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You can turn a cotton sheet or soft canvas drop cloth into a removable envelope-style throw-pillow cover with a rectangle of fabric, a sewing machine and a few straight seams. The tutorial behind this project estimates that its cutting and sewing take less than 10 minutes; that is the author’s estimate, not a guaranteed finish time. Allow extra time to wash, dry, press, measure and troubleshoot your first cover.
The finished cover slips over an existing pillow insert and closes through an overlapping opening on the back, so you can remove it for washing without a zipper or buttons. The method below follows the square-pillow formula and the worked 18-by-18-inch example, while explaining how to adapt it to another insert.
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What this project makes
This is a removable envelope cover, not a stuffed pillow sewn permanently shut. The front is one rectangle. Two overlapping back panels create the opening, hold the insert in place and let you change covers by season or wash them separately. Use a throw pillow you already own, or buy a pillow insert after measuring the space and choosing the finished size you want.
The original tutorial uses repurposed cotton bed sheets and an 8-ounce canvas drop cloth. Its author chose the canvas because it was soft and easy to sew while being substantial enough to resemble linen. A sheet is usually easier to handle for a first project; canvas gives a sturdier, more tailored cover. Avoid fabric with weak, sun-damaged areas, permanent stains or enough stretch to distort the calculated rectangles.
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Materials and tools
| Item | Why you need it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pillow insert or existing throw pillow | Sets the finished cover dimensions | Measure the actual insert before cutting. A very full insert may need more ease than a flat one. |
| Repurposed cotton sheet or canvas drop cloth | Provides the front and two back panels | The tutorial used cotton sheets and 8-ounce canvas. Washable, firmly woven fabric is easiest to control. |
| Sewing machine and thread | Creates the perimeter seams | Use a thread suited to the fabric’s weight and a needle that is not bent or dull. |
| Iron and ironing surface | Preshrinks and flattens the fabric; sets hems | Do not skip pressing if you want accurate rectangles and straight hems. |
| Fabric scissors or rotary cutter | Cuts clean edges | Keep fabric scissors for textiles rather than paper. Scissors are also needed for the no-sew shirt variation. |
| Ruler or tape measure, pins and marking tool | Measures, squares and holds layers | A long ruler helps keep the large front panel on grain. |
Calculate the three panels before cutting
Measure the pillow’s length from seam to seam and its height from seam to seam. For a square insert, call both measurements P. The tutorial’s displayed formula is:
- Front: cut one piece measuring pillow length plus 2 inches by pillow height plus 2 inches.
- Back panels: cut two pieces, each measuring half the pillow length plus 4 inches by pillow height plus 2 inches.
The extra 2 inches on each dimension provides the perimeter allowance used by the tutorial. The additional 4 inches in the back-panel length creates enough overlap for the envelope opening. Because the explanatory text around the formula contains a minor inconsistency, follow the displayed formula and the worked example, then test your dimensions on scrap fabric if the textile or insert is valuable.
| Insert size | Front cut size | Each back-panel cut size | Illustrated overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 by 18 inches | 20 by 20 inches | 20 by 13 inches | About 5 inches in the tutorial’s example |
For a non-square insert, measure both dimensions and apply the same logic: the front uses each pillow dimension plus 2 inches; each back uses half the pillow’s length plus 4 inches and the pillow’s height plus 2 inches. Check which direction will form the opening before cutting. The actual fit depends on pillow loft, seam allowance and fabric stretch, so the formula does not guarantee identical tension for every insert.
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Preshrink and press the fabric
- Separate the sheet or canvas from labels, elastic and worn sections. If a sheet has a useful existing hem, you may position that hem at an envelope edge, but still measure the finished panel rather than assuming the old dimensions are exact.
- Wash the fabric in hot water, dry it completely and iron it flat, as the tutorial recommends. Preshrinking now prevents the cover from becoming unexpectedly tight after its first wash.
- Fold the fabric on a stable, straight grain and press out wrinkles. If you are nervous about cutting, make a small test cover or mark the formula on scrap fabric first. This is especially worthwhile with a one-of-a-kind textile or fabric that unravels easily.
Cut the front and two backs
- Measure and mark the front rectangle using the pillow’s length plus 2 inches and height plus 2 inches. Check the measurements at several points so the lines remain square.
- Mark two identical back rectangles using half the pillow length plus 4 inches and pillow height plus 2 inches. Label the pieces so you do not accidentally cut two panels with the same orientation when the fabric has a directional print.
- Cut slowly on the marked lines. Keep any pattern, stripe or prominent weave aligned between the front and backs. On a canvas drop cloth, remove seams or hems that would add an unwanted ridge inside your new cover.
Hem the two envelope-opening edges
Each back panel has one edge that will sit at the opening. Finish those two edges before assembling the cover. Fold a narrow, even hem to the wrong side of the fabric, press it, fold again if the weave frays, and stitch along the inner fold. Repeat for the corresponding edge on the second back panel. The hems should face the same way and lie flat; uneven hems reduce the overlap and can leave the insert visible.
The source directions refer to hemming the overlapping back edges. They do not specify a mandatory hem width, so choose a width your machine can sew neatly while preserving the calculated panel length. If the fabric is bulky, trim excess inside the fold rather than making a thick ridge.
Assemble and sew the envelope cover
- Place the front panel right side up on your work surface.
- Place the first back panel right side down on top of it, aligning the outer edges. Its hemmed edge should point toward the center of the front.
- Place the second back panel right side down from the opposite side. Align the remaining outer edges and let the two hemmed edges overlap in the center. Pin around all four sides, keeping pins away from the stitching path if your machine requires it.
- Sew around the entire perimeter. Back-stitch at the beginning and end so the corners cannot pull the seam open while you insert the pillow. Keep the seam consistent and remove pins before the needle reaches them.
- Trim bulky corner allowances if necessary without cutting the stitches. Turn the cover right side out through the envelope opening and push the corners out with a blunt tool or your fingers.
The layered order matters: front right side up, backs right side down, hemmed edges overlapping toward the middle. If a printed side appears inside out after turning, unpick the perimeter and reverse the back panels before continuing.
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Insert the pillow and check the fit
Reach through the opening and fill the corners of the cover first, then ease the insert into place. Smooth the front and check that the back panels remain overlapped when the pillow is standing or being moved. The tutorial reports about a 5-inch overlap in its examples, but your visible overlap can differ because pillow loft, fabric stretch and seam width change the effective opening.
If the cover is loose, remove the insert and sew a second perimeter seam slightly inside the first, testing after each adjustment. If it is too tight, do not force the pillow through the opening; excessive pressure can pop stitches. Open a side seam carefully, add a narrow strip of matching fabric, and resew, or recut a larger cover if you have enough material. A full, high-loft insert may need a larger front or deeper back panels than a flat insert of the same stated size.
Common mistakes and fixes
- The cover shrank after washing: The fabric was not preshrunk or the first wash was hotter than expected. Wash and dry fabric before cutting; for an already-made cover, enlarge it only by adding fabric to a seam.
- The back opening gaps: The panels were cut too short, the overlap was reduced by a wide hem, or the insert is overfilled. Recheck the half-length-plus-4-inch calculation and use a slightly less lofty insert if appropriate.
- The front is crooked: The fabric was cut off grain or the layers shifted during sewing. Press the fabric flat, square the next pieces from a reliable edge and pin the perimeter more frequently.
- Corners look lumpy: Seam bulk is trapped inside. Sew accurately into the corner, trim excess allowance near (but not through) the stitches and turn the point gently.
- Edges fray: Use a folded hem, a zigzag stitch or another suitable edge finish on exposed raw edges. Do not trim away so much fabric that the calculated overlap disappears.
- The envelope reverses during assembly: Before sewing, confirm that the front is right side up and both backs are right side down. The hemmed edges must overlap in the center.
No-sew shirt-cover alternative
A related tutorial dated August 21, 2016, shows a no-sew cover made from an old button-down shirt, a pillow form and fabric scissors. Its author used a 12-by-18-inch pillow form with a small women’s shirt and says a larger shirt could cover an 18-by-18-inch pillow. This approach relies on the shirt’s existing placket and construction rather than the three-panel formula above.
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The detailed method is presented in an embedded video, so the written page is not a complete step-by-step transcript. Before cutting, place the form inside the shirt to confirm that the front closes over it and that the shoulders, side seams and hem leave enough coverage. Mark the intended cut lines while the shirt is flat, and remember that a cut edge will not behave like the sewn envelope opening unless you finish or fold it.
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Another refashion tutorial, dated December 18, 2016, uses a pillow, scissors, pins and a sewing machine to turn a sweater into a cover. The author describes sewing a double row of zigzag stitches around all four sides and notes that hand overcasting stitches are another option. Knit fabric stretches around the pillow, so it does not follow the woven-fabric measurements as rigidly as a sheet or canvas.
Pin the sweater around the insert with the desired fit, mark the seam line, remove the pillow and sew while preserving enough stretch to put it back in. A zigzag or hand overcast is preferable to a straight stitch that can snap when the knit stretches. Keep the sweater’s original waistband or ribbing at an opening when it helps retain the insert, but inspect for loose yarns before use.
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Care and reuse
Wash the finished cover according to the most delicate component: the repurposed sheet, canvas, thread and any original garment details. Close the envelope opening before laundering to reduce snagging. Press the cover while it is slightly damp if the fabric permits, then reshape the corners before it dries. Keep a small leftover scrap for future patching or for testing a new stitch length.
Because the cover is removable, you can make several fronts from worn but usable textiles and keep the same insert. Rotate covers rather than washing the insert unnecessarily, and retire fabric when its weave has become too weak to support the seams.
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The under-10-minute estimate applies to the tutorial’s cutting and sewing, not necessarily to shopping, washing, drying, pressing, measuring, layout, machine setup or fixing a first attempt. Have the insert, prewashed fabric and tools ready before you start. Measure twice, label the back panels, and test the overlap with the unsewn pieces before committing to the perimeter seam.
For a beginner, the most reliable shortcut is preparation rather than skipping steps: preshrink the cloth, press it flat, use the stated formula, and make a scrap test when the fabric matters. Those checks prevent the slowest failures—an undersized cover, a reversed envelope or an opening that will not hold the insert.
The result
A prewashed sheet or soft canvas drop cloth can become a washable envelope throw-pillow cover with one front rectangle, two hemmed back panels and a four-sided seam. The 18-by-18-inch example uses a 20-by-20-inch front and two 20-by-13-inch backs, while other sizes require the same formula plus a fit check. The method is fast once the fabric is prepared, and the removable opening makes it practical for everyday cushions, seasonal changes and future fabric reuse.
Quick Recap
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