How To Make An Envelope Closure Pillow Sham

Learn to make a super easy pillow sham.

Posted by Palindrome Dry Goods

About

This darling sham is a great beginner project. It consists of just a few simple seams, and can be made of fun fabrics to switch out your decor for seasons and holidays. Customize it with appliqués, trim and more!

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You Will Need (5 things)

  • Fabric
  • Pillow Form
  • Thread
  • Sewing Machine
  • Scissors

Steps (21 steps, 120 minutes)

  1. 1

    Cut out your fabric pieces. You'll be cutting three pieces in all. One for the front, and two for the back. My example is rectangular, but yours can certainly be square.

  2. 2

    ...

  3. 3

    Hem the ends of the back pieces. On one short end of each back piece, fold and iron over 1/2".

  4. 4

    Then, fold over 2" and pin.

  5. 5

    Opposite ends of your back pieces will be hemmed.

  6. 6

    Sew the hems. Sew each hem by stitching just inside each folded edge, removing pins as you go.

  7. 7

    Place the back pieces on top of the front piece. Place the front piece right side down.

  8. 8

    ...

  9. 9

    Then, place the back pieces, right sides up on top of the front piece (this now means that the wrong sides, or inside of the fabricpieces are touching)The back pieces should overlap 4".

  10. 10

    ...

  11. 11

    Pin and sew around all 4 sides.

  12. 12

    Sew using a 1/2" seam allowance. This is the first part of constructing a french seam. If it seems incomplete, I promise I'm not leading you astray! Proceed!

  13. 13

    Trim corners and seam allowances.

  14. 14

    Trim the seam allowances to a scant 1/4".

  15. 15

    Turn the sham wrong side out. Reach your hand into the sham and turn it wrong side out.

  16. 16

    ...

  17. 17

    Iron and pin around entire sham.

  18. 18

    Pin around entire edge.

  19. 19

    Using a 1/2" seam, sew around all 4 sides of the sham. This is the second part of our french seam and closes our first seam within the second one. The result is a beautiful, professional, finished (french) seam.

  20. 20

    ...

  21. 21

    ...