Unique Gift Wrapping - A Homemade Pillowcase!

Today, I want to share with you not only a super easy sewing project to make for Christmas gifts but also to make for various organizations that are looking for pillowcases to be donated to children in need. I know when I had left my first husband, my daughter received her very own pillowcase from a quilting organization at the Woman's Abuse Shelter. Since then, the Quilt Guild I belong to collects them along with a local quilt store.

Since that time, I have made special pillowcases for Jen which came especially handy when there would be "sleep-overs" as not to get her pillow confused with others BUT also a great wrapping instrument for gifts.  I now make them for Lily and this is her "special" pillowcase that I made to put her Christmas presents in this year.

Supplies:

• 3/4 yard main fabric
• 1/4 yard contrast fabric for cuff 

• trim the salvage away on both the main fabric and the cuff fabric 

TIP: at the same time make sure the width of the fabric is the same as not all fabrics are the same width

TIP: I use my cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter to trim

• to make this a little more special, I embroidered "Lily's" name on the cuff 

TIP: to find the center of the one side of the cuff, less seam allowance, use your iron to mark the center

TIP: to embroider the name in the right direction the raw edge is at the top of your hoop with 2 layers of a tear-away stabilizer 

• a complimentary thread was used to embroider her name 

• tear away the excess stabilizer and press to remove any wrinkles
• with right sides together with the main fabric sew along the bottom of the case and along the one side using a 1/4-inch seam allowance, if you have a serger available, serge the raw edges to avoid any raveling  

• turn to the right side and at which point I press to set the seam 
• stitch 1/4-inch seam on cuff to make a circle and press seam open
• press under 3/8-inch of the cuff which is used to top-stitch cuff  

• pin wrong side of main fabric to right side of cuff (NOTE: not the side you had pressed the 3/8-inch) and sew in 1/4-inch seam allowance 

• turn cuff to the right side and top-stitch the cuff to the right side of the case 
• VIOLA, you have now made your very first pillowcase which I'm sure will be one of many!!!!! 

Thanks for stopping by today and hope you want to try making these also!

I hope your enjoyed today's project too. If you have a questions or suggestions, please leave it in the comments. Also, you can join up to our Facebook group: Scrapbook Blessings Club for more fun, games, inspiration, tips and techniques. Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day! SBC Design Team Member

Lynne