I’ve had this pattern on my bucket list ever since creating the Crochet-Edge Blanket Workshop in July of 2022. Coming up with the right kind of pillowcase pattern was an integral part for this pillowcase project and necessary for adding the foundation loops. The clean look of the borders floating on the edge of the pillowcase elevate your crochet border from looking like a craft project to looking like a delicate heirloom pillowcase. The overlap closure opening creates a luxury finish to hide the pillow insert and shows finished fabric on the inner flap of the case.
the Overlap Closure Pillowcase pattern can be purchased in my shop for a low price of $3. The pattern will teach you how to customize a pillowcase for any size pillow plus yardage and cutting instructions are given for standard, queen, and king-size pillows. Turn your bed, guest bed, or even a travel size pillow into something special!
You can just make overlap closure pillowcases or you can learn how to add an optional crochet border to your pillowcase with fully illustrated diagrams, crochet abbreviations instructions, and with in-pattern video tutorial links. There’s also three crochet borders designs to choose from!
Never crocheted before? I do believe that with a little practice, anyone can learn how to crochet these border designs! The three styles I’ve chosen go from easiest (Ogee border), more difficult (Tulip border), to hardest (Pansy border) so you may want to start with the simplest if just beginning.
The other nice feature I’ve worked out for you on this pattern is the yarn selection. I crocheted way too many pillowcases testing out various yarn weights and fiber contents to take the guess work out of it for you! In the pattern you will find a list of recommended yarns. I selected these based on availability, fiber content, ease of use, and washability. Many of the yarns on the market and in my recommendation list are intended for line drying. I literally put my cases through the wringer and machine washed and dried them regardless of the packaging label and feel the yarns I listed performed the best under the less than desirable conditions. Note that depending on your yarn color, you may want a color catcher sheet or two just in case the yarn bleeds but I had no issues with that as well because I used color catcher sheets in my wash loads.
Most of my yarns were mercerized cotton or a cotton/linen blend (with some exceptions) and most all were #1 Super Fine Weight (Baby, Sock, or Fingering) yarn. See pattern for more brand information, skein size, hook size, etc.
Three of my quilt testers tested this pattern and loved the French Seam finished interior seams and customizable pillowcase instructions. All three had never tried crochet before but only one actually gave crochet a try and she found the video instructions so helpful that she successfully added borders to here two travel size pillowcases. The other two really ran out of time to work out the intricacies of learning a new craft and made, instead, lovely pillowcases for their homes—all using Art Gallery Fabric material.
Pillowcases made by Melissa David
Pillowcases made by Sandy Saengsuk
Pillowcases made by Marija Vujcic
If you’ve always wanted to add a crochet border to a pillowcase, this is your summer to learn something new and give it a try. I love to have small handiwork projects that can be picked up and put down and this is that sort of protect for easy summer sewing.
Other Fun News!
Thanks to Arrow Sewing for sponsoring, I was a guest speaker of the Quilter on Fire Podcast hosted my Brandy Maslowski. You can listen to my creative journey by listening to episode 211 on The QOF Podcast.
My Art Gallery Fabrics Midsummer collection will be shipping to shops sometime this month AND I have a coordinating Aurifil Thread set called Midsummer Stitching, curated to go along with the fabric collection. You can purchase the thread set at shops like:
Look for both the fabrics and thread set at your favorite shops that carry AGF and Aurifil.
If this wasn’t all enough to keep you busy all summer, I have two new quilt patterns coming out the month of June! The Sew Together quilt pattern will be an exclusive quilt kit from Art Gallery Fabrics and you can purchase it from shops that carry the AGF kit and pattern. I’ve no concrete release date on that kit until the fabric collection starts shipping to shops but watch for pre-order options from your favorite shops. The other quilt pattern is one I will be releasing here on the blog on June 27th and it’s called Vincent. Once you learn it has sunflower blocks you will know it’s named after Vincent van Gogh and features my new Midsummer collection.
Following me on Instagram as well will mean you’ll never miss a thing! When you follow me on Instagram there’s a daily dose of Sharon Holland Designs on my Instagram account @sharonhollanddesigns and it’ll keep you up to date on new pattern releases, new fabric collections, and more!