Sewing 101: Assembling a pillow case
Finally! After going step by step through choosing and measuring material for a pillow case, and then cutting the fabric, it's time to put the whole thing together.
You've prepared two identical pieces of fabric. Before sewing the pieces to each other, you'll make a nice wide hem at one of the short ends. When you measured your fabric, allowance was made for this hem, so refer to those measurements for the correct length to fold over the hem fabric. Pin it in place, and then iron the fold until it is clearly and evenly creased. Now, remove the pins, and make a second fold under, about 0.5-1" (1.2-2.5 cm) from the rough edge. Pin it temporarily, and iron this fold too. Iron the second piece in the identical fashion. Remove the pins. You'll have a wide folded over band, with a crisp edge where the narrow fold lies.
Next, sewing each piece separately, it's time to sew the hems. Use a medium length (12-16 stitches per inch) straight stitch. If you used an old sheet for your practice material, then you'll already have a feel for the correct tension and pressure at which to set your sewing machine. If you didn't use very similar fabric as that used for the pillow case, do practice on a scrap so you feel confident that it will work properly. Lay the fabric so you can see both folds. Keeping a steady but moderate speed, sew 1/8 to 1/4" from the edge of the narrow inner fold. This serves to fasten the hem created by the wide fold. The narrow fold gives it a neat and tidy edge. Finish the second piece of fabric in the same manner.
Now, lay out your pieces on one top of the other, front-to-front, so that when the sewing is completed, the seam stitching appears on the inside of the pillow case. Insert pins at regular intervals -- say, every 3-5 inches (7-12 cms) -- perpendicular to the line of the fabric's edge. With the edge lying to the right, insert the pins from the left. This will put them in the best position to be removed as you sew. You have the choice of either pinning all three edges to be seamed -- don't forget to leave the previously hemmed side open! -- or pinning just one edge at a time.
Place your fabric under the sewing machine presser foot with the pins on the upper side, not underneath where they might catch on the feed dogs. For more on how to sew the seams, review the article on practice sewing. Watch for your pins, and remove them an inch or two before they would pass under the needle. (Some sewing machines are equipped with a hinged presser foot and can handle sewing over the pins, but many can't; attempting this may result in a broken sewing needle, which is a real nuisance.)
Sew along one long edge. You can then stop, cut your thread, and start again with the next edge, or you can pause with the needle down -- embedded in the fabric -- and raise the presser foot to turn the fabric 90 degrees. Replace the presser foot and keep going along the short end of the pillow case, and then back up the other long side.
Remove your work from the sewing machine, and make sure it looks reasonably even and free of odd bunches or gaps. If you're happy with it, carry on! (If not, grab your handy stitch-ripper, and give it another try.) When the sewing is complete, carefully trim all loose threads. You're done! Congratulate yourself on a good job, and start thinking about your next sewing project.
