Sewing Holiday Pillowcases

(can be addictive)

Burritos for Christmas

On the first holiday season after retiring from teaching, I got “crafting fever.” I wanted to sew somenting festive. I was browsing through Pinterest when I came across a video with directions for making a simple pillow case, complete with contrasting trim, by using the burrito method.  Yes, the burrito method. NO, not this kind of burrito:

This kind….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAomYjHzUQk Named for the way that you roll the fabric up during sewing

It was the perfect project to help me revive my sewing skills that had been dormant for most of my teaching years. Off to the fabric store I went with the exact measurements in hand eager to get started. I found the perfect holiday themed flannel on sale and bought several different prints. The first pillowcase, a candy-cane print with a snowflake border, stitched together in a flash. I ran to show my husband the finished product, eager to impress him with my talent.

The Big Reveal

“Look what I made!” I bragged.

“Wow..” he said looking up from the computer.  “That’s nice.”

Encouraged by the ease of my success, I trotted back to my sewing machine to stitch up another one.  The snowman print and red checked trim was delightful.  As I snipped the last thread, I ran to Ed’s office to reveal my latest creation. He wasn’t there, but I tracked him down in the living room.

“Here’s another one!”  I beamed.  “See how I made French seams so that the edges are nice and neat on the inside!”

“Mmm, yeah… that’s great.” He glanced  away  from the television, hardly noticing my exquisite French seams.

Pillowcase Addiction

By the time I had finished the third pillowcase Ed was not in the office or living room.  I found him in the bathroom.  I’m pretty sure he was hiding from me. That’s when I realized  I had a pillowcase addiction. The truth hit me hard. Convincing myself that I could quit at any time, I packed up the three pillowcases and shipped them off to my granddaughters.

  OK, I’ll admit, I couldn’t just  quit cold turkey.  I made two more of the darling cases and sent them to kids I barely knew.  But hey, ‘ tis the season to be sewing! Happy Holidays!