The Pillow Mattress - Method II - Using 44/45" wide fabrics

Back in August, I posted my version of a Pillow Mattress that was all over Pinterest.  Since then, there has been a lot of interest in that tutorial.  I have received a lot of positive responses, which floored me!  Thanks Pinterest!!!  During the last two weeks, emails have been pouring in.

A lot of those emails & comments were asking how to modify it for 44/45" wide fabrics like quilting cottons & flannels.  When people ask, as always, I like to see what I can do to help.  Plus, there is an abundance of fun quilting cottons & flannels out there and most are much cheaper than knits.  In the first tutorial, I chose knits because, in all honesty, I didn't want to piece anything together or make any elaborate cuts.  I was just going to make these for the girls at home.  Also knits stretch so if I wasn't as accurate as I wanted to be, no biggie.

I'm a professional seamstress and have a great set up at my studio: embroidery machine, professional sewing machine, serger, large cutting table, large cutting mat, rotary cutters, etc.  However, at home I have a cheap home machine and very few supplies.  I don't even have a rotary cutter or cutting mat.  If I want to do something that requires more, I would rather just come to my studio.

Which leads me to this new tutorial.  I am going to make it completely different than the first version for two reasons: 
1)  I'm at my studio with access to more equipment. Don't worry, I won't be using anything special.
2)  Quilting cotton handles completely different than knits.  It doesn't stretch and is very easy to handle.  It also doesn't require the extra strength stitches that the one made out of knit required.

So here we go! 

Materials Needed:
2 1/2 yards 44/45" wide fabric* for the top
2 1/2 yards 44/45" wide fabric* for the bottom
Rotary cutter
Cutting mat
Straight edge used for rotary cutters
Thread to match
Sewing machine
Mark-B-Gone pen
Straight pins
Iron

*Use a quilting cotton or flannel that doesn't stretch.  Prewash and dry both fabrics to allow for shrinkage. 

Start with the top fabric piece.  Iron the fabric smooth and fold in half with wrong sides together with selvages touching.  DO NOT iron a crease in the fold.  Lay the fabric on your cutting mat with the selvage edge aligned with a grid line of the cutting mat.  Use your straight edge and rotary cutter to cut off some of the length to create a smooth edge.

Next make several markings with your straight edge and marking pen down the length of the fabric until you reach 82".  Make another cut at 82", perpendicular (at a 90°angle) to the selvage.  Make sure you check that your selvage edge is alined with the grid lines to achieve a perfect 90°angle.  It is important that you get as straight as possible.

This next part is going to sound a bit weird, but most people don't have as large of a cutting mat as I do.  This technique will work great on smaller cutting mats.  Unfold your fabric and then refold it the opposite direction.  (In the above photo, one selvage edge is at the top and one selvage edge is at the bottom.)  Carefully accordion-fold the fabric until you reach a width that your straight edge fits.  Make sure your selvage edges match up evenly or your edge will be zigzagged when you open it up.  It is crucial that the selvages are lined up perfectly.

Line up one end of the selvage edge and the bottom edge of the folded part with the grid lines on your cutting mat.  You are essentially making sure that the fabric is "squared-up" on your cutting mat.  Cut off about 1" of the selvage.

Measure across 28" and make another cut.  Save excess fabric for another project or make some tie straps for travel.

Now move on to the bottom piece of fabric.  Iron the fabric smooth.  Fold in half with wrong sides touching making sure the selvages align perfectly.  DO NOT iron a crease in the fold.

For the backing fabrics:

-Follow the same steps as the top fabric to achieve an 82" length. 

-Follow the same steps as the top fabric by carefully accordion-fold the fabric until you reach a width that your straight edge fits. 

-Follow the same steps aas the top fabric, EXCEPT, cut two 20" sections.  Discard the remaining.

Now you should have the following fabric pieces:

One (28"x82") piece of the top fabric

Two (20"x82") pieces of the bottom fabric

Now grab your two bottom pieces.  Carefully iron a 1/2" hem down the length of one side of the fabric.  Repeat with other piece.  If your fabric has a directionality to it, be sure to put the hems on opposite sides.

Stitch the hem closed.  Repeat with other section.

Take the top piece and one of the bottom pieces and pin together the raw edges down the length with WRONG sides touching. I know that may sound weird, but it will come out right in the end.  Pin every 5-6" to keep the pieces from shifting.  Take the time to pin, pieces this long are bound to stretch or shift even with a high-dollar sewing maching.

Use a 1/2" seam allowance and stitch the two pieces together. 

Remove the pins.  Use your straight edge and rotary cutter to cut off 1/4" of the seam.

Flip the fabric inside out with RIGHT sides touching.  Carefully iron the seam flat.

With RIGHT sides touching, sew another 1/2" seam down the lenght of the fabric.  Congratulations, you have just created a french seam!  This is perfect for a lot of you all that don't have sergers and want to create a smooth seam with no raggy edges. 

Repeat the above steps with the other bottom piece on the other side of the top fabric.

Note:  If you have a serger, you can easily use it.  Just shorten the overall width of the top and bottom fabrics by 1" each.  The top section should be cut to 27" and the back pieces to 19".

Turn the fabric right sides up and iron the crease flat.

Now onto the bottom seams.  With the top facing down fold the bottom sections inward, overlapping one side.

Pin the edges together.  Two of the pins should be holding the hemmed edges.  Again, don't skip pinning to keep the fabric together to prevent slipping.

Sew a 1/2" seam.

Remove the pins.  Use your straight edge and rotary cutter to cut off 1/4" of the seam.

Flip the edge outside in.

Iron the crease flat.

Add a pin on each section where a hemmed edge is.  This will help you to remember where to backstitch.

Sew a 1/2" seam.  Be sure to backstitch when you hit a hemmed edge.  This will provide extra strength on the seams.

Repeat on the other end.

Lay back out the fabric and smooth until all the fabric has no wrinkles.  You don't want to accidentally sew over creases.  Align the seams with your grid lines.  Use your marking pin and straight-edge to draw a line perpendicular to the bottom edge at 20", 40", and 60".

Pin along the lines every 2-3" and at the hemmed sections.

 Sew along the marked lines, backstitching when you reach the hemmed edges for added strength.

Remove pins and spray the marked lines with water to remove the ink.

Add pillows in the sham-style openings and you are finished!!

 

Even though it took longer to make than the first, I absolutely LOVED this version so much more than the original version.  I think it is because I was able to get more precise cuts and the cottons didn't stretch allowing the seams to be straight.  I'm very much a perfectionist...it's a gift and a curse.

I hope you enjoyed this new take on the pillow mattress cover from before and hope you have fun making your own.  Feel free to blend the two tutorials to come up with a technique that works for you and the equipment/supplies you have on hand.  Don't hesitate to send me an email (jacey@leahashley.net) or leave a comment if you have any questions about any of the steps or see a place that I need to provide a better explanation.

Happy Sewing!
~Jacey

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In case you missed it, here is the link to the first tutorial:  Pillow Mattress - Method I - Using 58/60" wide fabrics

©2011 Jacey Martin, DBA Leah Ashley, All rights reserved. 

This is my design, please respect the copyright and the hard work that went into creating it.  Feel free to make these as a gift or for yourself but you cannot sell the finished product without expressed written permission from me.  This pattern cannot be reproduced for sell as well.