Pillowcases for Christmas.

When my daughters were little I made them matching pajamas, which they opened on Christmas Eve.  As they got older, I made pajama pants.  They are no longer growing, so they never grow out of the pajama pants.  They have so many that this year I made pillowcases.  In fact, I made five of them this morning.  Flannel for the girls in the cold climates and cotton for the warmer climate. 

Here are the instructions, should you wish to sew up a few.
To make 1 pillowcase you'll need:

• 1 piece of fabric 27" x 42" for the main body of the case - 3/4 yard (make sure that the person selling it to you cuts it evenly because this is an exact measurement.  You may want to purchase a few extra inches in case you  need to straighten the edges).
• 1 piece of fabric 3" x 42" for the accent fabric (orange in the photo above) - 1/8 yard.
• 1 piece of fabric 10" x 42" for the hem fabric - 1/3 yard.

Instructions:

1. Fold the 3" x 42" piece in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together and press.  This piece will now measure 1 1/2" x 42". 
2. Position the hem fabric (10" x 42") in a single layer with the right side up (facing you).  The 42" will run from left to right and you will be sewing along this 42" length.  Place the 1 1/2" folded accent strip on top of the unfolded hem piece at the top of the hem piece with the raw edges together, the right sides of both fabrics facing up.  Pin the raw edges.  Baste together the three raw edges with a long stitch length.  If your fabric has a direction make sure that the characters are facing up (see the snowmen).  Set aside.
3. Position the 27" piece of pillowcase body fabric with the right side of the fabric facing up.  Place the basted accent strip/hem onto the body with the accent strip facing the right side of the body fabric and the hem strip facing you.  Pin the raw edges together.  You should not see the accent strip; it is on the inside now.  Seam these pieces together with a 1/4" seam.  Press. 
4. Now take the hem fabric and bring it's right side up to meet the previous seam (the one that you just sewed) with the right sides of the hem fabric facing each other.  In this step you are enclosing the body of the pillowcase inside the hem piece, which forms a tube around the seams of the hem so that there are no raw edges showing when you are finished seaming.  It will be bulky.  You should have pinned the hem so that it forms a tube around the body of the pillowcase.  Now seam it with the right sides of the hem together.  The hem fabric that you can see will be the wrong side at this point.  Make sure that you do not catch any of the rolled pillowcase body fabric in your seam as you sew or you will not be able to turn it right side out. 
5. Pull and turn the body of the pillowcase out from one open end of the tube.  The raw edges of the hem, accent strip, and the body of the pillowcase will now be enclosed in the hem.   Press. Your piece should now measure 36 1/4" long  x 42" wide. 
6. Fold the pillowcase in half lengthwise, right sides together, matching the raw edges of the sides and top.  Pin.  Starting at the hem, sew a 1/4" seam around the sides and across the top of the pillowcase.  Serge or zig-zag the raw edges if you wish.
7. Turn, press. and enjoy.

Linked to Fresh Clean and Pure Friday and Seasonal Saturday.