Instructions for Sewing Pillow Shams

Study the pictures of luxurious bedrooms in home decor magazines or department store catalogs and you'll see they have one thing in common--pillow shams. Designers use pillow shams to add color and texture to a bedroom. The shams cover bed pillows and are easy to remove for washing or to change the look of the pillow. The pillow shams add a rich look, but they're simple and inexpensive to make.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Straight Pins
• Pencil
• 1 yd. fabric
• Scissors
• Iron
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Measure the length and width of your pillow, using the tape measure.

2. Use straight pins or a pencil to mark your fabric the length of your pillow plus 1 inch. Mark the width plus 1 inch. Cut out this rectangle of fabric. This is the front of your pillow sham.

3. Fold the fabric so it's doubled. Use the pins or pencil to mark the width of your pillow plus 1 inch. Mark half the length of your pillow plus 3 inches. Cut out this rectangle, cutting through both layers of fabric. These two pieces will form the back of your pillow sham.

4. Cut two pieces of fabric 4 inches wide and twice the length of your pillow. Cut two more pieces of fabric 4 inches wide and twice the width of your pillow. These pieces will form the ruffle on your pillow sham.

5. Fold under 1/4 inch on one short side of each of the back pieces of your sham and press. Fold under another 1 inch and press again. Sew close to the edge of this second fold to form a hem.

6. Sew a narrow hem on one long edge of all your ruffle pieces by folding under 1/4 inch, then folding over 1/4 inch again. Sew down the folded edge. Hem the short ends of the ruffle sections the same way.

7. Set the stitch length on your sewing machine to its longest length. Sew a line of stitching close to the un-hemmed long edge of each ruffle section. Leave a 6-inch tail of thread at each end of the piece. Pull one of these threads at one end of each ruffle section to gather the ruffle. Gather the ruffle until the shorter sections match the short sides of the front of your pillow sham and the longer sections match the long sides of the front of your pillow sham.

8. Lay the front of your pillow sham on a table or other flat surface with the right side of the fabric facing you. Beginning with one of the shorter ruffle sections, match the raw edges of the gathered ruffle and the short side of the front of the pillow sham and pin in place. The hemmed side of the ruffle will be to toward the center of your pillow sham. Pin all four ruffle sections in place this way, being sure to bring the ends of the ruffle all the way to the end of the pillow sham.

9. Machine baste the ruffle in place, sewing 1/4 inch from the edge of the pillow sham with the thread length on your machine still set to its longest length. Remove the pins as you sew. Trim any excess thread.

10. Lay the two back sections face down on top of the ruffles and sham front you've just sewn. The ruffles should be sandwiched between the front and back of the sham. Match up the raw edges of the sham sections. The two back pieces should overlap in the center. Pin in place.

11. Set your stitch length back to its normal setting. Sew 1/2 inch from the raw edges all the way around the pillow sham. Remove the pins as you sew.

12. Turn the pillow sham right side out. Tug on the ruffles to extend them completely. Slip a pillow into the sham, stuffing one side into the back of the sham, then the other.

Tips & Warnings

• For a more tailored look, make your pillow sham without a ruffle.

• For the best results, choose slightly stiff fabrics such as upholstery fabric, linen, denim or heavy cotton.

References

• "Sewing for the Home;" Editors of Creative Publishing; 2002