Christmas Pillow Covers

Here's a mini-tutorial on how to sew an edging on a pillow cover. Mini because I just forget to take pics of each step. So I'll apologize now for any missing steps.

For the Grinch pillow I made, I cut 1 piece of 19 x 19 fabric, for the front. Then I cut a 2   12x 19 pieces for the back ( I used plain red fabric since the Grinch fabric is kind of more expensive.

Then I layered this pom-pom fringe around the edge of the pillow. Pin it into place. Make sure the straight edge is pinned against the edge (and make sure the right side of the fabric is facing up. The pom-poms should be farther away from the edge. Sew it on. Then I layed 1 piece of my backside fabric on TOP of the Grinch/w pom-pom piece, right sides together. Sew it on. Do the same with the other back piece.

Then I decided I wanted to make a pleated pillow cover.

I cut about 6 or 7 (36 inch long strips x 5 inches wide). I pinned all the strips together, end to end.

See. Here is where I sewed the right sides together. And I just repeated that step, for each strip of fabric to get 1 really long strip of fabric.

Then I flattened each seam.

Then I folded the super long strip in half in half and ironed it.

 Then I started to lay the "edging" along the edge of the pillow. Just make sure the right side (the good side) of the fabric is facing up. Some fabrics it doesn't matter, obviously with this green fabric it didn't. ALSO, make sure the open edge of the edging is lining up with the edge of the fabric (in this case, the green fabric). You always want the "bad" edge of whatever fringe you choose , to be touching the edge of the right (good) side of the edge of the fabric. Whether it's pom-poms, fringe, or whatever. Clear as mud?

To do a pleat, lay down the fabric edge and then fold up a little, lay flat, fold up etc.

I pinned as I went. 

The Corners.....

I totally messed up my pleated corners. I should have folded over extra around the corner (I need to post a tutorial on that when I get it figured out). 

Once I finally made it around to the end, I opened up the  edge of my strip.....

And tucked  in the edge, so it looked more finished, 

Here's the final pillow.

Then I layed one back piece on top of the right side of the pillow.

Lay on the second back piece.

It works better if you flip over your project and work from the opposite side. 

Here's the finished product. Let me know if you want a tutorial on how to create the Christmas Tree applique pillow. It was the same technique I used on my daughter's birthday shirt , here Appliqued T-Shirt Tutorial. I just layered different fabrics using Heat N Bond.

I have a few more sewing projects to finish before the end of the week. I hope I can get them all done. Christmas is coming up quick.