down from front to the back using a regular stitch.
Repeat for the second ruffled strip and the other end of the pillow case.
Now all you have left to do is close the pillowcase ends.
Fold the ruffles towards the inside of the pillowcase and pin to the pillowcase to get them out of your way.
This way the side edges will be exposed and you can sew down the back and front panels together with a regular stitch, using a 1" allowance.
Remove the pins.
Insert your pillow into your ruffled pillow case using the pocket in the back. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips: to prevent the pillowcase from over-fraying as you wash it over and over again, simply run a straight stitch about ¼ inch away from the frayed edge. Feel free to make the ruffles as short or as long as you like them, there’s absolute freedom in choosing the design of these ruffled pillow cases.Note: This ruffled pillow case tutorial is for an envelope pillowcase. The top and the bottom seams of the pillowcase are enclosed in the pillowcase and you'll need to finish with a serger or a zig zag stitch. The sides of the pillow case are sewn with the fabric right side out so the seam is exposed to the outside and the edges are a bit frayed, to match the ruffles.