I need to close my pillow I sewed...went around three sides and then half way in both sides of bottom. Can someone explain or point me to help on how you tie it off before you hand stitch it closed? I tried to find a video but so far not finding what I need...some help would be wonderful!

If I sew it by machine, I just backstitch 2 or 3 stitches on each side of the opening!

i just use the backstitch on the sewing machine when i start to lock the stitches and then at the end to lock the stitches there.

then i stuff and hand stitch the opening closed.

Yikes, Ninnie, I am clueless. I think I was euphoric that my corners lined up, and must have lost my mind right after that, or was it before? Not sure. Next time I will give the backstitching a try. (I'm working on another at the moment.) Thanks. This one I have off the machine and turned already. Hope there is another "way" to secure it.

Hm, thanks KLue, I guess it would have been wiser of me to ask first, sew second, not the other way around.

You can stitch over a little farther than you have to, that will make it stronger, and not put a bind on it,

do what ninnie said, stitch over that beginning and ending to lock the stitches down - and remember to back stitch this time :shock:

I know this is a little too late but here is what I do with pillows...

I use pillow forms rather then loose fiber fill. So say I have an 18" pillow form. I make my block so it is around 20" square. Then I cut two pieces of fabric for the back of the pillow 20" by 12 1/2". I turn under a hem on one of the 20" sides on each piece of the backing fabric and sew it. With right sides together I sew on one and then the other so it is overlapping the first, the hemmed sides at the opening. This creates like a pillow sham with a finished overlapping opening in the back. I turn the thing right side out and I slide my pillow form in and that way if (or should I say when) the pillow gets dirty I can remove the pillow form and toss the sham in the washer. I have never tried this method with piping but I have done it with a ruffle and it works well. The overlap of approximately 3 1/2 to 4" inches doesn't open up in the back either. Hope this explanation makes sense.

I do it the same way as feline - if you want to change for seasons or anything, it is easy to just pop another cover on. sometimes I put a velcro dot in the middle of the overlap if it does not seem wide enough.

Tks feline and moonpi - I'm taking all of the info. in and will try a form soon, too, I like the idea of being able to change the cover. I did do what ninnie said on the second one. Worked nicely. Getting better at cutting with the rotary, too. I recycled one pillow cover into drawer sachets for a friend, none of the corners lined up!