Soft-Knit Basket Weave Pillowcase

Use your Baby Lock serger to create a beautiful and unique pillowcase! You will see that she uses the differential feed for gathering making this project a snap! Download printable instructions.

Materials:

• 1 1/3 yd soft jersey knit for front gathers
• >1 yd knit (or soft cotton) for pillow body and back
• Wonder Tape
• measuring too
• rotary cutter and mat
• serger with matching thread
• quilter’s tape

Tools:

• Baby Lock Diana Serger

Steps:

1. Cut your fabric for gathered front:

   1. cut 3 rectangles measuring 10.25″ X 20″ for horizontal gathered squares

   2. cut 3 rectangles measuring 8.875″ (8 7/8") X 20″ for vertical gathered squares

   3. cut 3 rectangles measuring 10.25″ X 20″ for horizontal gathered squares

   4. cut 3 rectangles measuring 8.875″ (8 and 7/8′s) X 20″ for vertical gathered squares

2. Cut your fabric for body and back:

   1. 1 rectangle measuring 26.5″ X 19″

   2. 2 rectangles measuring 17.5″ X 19″

   3. 1 rectangle measuring 26.5″ X 19″

   4. 2 rectangles measuring 17.5″ X 19″

3. To gather with your serger: set your differential feed dial to its highest setting adjust your needle thread tensions to the highest number

   1. Increase your stitch length to the longest possible.

4. Gather the long edges of all your rectangles for gathered front.

5. On each gathered edge knot one end of serger tail and then pull out center serger stitching line on opposite side so you can adjust the gathers to the correct measurements

6. For horizontal gathered squares (10.25 X 20 rectangles) cut a length of Wonder Tape 8 7/8’s of an inch and press one end to the left edge and the other to the right edge.

   1. Pull center serger thread to adjust gathers to fit length of tape.

   2. Press tape down matching gathered edge to tape edge.

   3. Repeat for opposite gathered edge of fabric.

   4. Repeat whole process for vertical gathered squares (8 7/8” X 20” rectangles) except cut lengths of Wonder Tape to be 10.25”.

   5. Note: each square (after gathering) will end up measuring 8 7/8” (W) by 10.25 (H)

7. Serge three squares together to form top row (horizontal vertical horizontal) right sides together

   1. Press the Wonder Tape that’s already applied to secure edges (no pinning needed!) before stitching

   2. Repeat for bottom row (vertical horizontal vertical) and then serge top row to bottom.

8. Attach completed gathered front to pillow body (26.5”X19” rectangle) by pinning around all sides and then along all seam lines taking care to straighten and pin seams as you go.

   1. Serge or baste along outside edges and then stitch squares to body by sewing in the ditch of all seams.

9. To add the additional stitching lines through square centers apply quilter’s tape to center of each gathered square (gathering fabric evenly as you tape) and then stitch over tape.

   1. Remove tape by ripping off either side of tape underneath stitching.

10. Hem on 19” edge of bath back panels by turning under ½” twice and stitching close to folded edge.

    1. Layer front of pillow right sides together to layered back panels (hemmed edges towards center) pin and serge along all sides.

11. At this point the pillow is finished but optionally for a bordered edge flip right sides out and then pin a ½” strip of knit about an inch in and stitch down.

    1. Allow the strip to tuck and fold as it adds to the texture!