HOME HINTS

The pillowcase has a pocket or “housewife” which holds the pillow in position. You can make the case from one, two or three sections, depending on whether you are making the case from small pieces or a generous length. Not all manufactured pillows come in a standard size so you will need to your pillow. For a one-piece case, measure the length and width of the pillow. The fabric should be the width of the pillow plus 8cm for turnings, and room for getting the pillow in and out easily. The length should be twice the length of the pillow plus 23cm for the pocket, turnings and room for manoeuvre. Try to cut the piece so that one of the short ends has a selvedge.

Press under the opposite end by 6.5cm and stitch under 5mm of that, close to the edge, to make a double hem. Fold the selvedge and over, wrong sides together to make a pocket 15cm long, and over that fold up the hemmed end. Also wrong sides together, stitch the side edges half a centimeter in from the edge, and trim and seams to half that. Turn the pillowcase wrong side out and press the seams. Stitch again, 5mm in from the edge to from a French seam. Turn and press the finished pillow case. If you cut the fabric in two or three sections, the seams must fall where the fabric folds over to make the housewife pocket, and /or at the other end. Join this sections with French seams, continue as for the one piece pillow case.