Instead of the pillow cases - add them like a "panel" across the top of the quilt. A friend just finished a Christmas sample quilt with a panel across the top, looks great.

My pillow shams are all lined. The ones I buy and the ones I've made. Make the lining slight smaller than the sham and it will fit perfectly. Not a big an issue as you imagine. Been there..................
Gramma Hunt

My pillow toppers are the same length as the space your pillows cover. I don't make real big quilts anymore so they just cover the top of the bed. The toppers make them look bigger.

Sure wish I could include a pix because I thought my latest quilt was clever. I started throwing together 10 Minute Blocks" then started adding my own touches to them. Then really got carried away & put Double Diamonds around ea. corner on the border. Took it to a LAQ who said it was so beaut she couldn't do it justice & needs custom work. Wow, was I proud. She gave ne the name of a custom LAQ who did great job on it. Didn't even charge me for the topper.

She even asked if I'd teach classes of some of the things I did. Boy, did my head swell.

Sorry I can't add pix since I just have an iPad now & am still learning how to use it. If somebody wanted to help I could email pix so they could put them on here

Pat

Well, I only got 1 pillow case made - too many interuptions today. It's not the greatest and I think maybe I would like a runner better. I may take it apart and start over. Besides it doesn't fit right on that pillow and if I had a runner I wouldn't have that problem. I looked on the Internet to try to find a picture with a pillow runner but couldn't find one. If anyone has a picture with one on their bed I'd love to see it. Thanks, Pat

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I like the idea of a bed runner. It can cover the pillows during the day and keep your feet warm at night.

I use pinking shears..that has always worked for me..u can trim all your edges with them

I would continue as you're doing and then sandwich and quilt the fabric and then cut the lengths for my pillow cases. You can include a thin batting if you like. You'll still have a raw edge inside the pillow case but you would have that even if you made them from whole cloth. Or you could flat fell the seams inside, to make them really neat. I like quilted pillow cases, think the extra fabric gives the pillows more shape and definition and look great as pillow shams. More work, yes, but you've already stepped in blood...... so to speak.

You can make a quilt runner to cover the pillows. You make it long enough to cover both pillows, plus drop then quilt like your bed quilt.

What about French Seams? At least that is what I would do.

Assuming that you have pieced enough blocks for the pillow top (not bottom), and that the other side will be palin old muslin

Sew the muslin to the back of the pieced blocks - like you have sandwiched a quilt that has no batting

Stitch in the ditch to secure muslin and blocks,

Stitch 1/4" around edges make sure all the seams of the blocks don't come undone.

Then construct the pillow as you usually would.