I love making simple pillow covers out of Vintage Fat Quarter Fabric pieces. Vintage Fabric cut into Fat Quarters measure about 18 inches by 22 inches. Buying vintage fabric cut into fat quarters can often mean you save money on vintage or retro fabric that might normally be too expensive!
You can easily sew great looking Pillow covers out of almost any Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter.
If you do want to show the design on the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter pillow, the keep this in mind as you work on this simple vintage or retro material craft project.
This is a great way to display Vintage Fabric Fat Quarters you have collected over the years! For more ideas from Rebecca click here.
Now, if you are not lucky enough to have a bunch of Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter laying around waiting to be made into these simple pillowslip covers, then try checking out ebay and Craigslist. I find Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter online all the time. Wash them and you know they are clean!
Now, to Make a Pillow Slipcovers Out of Vintage Fabric Fat Quarters You Will Need:
Now, I like to simply first turn my Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter face down. You want the good side facing down on the work surface.
Now, insert your pillow onto the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter. Place it so that the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter wraps around it comfortably. You can place another piece of retro fabric con the back or save money with less expensive fabric that won’t show as much.
Now, take your straight pins and outline the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter and back fabric around the pillow insert making sure to pin straight lines on all four sides.
Now, I like to unpin the bottom side and slide the inserted pillow out. This is optional though. It certainly is a lot easier to sew the pillow slipcover from the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter if there is no pillow inside though.
Now, sew along the top and the two sides with your sewing machine. I recommend starting at the bottom left and working my way to the bottomed right.
Now, I also recommend sewing this Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter t pillow slip cover with a matching thread, you will most likely be able to see the thread at some point, so pay attention to detail.
Now, you should also sew these three sides at least twice. This will ensure your retro pillowslip cover stays together.
Now, cut of any lose thread and trim the three sides of the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter down to about three inches away from the lines you just sewed. Do not cut on the bottom where you have not sewn.
Now, turn the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter slipcover inside out. Insert your pillow back inside and sew it closed with your sewing machine or by hand. This is when you really do need the matching thread so it does not show up so much.
Basically you are finished.
If you want to sew some embellishments onto the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter pillowslip cover I recommend using another piece of a different colored Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter. You could also use vintage buttons.
Cut out a square of Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter that is about three inches bigger in each direction than the shape you want.
Now, before you insert the pillow and sew the slipcover shut you want to lay your piece of accent retro fabric onto the front of the Vintage Fabric Fat Quarter pillow. Use a piece of chalk to outline your shapes. Now, use the sewing machine to sew along the chalk line. You need to bunch the other side up so you do not sew through bow sides of the pillow cover. It will keep you from inserting your pillow if you do.
Now, take your scissors and trim off about ½ to 1-inch away form the line you sewed outlining the shape.
Remove any excess fabric then insert the pillow and sew it closed!
