Project: Hot Dog/Burrito/Sausage Pillowcase
Are you hungry yet?!
There’s no food involved in this project, but it’s so quick and easy you’ll be done and ready for lunch/dinner/grilling pretty fast!
You may have heard of these pillowcases – we want to give you a tutorial to show you how easy they are. They are perfect for gifts or your own home, for someone young (a great kids’ project!) or new to sewing, or someone well experienced. They’re not only quick and easy, but the French seam finish gives them a beautiful look inside and out!
We’re noting some variations throughout to help you get a lot of sewing mileage out of a single project. It may also help you use up some smaller lengths of fabric you may have leftover from other projects (we know you have some of that!).
Supplies: (Items with * can be purchased direct from Moore’s online blog store, just click the link below product photos throughout this post!)
Fabric (available in Moore’s stores):
Contrast “band” or “cuff” – 1/4 yd. 45″ wide fabric, woven
Pillowcase body – 3/4 yd. 45″ wide fabric, woven Contrast flange (optional) – 1/8 yd. 45″ wide fabric, woven
Variation: Solid color pillowcase with flange – 1-1/8 yd. 45″ wide fabric, woven
Cutting Mat*
Ruler/Grid*
Rotary Cutter*
Mary Ellen Best Press* or
Terial Magic* or
Stabilizer*
Regular sewing thread (available in Moore’s stores)
Sewing Machine (available in Moore’s stores. Serger optional)
Instructions:
1. Cut the following:
Contrast “band” or “cuff”: 1/4 yd. (if your fabric was cut longer just trim to 1/4 yd. If it was a bit short, that’s ok, just trim so it’s a rectangle the width of fabric!);
Pillowcase body: 3/4 yd. 45″ fabric, woven (trim up to make sure cut edges are parallel;
Flange (optional): 1″- 2″ strip depending on desired flange size. If you would like to embellish with wide decorative stitches, use wider vs. narrower. We recommend doing some testing of your stitches first to see how wide you’d like the stitches and flange;
A rotary cutter, cutting mat, and ruler are invaluable in cutting nice straight pieces. You’ll find many uses for these tools!
We used a large (24″x36″) mat and large (6-1/2″x24-1/2″) ruler with 45mm rotary cutter.
2. We added decorative stitches to the flange. Press in half lengthwise, and if you are going to do some decorative stitching, stabilize as well. We used a strip of lightweight cutaway and spray adhesive. We also like a good press with Best Press (many scents as well as odorless available), a light fusible cutaway like Quilters Select Cutaway, or a liquid fabric stiffener like Terial Magic. (Click on any of these products below to purchase them now!).
Quilters Select Cutaway – Add to my cart!
3. Test your deco stitches on some scrap fabric you’ve stabilized to get just the stitch/setting you like. With flange open, right side up, stitch your decorative stitch down one side. We used the left toe of the foot along fold of fabric as our guide for straight stitching. We opened the flange fabric to stitch so the underside of flange doesn’t show the bottom side of stitching!
4. Lay completed stitched flange, folded, stitched side up, on top of right side of pillow body fabric matching raw edges, full width of fabric. (NOTE: We know the length may vary based on different fabric widths – don’t worry, we’ll take care of this later!).
Now layer the cuff/band fabric on top of this, matching raw edges along long edge, but with cuff/band fabric RIGHT SIDE DOWN. (NOTE: We still know the lengths may vary, we’ll get them evened up!).
Pin baste these layers together.
5. Fold up the cuff/band fabric, and begin rolling up the body fabric – all the way until it’s around the flange area – we flipped the cuff/band over to show right side and see rolled up fabric as far as it should go.
Now wrap the cuff/band fabric over and around the roll – the “hot dog” – so the long raw edges of the cuff/band fabric meet up and are holding your “hot dog” inside. The right sides of cuff/band fabric should be together.
6. Re-pin, pinning all layers, with pins parallel to the long edge, points to left. This will make them easier to grab and remove as you sew up to them.
We used these quilting pins –
7. We used a 1/4″ foot with right guide to sew the seam. You can also use a 1/4″ foot without guide or a regular presser foot, but we use this foot for a lot more than simple 1/4″ seaming (more in a post to come!). If you don’t have a 1/4″ foot stop on in to a Moore’s store to see what’s available for your machine!
8. Press as stitched.
9. Pull your “hot dog” body fabric through the opening, either end. Press the sewn seam both sides. Isn’t that a nice clean finished look?
10. Now even up the side where the three fabrics were uneven due to differing fabric width – you’ll have a nice straight edge like the other side!
11. French seam method – Fold pillowcase in half crosswise – WRONG SIDES TOGETHER – matching seam lines where your cuff/band joins your body fabric. Pin in place.
We still use the 1/4″ foot with right guide – but we have moved our needle three clicks to the right. TEST THIS ON YOUR MACHINE FIRST! Before we did this we tested moving the needle, turning the hand wheel manually to walk through a few steps to make sure we had clearance. There actually is a little “wiggle room” to move the needle even in the single hole foot, but you MUST TEST FIRST on your own equipment! We did this to get a seam a little less than 1/4″.
12. Stitch down long side and along bottom to close pillowcase. Press sewn seam.
13. Turn “inside out” – the wrong side of fabric is actually outside now (this is right – we’re making a French seam!). We like using this Point Turner & Presser to get nice sharp corners —
Press seam line.
14. Now move your needle back to center then one click left and use the right guide along the edge of your fabric to sew the long seam and bottom seam. Press sewn seam.
15. Turn right side out – press seams well – and your pillowcase is done! Don’t those finished seams look great inside?!
Here are some variations we promised – we’d love it if you’d tell us about your own variations and post pictures on our Facebook page to inspire others!
VARIATION: Instead of French seams, steps 11 – 13, fold pillowcase in half crosswise, RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER. Use your sewing machine or serger to sew together. A serger will still give a nice finished look inside – if you don’t have one – you should! It’s the best partner your sewing machine can have – it complements your sewing as a microwave complements your oven! Take a look around, and come on in to let us show you what you can do!
VARIATION: Use same fabric for cuff/band and body for a simple, monotone look.
VARIATION: Embroider the cuff/band – personalize with initials, a name, or an endless embroidery design (super easy to do continuous embroidery with models that have “Innov Eye” technology from Brother or Baby Lock, Precise Positioning from Pfaff, or an easy Clothsetter from Janome! Embroider first with cuff/band fabric open so you don’t see the wrong side when finished!
VARIATION: Create a delicate look – use a wing needle and heirloom stitch to create a vintage look, stitching along the seamline between cuff/band and body. Weave a delicate 1/8″ ribbon through. Embroider a very light or tone on tone design in the middle of pillow body. Do some wingstitching on the cuff/band.
VARIATION: Use lace trim, ruffled eyelet, rick rack, or other trimmings instead of flange.
VARIATION: Halloween will be here before you know it! Use holiday themed fabric for a super size trick or treat bag. When the trick or treaters get home they can empty out their treats, slip in their pillow, and be ready for sweet dreams!
