Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Sausage Pillow Miracle

My first three pillowcase fabrics

The other day I was at Walmart, looking for some piping cord to use in making pillowcases. I had chosen my fabrics and took them to the cutting table. When I asked the clerk where the piping was, she said, 'You don't want to put piping in those.' I laughed and said, 'Well, yes, actually I do.' She said, 'No, you don't, and I'll show you why. There's a really easy way to make pillowcases.'

She went to the shelf and pulled out a pillowcase kit, opened it, and proceeded to try to explain the new, easy method of making pillowcases, except she couldn't find what she was looking for, and couldn't remember the 'easy way.' A customer behind her said, 'Oh yeah, there is a really easy way.' Since neither of them could remember what it was, I told them I'd go home and look it up on YouTube. After all, isn't everything on YouTube??

So, I did. And I found the most amazing video, making pillowcases a snap! It's called the Sausage Pillowcase. See YouTube video below. Which just proves that the customer isn't always right.


After pinning the cuff and trim, here's 'rolling the sausage'...

I should mention that I bought 3/4 yard for the body, 1/4 yard for the cuff, and used a 2" strip for the narrow trim. All fabrics were 45 inches wide. I pre-shrunk the fabric before sewing it.

 
... and sewing the sausage

After that, all you need to do is pull the pillowcase through and sew up the end and side seams. All the seams are finished on the inside, with no rough edges. It's amazing, and so simple! I wish I'd known this years ago!

My first three pillowcases, finished!
Notice that 'Fabric' and my name are both printed in Sharpie on my scissors! 



I made 15 pillowcases! (all but two are shown)

What was especially fun was that I was able to find fabrics specific to each person's interests. And now, here's the video I promised. (A different Judy, but I wish I'd been clever enough to have thought this up!)



This post is linked to Making the World Cuter Monday
and Just Something I Whipped up Monday
and Motivate Me Monday
and Making Monday Marvelous
and Thrilling Thursdays

16 comments:

  1. Lol... I tied a big ribbon to my scissors and wrote "fabric" on them, but somehow people kept missing that or suddenly couldn't read when they picked them up to cut paper and pipe cleaners... Aagh! ;)

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  2. Thank you so much for this link, Judy. I can hardly wait to show this to my granddaughters. We are starting home economics again next week, and this semester I am teaching them the sewing machine. We will HAVE to make these. Their moms will be so impressed! Happy New Year once again!

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  3. Fabulous!! Thank you!!! I am headed to JoAnnes for fabric!!!

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  4. Keeping a good fabric scissors and your own tools away from children (and others) is a real challenge. Pipe cleaners! Shudder...My parents once gave me a tool box and combination lock so I could have a hammer, pliers, screwdriver, etc. available when I needed them. Great gift idea, huh!

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  5. Very nice! Help me remember this when the girls want to change their room! Too funny that no one could remember the particulars about "How to...."

    Happy New Year!

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  6. I wrote on my fabric scissors too! DO NOT MESS with my good scissors LOL. I'm going to try your new method very soon.

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  7. Oh, the end results look so lovely and bright - great gift idea. Simple when you know how....

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  8. This is amazing. Thanks I must try it out. Your pillowcases turned out so cute. What fun gifts. Love it.

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  9. You inspire me to want to learn how to sew! Perhaps a new year's resolution ...?

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  10. I don't have the patience to sew although my mother is amazing! All of our girls have either drawn their prom/wedding dresses or shown them to mother on an old movie (In the Good Old Summer Time and An Affair To Remember) and she created a pattern on her own and made the dresses. NOT ME! I missed that gene completely!

    Your pillow cases are fabulous! Now I want to make some....LOL Never gonna happen! But I do love them!

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  11. Great video, Judy, and great reminder of a technique I'd forgotten. I see some pillowcases in my future...... Thanks!

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  12. Thank you so much Judy for sharing. I made some for Christmas and they were harder then the video and now I want to make some more "your way. I love to sew, it is very relaxing for me. Good Job on those pillowcases. They are very cute! Love the Thomas the Train. That is my grandson's favorite.

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  13. I think you really CAN find everything on You Tube :) Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing it on Thrilling Thursday @ Paisley Passions :)

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  14. I love this post and the video. I am going to let the girls pick out their own fabric(as Chloe would not have it any other way)and then grandma is going to make them one for their bed.
    Wow you were busy! Who did you make the 17 cases for besides your grand-kids?

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  15. Sweet! Thanks! I will have to check this out!

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  16. I love your pin cushion...my mom has one just like it!!

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