Double Duty Decor! How to Make a Combination Wall Quilt & Pillowcase
Have you ever wanted to learn how to make a combination wall quilt and pillowcase? Well then this tutorial is just the thing for you! In the November/December 2023 issue of McCall’s Quilting, we introduce a quick and easy method to finish small quilts, which gives them extra mileage and versatility by turning your project not into a small wall quilt and not into a pillowcase, but into BOTH of those things at the SAME TIME. That’s right — a small, super simple modification to envelope pillowcase panels can turn your pillowcase into a wall quilt and back to a pillowcase again as the mood strikes.
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There’s a quick video to show you the technique, and the magazine has all the info you’ll need as well, so now I’ll go over the basics, plus some tips and techniques to ensure success with this method.
1
The first thing you’ll want to do is determine the size that your envelope backing panels should be cut. For this technique, the panel opening should always be vertical, so you can put a hanging sleeve on each panel. The length of the panel should be the same as the length of your quilted top. The width should be approximately half the width of your top, plus about 4”. If you like a wider, more substantial hem on your panels you can increase this measurement to your liking.
2
Once your panels are cut and hemmed on one vertical edge, arrange the panels on the quilt top with finished edges overlapped in the center, wrong sides together and raw edges aligned, to figure out the size to cut your hanging sleeves. You’ll want to cut it about 1” narrower than the distance between fold and raw edge, and 1” wider than your hanger.
3
Once you’ve cut the hanging sleeves, fold each corner back towards the wrong side and press. Then fold edges ¼” inward and press. Stitch all around to complete hanging sleeves.
4
The main thing to remember is that the hanging sleeves need to be placed on each panel equidistant from the top edge, so the piece hangs straight on the wall. With your panels layered on the quilt top and raw edges aligned, arrange your hanging sleeves on the panels; use a ruler to make sure they’re both about 1” down from the top and 1” to 1½” in from each side. Pin or baste in place.
5
Stitch a hanging sleeve to each panel across the top and bottom of the sleeve, backstitching at each end. Leave the sides open so you can insert the hanger.
6
Once again, arrange the panels on your quilt top, wrong sides facing and pin or baste all layers together. Use a standard double-fold binding to bind through all layers.
Check Out the Video
If you still need a bit of guidance on completing this project, then we recommend watching this oh-sew helpful video tutorial that our team pulled together. It’ll help ensure you get started on the right path when it comes to learning how to make a combination wall quilt and pillowcase!
Some Quick Advice
I’ve made several of these now, and I’m enjoying them quite a bit! My Forever Flowers project got this treatment too (shown in the header image up top). I’ve got a Halloween-themed one to finish next. They look great hanging on a wall, and it’s really fun to pop a pillow form in there on a whim to mix up the look of my space. I have a few additional bits of advice to help you enjoy yours, too.
There are lots of different hanging options, but I like those thin balsa wood slats that you can get at craft stores. They come in different widths and it’s really easy to cut them to any width (and length, of course) you’d like (I do about 1½”-wide), then you can poke a hole in the center to accommodate a nail on the wall. And any pillow form that fits your project will do when you want to switch over. Binding the piece, instead of sewing right sides together and turning right side out, is ideal for this project.
This is because the turned edges might migrate upwards and show a sliver of the backing panels when the quilt is hung on the wall. The binding keeps all the backing elements where they should stay—on the back. You don’t have to make your piece square; a rectangle would work just as well. Before cutting your backing panels, however, you’ll have to decide the orientation to ensure the opening runs vertically.
Final Takeaways
When you want to take a pillow form out and put your piece on the wall, it may be a little less-than-flat due to the volume of the pillow stretching it out a bit. Press the piece well, with a little steam if needed, to make it nice and flat again then insert your hanger and put it on the wall. Now that you know how to make a combination wall quilt and pillowcase, we hope you’ll try it out. If you do decide to tackle this project, we’d love to see the results. Be sure to share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or the comments below — and happy quilting!
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