DIY Easy Envelope Pillowcases with Velcro Closure

Are you tired of your boring old throw pillows? Want to add a pop of color or a touch of personality to your living space? Well, look no further! In this blog post, we'll show you how to create your very own envelope pillowcases with a twist - a Velcro closure! Get ready to unleash your inner DIY guru and add some flair to your home decor.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Before you dive into this fun project, ensure you have all the necessary materials ready. You'll need fabric of your choice, Velcro strips, a sewing machine (or a needle and thread if you're feeling extra crafty), scissors, and a measuring tape. Don't forget your favorite tunes to keep you grooving while you work!

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Materials:

Step 2: Calculations and Cutting Fabric

Calculations:

I got 24-inch X 24-inch pillow forms, which means I would need the width to be 24 inches plus 1 inch (for a 1/2-inch seam allowance), totaling 25 inches. To make an easy envelope-style pillowcase, the length needs to be 54 inches. You need this amount because you want to double the size of the pillow (24 inches + 24 inches) plus 6 inches for the overlap to create the envelope style, so the total comes out to be 54 inches. You can always add more to the length if you want more of an overlap. Your choice.

Quick Reference Equation:

  • Width of Pillow + 1 inch (for 1/2-inch seam allowance) = Fabric Width
    • Example: 24 inches + 1 inch = 25 inches
  • (Length of Pillow X 2) + 6 inches (for overlap) = Fabric Length
    • Example: 24 inches X 2 (=48 inches) + 6 inches = 54 inches

Cut Fabric:

I lay out my fabric on my cutting table to cut out four 25-inch X 54-inch pieces.

  

Fabric laid out on my cutting table.

 

My technique for cutting fabric in a straight line is I line up the fabric with the markings on the left, then drape it over the edge of the table. Next, I rely on two rulers to guide my cuts, as you can see in the above photo.

 

Step 3: Folding, Ironing, and Hemming

Fold and Iron:

Lay your fabric pattern side down on the ironing board. You want to fold the ends of the long side of the fabric 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch and iron. Next, fold the fabric about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch and iron. Do this on the other end of the fabric. The final result is a double-folded hem on both ends.


Sew Hem:

On the patterned side of the fabric, stitch about 1/4 inch or less from the edge on both sides of the fabric you just pressed down to the hem. I prefer setting my machine's stitching length to 2.5 to increase the number of stitches. Additionally, I use a walking foot for my sewing machine to prevent the fabric from shifting while I sew. A walking foot isn't necessary for your machine, but it does make the process easier.

  

Hemming with Walking foot

Fold and Pin:

Lay your fabric down, pattern side up, lengthwise. Fold the right side to about 12 inches toward the middle. Then fold the left side over the side you just folded, overlapping it about 3 to 4 inches. You might have to adjust both sides to make sure it measures 24 inches long. Next, pin or clip the open seams.

Fold the right side of the fabric over to 12 inches.

 

Fold the left side of the fabric over about 14 inches, overlapping the other side about 3 to 4 inches. 

 

Showing the overlap.

 

I used clips to hold the open seams together, but you can use quilting pins.

 

Step 4: Sewing

Sew & Serge:

Sew a 1/2-inch seam allowance on both open seam sides. Optionally, you can serge the edges to prevent the fabric from fraying. If you do not have a serger machine, you can use the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine to sew the edges to prevent fraying.

 

Sewing a 1/2 inch from the edge of the fabric for my seam allowance.

 

Serge the edges.

 

 

Tip: After you serge the edges, fold over your tail. 

 

Tip: Sew the serge tail on the edge, then cut off the excess. This prevents the serge tail from coming loose and unraveling over time.

Turn and Stuff:

Turn your pillowcase right side out and stuff your pillow form inside. TA-DA! Now, you are done if you are not going to add Velcro. If you are adding Velcro, continue with Step 5.

 

Finished back and front.

Note: After I stuffed my pillow form into the pillowcase, I noticed that the opening on the backside kept sagging a bit. I decided to add Velcro to hold everything together and keep the pillowcase snug. This is how I came to the conclusion to share my ah-ha moment with you. Continue reading if you want to know how I added Velcro to a finished pillowcase.

Step 5: Add Velcro

Adding Velcro:

Have the pillowcase wrong side out. I pulled the top overlap down to expose the first folded side. I cut a 6-inch-long piece of Velcro and pulled the pieces apart. I took the rough portion of the Velcro, centered it on the first fold of the fabric right against the hem, and then pinned it down. Make sure you only pin one layer of fabric.

 

Pinned the first Velcro piece to the first fabric layer against the hem.

Next, I placed the top layer (overlap) back in its original position so I could feel where I pinned the first Velcro piece. This would allow me to align the second Velcro piece with the first piece. I positioned my finger at the point where the Velcro folded back the overlap layer of fabric, exposing the first Velcro piece. Then I pinned the second Velcro piece onto the overlap fabric (print side).

 

Fold the overlap fabric back on top of the first layer of fabric.

 

 

While keeping everything aligned, I fold back the overlap layer enough to expose the first Velcro piece.

 

 

Pin the second Velcro piece on the overlap layer (make sure to pin only one layer of fabric and not two)

Sew Velcro:

Sew the Velcro pieces in place. I like to sew around twice around the Velcro so it can stay secure. This way, when you pull Velcro pieces apart, the stitches won't come out easily over time. Also, make sure you move any excess fabric out of the way when you sew. You don't want to sew other layers of fabric together.



Sew Velcro.


Finished Sewing twice around the Velcro. Keeping it secure.

 

Completed Pillows!

Here are my four completed pillows! As you can see, I like to match the pattern pieces, so the pillows look very professional.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

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