This is a very simple project, great for beginners. The pillow cover can be made for any size pillow, you will just have to adjust your measurements to fit. For mine, I covered a pillow that is 18 x 12 inches.

Step 1: Materials

Pillow to be covered
Heat n Bond
DMC floss and needle
pins
tape measure
1/2 yard of unbleached muslin fabric (or more)
fabric scraps in reds
iron
sewing machine
scissors
colored pencil (or one of those expensive washable fabric markers)

Step 2: Cutting the Cover

First measure the size of the pillow you want to cover. Mine
measured 18 x 12 so I’m going to continue from this point with those measurements.

Take your 1/2 yard of fabric and lay it on a flat surface unfolded and ready to be measured. Iron if needed. Check the cut end and be sure it is an even cut. if it is not cut it even. DO NOT CUT OFF THE SELVAGE END. (I will explain why a little later) Next measure from the cut end up the left side of the selvage make a mark at 13″ . Measure from the left selvage end 42″ to the right and make a mark. Move your measuring tape up an inch or two make another mark at 42″ continue until you reach the mark you made at 13″, then do the same for the 13″ mark across to the 42″ marks. You now have your fabric marked and ready to cut.

Let’s get cutting. Cut the fabric along your marks.

Take the selvage side of your fabric and fold it over to the right and then fold the right side over the selvage so your width is 18″ then iron so you have a crease in the ends (just in case it comes unfolded) put a pin in the 4 corners. Notice how the muslin has a gorgeous selvage. I personally love this raw edge so I chose to leave it on to add some character to this pretty pillow cover. You can cut it off if you like or if you chose a fabric that does not have a pretty selvage. If you do cut it off. before you do the fold over and pin you will want to hem the ends I’d do a 1/2″ hem.

Step 3: Cutting Out the Hearts

Using a piece of scrap fabric cut out a heart in your desired shape and
size. (you can also cut one out of paper and use it as a template, I like simple so I just used the fabric) Using that heart cut out 4 more from the rest of your scrap fabrics.

Iron them so they are nice and flat!

Step 4: Heat N Bond

Cut a strip of Heat n Bond a little wider than your hearts. On the paper side of the Heat n Bond trace each heart.

It's a good idea to keep your hearts in order so you know which one goes to which traced heart.

Cut out the hearts from the Heat n Bond.

Place your hearts with the right side down on your ironing board and place the Heat n Bond hearts on top of them with the paper side up then following the ironing instructions iron them (you place your iron on medium heat on top of the paper side for 2 seconds, no steam)

Now if your hearts didn’t quite come out perfecto and you have some Heat
n Bond hanging out over the edges of your hearts you’ll want to clean them up and trim off the excess Heat n Bond.

Step 5: Ironing on the Hearts

Grab your fabric you folded and pinned. Open it up on the ironing board.
Leave the pins in place. It should look like the photo above.

Grab those trimmed up gorgeous little hearts and line them up the way
you’d like them to sit on your pillow.

Play around with them a bit, keep in mind your ends are actual ends
there is no hem allowance on the sides so you can go as close as you like.

Peal off the paper and iron them in place, again following the Heat n Bond instructions. (2 seconds no steam) check repeat if necessary.

Step 6: Sewing on the Hearts

With your hearts ironed down on your sewing machine sew around the edge
of the hearts with the thread color of choice. I used white because I wanted it to stand out.

Step 7: Sewing the Ends

Once you have all five hearts sewn down fold your ends back over left
side first then the right. and pin along the top and bottom.

Next sew along the ends with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Remove all the pins and turn the cover right side out.

Step 8: Backstitching the Line and Finishing Up

Thread up your needle with your desired thickness of DMC floss ( I used all six strands )
Tie a hefty knot in the end then working with one hand on the inside of the pillow cover insert your needle into the side of the cover a little bit above the height of the first heart, then back stitch to your first heart. Once there insert the needle into the heart to the right of the middle of the heart and back in on the other side. SEE PHOTO

Once you complete your DMC line all the way across and through the hearts tie it off on the inside with another hefty knot.

Stuff your pillow in the cover and you are done.

Thanks for reading and I really hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I would like to hear what you think so please leave me a comment.