How to Sew a Pillowcase Pattern With the "Burrito" Method

Free Pillowcase Pattern With French Seams

Fabric, scissors, thread, and pins on a table

Stacy Fisher 

Project Overview
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner

This pillowcase pattern tutorial will take you through each step of sewing a pillowcase for a standard, queen, or king-sized pillow. Using the "burrito" method, you'll sew the pillow in a unique way that will leave you amazed. This free pillowcase pattern with French seams will encase your raw edge within a seam. No serger is required, you'll just need a basic sewing machine. It's a quick sewing project that you'll have done in less than half an hour. 

Notes

My choice of fabric for pillowcases is quilting cotton. You can use just about anything here though, a silkier fabric would be very soft and luxurious. 

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Sewing machine
  • Fabric shears or rotary cutter and mat
  • Ruler

Materials

  • 3/4 to 1 1/4  yard main fabric
  • 1/2 yard cuff fabric
  • 1/4 yard trim fabric
  • Coordinating thread

Instructions

  1. Choose a Size

    The pillowcase pattern can easily be changed to fit a standard, queen, or king-sized pillow; you just cut the pillow's main pieces differently. The cuff and trim use the same amount of fabric in all sizes. You'll need different amounts of the main fabric depending on your pillowcase size.

    • Standard Pillow 3/4 yard
    • Queen Pillow 1 yard
    • King Pillow 1 1/4 yard

    Keep in mind that these fabric requirements are for one pillow. You'll need to double the fabric if you're making a pair.

    You have a few options here if you want to change it up. If you'd prefer a pillow without trim, skip that step, and your pillow will turn out fine. You can also change up the overall effect and use the same fabric for the main body of the pillow and the cuff. This will give you a more modern, streamlined look.

    A stack of pillows
    Anna Petrova Ilieva-Alikaj/Getty Images
  2. Cut Your Fabric

    Once you've chosen your fabric it's time to cut it. The cuff and trim fabric are the same for all sizes of pillow.

    • Cuff : 11 x 43 inches
    • Trim: 1-34 x 43

    For the main fabric:

    • Standard 27 x 43 inches
    • Queen 31 x 43 inches
    • King 37 x 43 inches
    Cut fabric laying on a table
    Stacy Fisher
  3. Prepare the Trim

    Fold your trim fabric in half longways with the wrong sides together. Press well with your iron. Don't skip this step, pressing the fabric will help you get neater seams.

    Trim, pins, and scissors
    Stacy Fisher
  4. Layer Your Pieces

    Assemble the pillowcase layers. This may not seem correct, but using this "burrito" method will turn out just right.

    1. Lay your pillowcase cuff fabric down, right side up. 
    2. Lay your main fabric down on top of the cuff, right side up, matching the raw edges.
    3. Lay the trim piece on top of the other pieces, matching up the raw edges. 
    Three pieces of fabric layered together
    Stacy Fisher
  5. Make the Burrito

    Starting at the bottom of the main fabric, roll it upwards, forming a tube or a "burrito". Stop when you get to the center of the cuff fabric, you'll see the bottom half of it sticking out from under your tube. This doesn't need to be exact, you can measure if you want but just eyeballing it will work fine.

    Fabric rolled up
    Stacy Fisher
  6. Finish the Burrito

    Roll up the cuff fabric in the same way, rolling it up until the raw edge meets the top edge of the trim. Pin, making sure that all layers get pinned together, including that skinny trim piece. You'll now have your pillowcase "burrito" that is ready to sew.

    A pinned tube of fabric
    Stacy Fisher
  7. Sew Raw Edges

    Sew together the raw edges of the fabrics with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. You'll be left with a long tube of multiple layers of fabric. 

    A sewn tube of fabric
    Stacy Fisher
  8. Unroll the Burrito

    Grab the main fabric from inside the burrito tube and gently pull it out. Continue pulling until the pillowcase is completely turned right-side out.

    Pulling fabric out of a fabric tube
    Stacy Fisher
  9. Iron

    Give the pillowcase a good press with your iron.

    The top of a pillowcase
    Stacy Fisher
  10. Sew French Seams

    To enclose those raw edges, you'll need to sew a French seam. Sewing a French seam may sound intimidating, but it's pretty straight forward. 

    1. Putting wrong sides together, fold the fabric to form the shape of your pillowcase. Match the trim and seam and pin.
    2. Sew around the two edges with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. 
    3. Clip the corner where the side and bottom seams that you just sewed meet.
    A top edge of a pillow sewn
    Stacy Fisher
  11. Finish French Seams

    Turn the pillowcase inside out, so the right sides are together. Use a chopstick or pencil to gently push out the corner that you clipped. Press well.

    Sew the bottom and side seams together, this time using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. This will enclose those raw edges.

    An enclosed French seam
    Stacy Fisher
  12. Finish Pillowcase

     Turn the pillowcase right side out and give a good press with your iron. You're finished!

    A finished pillowcase
    Stacy Fisher

     

    A pillowcase on a bed
    Stacy Fisher