Pillow Shams to match quilt
 

I plan on making pillow shams and a bed skirt to match my quilt. I want to piece the front of the sham with a variation of the quilt pattern. Quilt is a 9 patch and rail fence pattern. I may do Goose in the Pond or something similar. I was hoping to make an envelope sham. How do you finish the back (inside) of the pieced front of the sham? I searched the quilting board and couldn't find any thread on this topic. I have made envelope pillow covers, but not quite sure how to do a pieced top. I don't really want to quilt it unless necessary. Could I use some kind of fusible interface or batting? Thanks in advance for your help.

I really don't know what you are asking. But, the regular shams I have had in the past have serged hems inside. If you don't have one, you could make them a French seam style. It the seams are exposed and you are wanting to enclose them, you could use a knit iron on interfacing. Utube has some good information there. Perhaps there is something there to help.

I just made shams for my bed to match the king size quilt I made. You just make the sham like a quilt. I used muslin on the back since it is inside and will never be seen. I would think you would want to SID at the minimum on the pieced front.

I use flannel and then a backing on the pieced top and quilt it a bit for strength and stability. Then I just treat this sandwich as the front of the sham. I think it goes better with the quilted if it's quilted in a similar fashion.

I agree with ekuw. I would SITD at a minimum.

I also use a slippery lining, like garment lining or rip stop nylon. I find that the pillow fills the sham better this way. An alternative is to use one of those satin zipper pillow protectors.

Great tip! I'll remember that for next time :-)

I quilted it the same as the quilt. You could probably do less but I wanted it to look the same. I used muslin on the back (inside) of the front panel and coordinating fabric on the back. I overlap opening about 5 inches on back. I made flanges all around like wide sashing to center the blocks on the sham.

That's a great idea! I'm definitely going to try that.

Whenever I have made matching shams I do quilt the top part of them. I think you will find with no quilting you will have a wrinkled mess with every washing, at least that has been my experience with under quilted items like placemats or the one time I had to wash a quilt top prior to quilting. Additionally I think you will be much happier with the finished look with, at the very least SITD quilting. Shams are so easy to quilt because they are smaller and even an all over cross hatch looks good.

I just made two shams to match a quilt I'd made for my son - I pieced add'l matching blocks, fused them onto Pellon 987F fusible fleece, used light muslin to back the quilted sham top and quilted them to match the quilt. I think using some sort of batting and quilting the sham top makes it look as finished as the actual quilt. Probably not what everyone would do but it worked out great for me :)

Hope that's helpful!

Christine

I made shams for a quilt once, found them not easy to deal with everyday.
Now I just make pillow covers to match my quilts. They are little quilts, made like any other quilts. When I make the bed in the mornings, I just cover the pillows with them.

I always make shams for bed quilts. I use regular pillowcases on a couple pillows to sleep on, and put the shams on separate pillows for décor, so they don't need to be removed and put back on all the time.

I always quilt the top before making the sham. I've found that the envelope style closure always gaps, so I've started putting zippers or at least Velcro on the closures. Lately, I've been taking previously made shams and putting zippers in them. It seems like a pain to do, but I really like the results.

Some garment lining is poly and some is rayon (more expensive). If you use rayon lining from your stash, just be sure to pre-shrink it. Rayon can shrink mightily in the wash.

Thanks for all the help. I will use some fusible fleece I have already, and back the sandwich with some kind of fabric, and yes, quilt it too! Was hoping for something easier, but after all the effort on the quilt, why shortchange the pillow shams.

Love the idea of a separate pillow cover!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]599953[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]599954[/ATTACH]Here are a couple of pillow shams, which I made for my friend and then a set for myself (Birds) Just piece the front and add the batting, backing for the inside of your sham. Square up your shams, then cut backing fabric 4 inches longer than the front, cut that backing fabric in half, fold over the center and stitch a small seam where you cut the backing and add a piece of velcroe to the center of that seam, on the second half - make another seam add velcroe also in the center of the seam to match the other side. You can just stitch up all four sides at the outer edge - overlap the backing seam just enough so the velcroe will close nicely.

The bird pillow shams are gorgeous! Thanks again!

I have made a few. I used some velcro where the two parts overlap in the back, and one time I installed zippers (before sewing the back to the front. I quilted them to match the quilt they went with using muslin on the inside. I made flanges around the outside edges. This is actually a simple way of finishing them, quicker than binding or cording. To make flanges add borders front and back in whatever width you like, then sew the front and back together, right sides facing. Turn right side out and iron out the edges and corners. Then sew the required distance (2 inches or so) all around, through all layers. I'm probably not making that very clear, but it will be pretty easy to figure out.

I agree! I've come back to look at them a few times to admire the beautiful colors, the construction and the great quilting motif that accents the birds so well - just gorgeous.

Love the bird shams, I too find it easier to purchase pillows for the shams and just use them like throw pillows over the pillowcase pillows. I think that's why I like them so much, it makes making the bed easier and there is no tucking of the quilt.

The pillows/ shams that I’ve made are lined with a piece of old sheet and Those that I’ve quilted have batting and a white sheet or fabric to hold the batting in and so that they may be washed without fraying.