Linens

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Now that all our beds are made, we can show them off with their linens. We all have a pillow, a bottom sheet and a top sheet. Mommy let us pick some of our favourite colours for each of our beds. We all chose two different fabrics for our linens, but you could make them all one colour if you like.

This is what our pillows look like. They are stuffed with polyester filling.

To make a pillow, cut two pieces of fabric, 4 and 1/2 inches by 3 and 1/4 inches. With wrong sides facing together, sew all around the pillow using a 1/4 inch seam and leaving a 1 inch opening to turn and stuff the pillow. After the pillow is stuffed, close the opening with invisible stitches.

You will want a pillow case next.

Cut one piece of fabric on the fold, and 6 inches by 3 and 3/4 inches in size. The 3 and 3/4 inch edges are the two ends of the pillowcase. Turn one edge 1/4 inch to finish the edge; then, turn the edge again another 1/2 inch and stitch in place.
With the right sides together, sew the bottom and side edges of the pillowcase, pivoting at the corner, and using a 1/4 inch seam. Finish the seam so it does not fray. Turn the pillowcase right side out, and press.
The bottom sheet is made to slip over the mattress. Our crocheted mattresses measure just over 10 and 1/2 inches in length, 4 and 3/4 inches in width and about 1/4 inch in thickness.
To make a pattern for the bottom sheet, start with a rectangular piece of graph paper, measuring 9 and 3/4 inches by 15 and 1/4 inches. Find the centre block on each short edge and mark five blocks over from each side of the centre blocks (e.g., this will give you 11 blocks total in the centre of each short edge). Find the centre block on each of the long edges. Mark 15 and a 1/2 blocks over from each side of the centre blocks (e.g., this will give you 32 blocks total in the centre of each long edge). Use a ruler to join the marks from each short and long edge at the corners. Cut off the triangles formed at each corner.
Use your pattern to cut one bottom sheet. Turn in 1/4 inch on each of the short and long edges of the bedsheet, leaving the corner edges free. Turn the same edges 1/4 inch again and sew in place. With right sides together, fold each corner edge in half, and sew with a 1/4 inch seam. Finish the seams so they do not fray.

This is what your bedsheet will look like from the wrong side, once all the edges have been hemmed and the corners sewn.
Turn your bedsheet to the right side, and press. Slip the mattress into the bedsheet. Flip the mattress over so that the opening is on the bottom and place the mattress on the bed.

For the top sheet, cut a rectangle from fabric measuring 10 by 13 inches. Cut a contrasting rectangular piece, 10 by 2 inches. Hem two long and one short edge of the large rectangular piece, by folding in each edge 1/4 inches, and then folding the edges over another 1/4 inch. Sew in place. Hem one long edge of the smaller rectangular piece, by folding 1/4 inch and sewing in place (do not fold this hem twice as the raw edge will be hidden later).
With right sides together, sew the contrast band’s long raw edge to the raw edge of the top sheet, centering the contrast band so that about a 1/2 inch extends at each side of the top sheet. Press the seam toward the contrast band. Fold the contrast band, right sides together, in half. Sew each side overlap seam. Trim the corners, and turn the contrast band right side out.

Sew the contrast band closed on the underside of the top sheet. Mommy used a slip stitch to close the band closed.
Now, you can make your bed!

Michael chose blue and cream fabrics for his bed.

Have lots of fun making a coverlet for your bed. Joy has a simple nine patch quilt for her’s, but Michael wants Mommy to make him a quilt with trucks and cars on it. If you don’t want a quilt, cotton yarns make lovely bedspreads in crochet or knitting.

4 thoughts on “Linens”

  2. It was fun to choose colours for the various bed linens. I limited myself to fabric on hand, so it was not just a question of colours, but also of quantity. The linens take two fat quarters of fabric for each set.

    Reply

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