Cute-as-a-Button Pillowcase

Inspired by: Button Collection from designer Wendy Sheppard

Project tester: Martha Gamm

• 1/4 yard gray print (blocks)
• 1/8 yard each medium blue print and light blue print (blocks)
• 10" square dark blue print (blocks)
• 1-1/8 yard tan print (blocks, pillowcase band, pillowcase body)

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances for piecing blocks and 1/2" seam allowances for pillowcase construction. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

Finished size: 30-3/4 ×20" (fits a standard-size bed pillow)

Finished block: 6" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

From gray print, cut:

• 12—1-1/4×4" rectangles
• 12—1-1/4×2-1/2" rectangles
• 48—1" squares

From dark blue print, cut:

• 24—1-1/2" squares

From medium blue print, cut:

• 6—1-3/4×6-1/2" rectangles
• 6—1-3/4×4" rectangles

From light blue print, cut:

• 6—1-3/4×6-1/2" rectangles
• 6—1-3/4×4" rectangles

From tan print, cut:

• 1—26×41" rectangle
• 1—6-1/2×40-1/2" rectangle
• 2—1-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles
• 4—1 ×6-1/2" rectangles
• 24—1-1/4" squares

1) Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each gray print 1" square. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under each square.)

2) Align a marked gray print square with a corner of a dark blue print 1-1/2" square (Diagram 1a; note direction of drawn line). Sew on drawn line; trim excess fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat in opposite corner (Diagram 1b) to make a center subunit. The subunit should be 1-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 24 center subunits total.

3) Referring to Diagram 2, sew together four center subunits in pairs. Join pairs to make a center unit. The unit should be 2-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make six center units total.

4) Sew gray print 1-1/4×2-1/2" rectangles to opposite edges of a center unit (Diagram 3). Sew gray print 1-1/4×4" rectangles to remaining edges to make a framed center unit. The unit should be 4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make six framed center units total.

5) Sew medium blue 1-3/4×4" rectangles to opposite edges of a framed center unit (Diagram 4). Sew medium blue 1-3/4 ×6-1/2" rectangles to remaining edges to make a medium blue block unit. The unit should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make three medium blue block units.

6) Repeat Step 5 using light blue rectangles to make three light blue block units.

7) Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each tan print 1-1/4" square.

8) Align a marked tan print square with a corner of medium blue block unit (Diagram 5; note direction of drawn line). Sew on drawn line; trim excess fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Sew marked tan print squares to remaining three corners to make a medium blue block. Repeat to make three medium blue blocks.

9) Repeat Step 7 using light blue block units to make three light blue blocks.

1) Using 1/4" seam allowances and referring to Diagram  6, lay out blocks, tan print 1×6-1/2" rectangles, and tan print 1-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles. Sew pieces together, pressing seams toward tan print rectangles, to make a pieced row. The row should be 6-1/2×40-1/2" including seam allowances.

2) Join pieced row to tan print 6-1/2×40-1/2" rectangle (Band Assembly Diagram).

3) Join short ends of Step 2 unit to make a loop. Press seam open. Fold loop in half with wrong side inside; press to make pillowcase band.

1) Fold tan print 26 ×41"rectangle in half to form a 26 ×20-1/2" rectangle. Sew together long edges and a set of short edges to make pillowcase body. Turn right side out; press flat.

2) Matching raw edges and seams, slide pillowcase band over pillowcase body with pieced side of band facing right side of pillowcase body (Diagram 7); pin. Sew together band and pillowcase body.

3) Press pillowcase band open, pressing seam allowances toward pillowcase body. Topstitch 1/8" from band edge to secure seam allowance and complete pillowcase (Diagram 8).