Professional touches complete the perfect fall pillow cover

This week I’ve been making a quick quilted decor project to enjoy this season, using the features on the PFAFF performance icon. In yesterday’s post, I quilted the accent pillow cover top using several optional presser feet. Today, it’s time to make the back panels and complete the pillow cover.

Quilted fall accent pillow cover and the PFAFF performance icon.

Hem the back panels

The next step to get us closer to a finished project is to add hems to the two back panel pieces. On each panel, fold over ¼” of fabric from one short end to the wrong side of the fabric, then fold it over again. Press this edge with an iron. Use the ¼ inch Right Guide Foot for IDT System and thread that matches the panel fabric to sew an accurate ¼” hem.

¼ inch Right Guide Foot for IDT System

Pin the layers

Next, it’s time to pin the back panels to the pillow cover. Place the pillow cover right side up on your pinning surface. Lay the shorter panel on top with the hemmed edge towards the center and the raw short edge lined up with the pillow cover edge. Then place the longer back panel on top, with its raw short edge lined up with the opposite edge of the pillow cover. Place a pin where the back panels overlap, then continue pinning all the way around the cover to secure the layers.

Pin the layers together.

Sew the pillow cover layers together

I sew all the way around the pinned cover first with a regular ¼” stitch. Why? Experience has taught me that if I make a mistake at this point, a regular stitch is much easier to rip out than an overcast stitch! I check to make sure the stitching has gone through all the layers and then I turn the cover right side out through the back opening. I make sure the cover lays flat and I haven’t created any puckers as I sewed it together. Then I check that the pillow form will fit – it does!

After all of this checking, I turn the pillow cover wrong side out again and do a final overcast stitch on the seams. Sooner or later pillow covers get washed, and I don’t want to have to deal with unravelling seams. With the wrong side out, I choose one of the basic overcast stitches and changed to the Blindhem Foot for IDT System.

People who use sewing machines to sew garments often use the Blindhem Foot, and I’m starting to get comfortable using it too. I know my goal is to have my stitches encase the raw edge of the seam, so I make sure to line up the needle close to the edge of the pillow cover. The red guide is actually used when hemming, but I find it can help to guide the seam allowance under the needle and the project feeds smoothly under the foot.

Blindhem Foot for IDT System

I do clip the corners before I turn the pillow cover out for the final time. The accent pillow cover is complete and should lay flat. It’s ready to be stuffed and enjoyed! I like finishing fall projects and adding more orange decor items to my home. The PFAFF performance icon has done another great job of providing me with a few hours of joy and precision piecing. I hope you find time to create this season too!

Completed fall accent pillow cover laid flat.

This is part 5 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 4: Quilting with PFAFF performance icon’s optional presser feet

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