If you know how to sew pillow shams, not only will you save some money, you will get exactly the type of home décor that you want. In addition, you will have the pride of knowing that you made your pillow shams yourself. The secret is that sewing pillow shams is really not that difficult.
How to Sew Pillow Shams
In order to sew this pillow sham, you will need one yard of 55 inch fabric and two and one-half yards of a trim of your choice. In addition to your sewing machine, you will also need an iron, straight pins, a pencil, scissors and a water glass. However, if you want something to drink while you are sewing this sham, you will have to use another glass.
You are going to be making a 20inch by 20 inch pillow with round corners. In order to do this, you will need to cut one 21 inch by 21 inch piece and two 13 inch by 21 inch pieces of fabric.
Turn your fabric wrong side out. Take your water glass, preferably the one that is empty, and place the glass near the edge of one of the four corners of your square piece of fabric. Trace the curve at the corner with your pencil. Repeat on the other three corners. Do the same with two of the corners on a length side of each of the two other pieces. Cut off the extra fabric with your scissors.
Zig-zag all of the edges of the square piece of fabric. Then, zig-zag the three edges of the rectangular pieces that include the curved corners, leaving the straight edge alone. Zig-zagging the edges will help prevent the fabric from fraying.
You are going to hem the two raw edges of the rectangles. Fold about one-quarter of an inch of fabric in and then fold the fabric over again for about another one-quarter inch. Pin in place and then iron. Use a straight stitch to sew the edge closed and remove the pins. Repeat with the other piece of rectangular fabric.
Turn up the right side of the 21 by 21 inch piece of fabric. Pin your trim onto the top of the fabric, making sure that the sewing edge of the trim runs along the zig-zagged edge of the square. The trim itself should be "on top" of the sewing edge. Avoid pinning the trim too tightly or the pillow may pucker.
Now, pin the rectangles right side in on top on the square-and-trim so that the corners match and the rectangles overlap on their hemmed sides.
The size of your seam allowance should be the same as the width of the trim's sewing band. Depending on the thickness of your trim, you may have to use a zipper foot. Pull the pins out before you sew in a given area to avoid damaging your sewing machine.
When you are finished sewing, turn the sham right side out and stuff your pillow right side in.
You may now finish your beverage of choice.
 | The key to sewing for beginners is not to take on too much too soon. Enlist the help of a friend who sews before investing in materials or a sewing machine and choose a basic project geared toward beginners. Sewing skills can take time to perfect, so don't give up after only one try. |
Doing some simple Christmas sewing projects can save you money and add spice to your home during the holiday season. |
Whether you're just getting started in garment construction, or you've been doing it a long time, there are certain things you can do to make it go a little smoother. |
Knowing a few simple sewing tips can do wonders for your wardrobe, not to mention your bank account. |
The first thing any comedian does, on getting an unscheduled laugh, is to verify the state of his buttons. |
