Make This: Burrito Pillowcase with One Way Fabric Tutorial
Many of you have probably heard of the magical burrito pillowcase method. We love how quick and easy it is to make a beautiful designer pillow with this method, but there is one place the regular tutorial falls flat, or should we say, sideways. Of course, we are talking about when using one way, or one directional, fabrics. Using the regular method, your one way designs will end up sideways, instead of correctly positioned. Many of our favorite designs are one way, so we thought it was time to figure out a way to use them for a pillowcase. It only takes a couple of extra steps and one extra seam to use those favorite designs. Let’s get started!
For one pillowcase, you will need:
-21″ x WOF (width of fabric) main fabric with a one-directional print (We used Wee Wander Summer Ride in White)
-12″ x WOF cuff fabric (We used Heather Bailey’s Clementine) *Note: if you are using particularly full pillow forms, you may want to increase this to 14″
-2.5″ x WOF accent band fabric (We used Wee Wander Tree Lights in Twilight)
This is how the pillowcase will look. Note that the folds on the band and cuff are at the top, and the fold on the main fabric is on the right.
With the fabrics still folded, trim the cuff and band to 21″.
Next, also with the fabric still folded, lay out the main fabric and trim the selvages off as closely as possible. Remember the measurement where you trimmed, as you’ll need it in the next step. This number will be different for each fabric, as fabric widths vary widely, even within the same collection. Ours was cut at 21.75″.
The next couple of steps are a little bit tricky, but this is how we’ll make the fabric direction correct. Open up the main fabric, and cut it in half, using the measurement from trimming selvages. For us, it’s 21.75″.
Now, lay one half on top of the other, with right sides together and both prints right side up. You’ll be sewing the fabric back together along the pink line at the bottom.
We used a serger for this step, but you could do a french seam (more on that later) or a regular straight or zigzag stitch.
Press that seam, and the main fabric is perfectly prepped for assembly!
Iron the accent band fabric in half lengthwise, with wrong sides together. Lay out the cuff fabric, right side up, and place the accent band on top, matching raw edges. *Note: if your cuff fabric is also one directional, you will want to place it upside-down at this point. This will make the bottom of the print at the accent band.
Then, lay the main fabric on top of both bands, with right side toward the cuff and accent band.
Here’s the burrito part. Roll up the extra main fabric, so that it’s out of the way of the cuff.
Next wrap the cuff around the whole assembly and match it up with the rest of the raw edges.
Pin along the length, making sure all edges are lined up.
Sew all layers together with a 1/4″ seam, just down the long edge. Leave both small ends open.
Now, grab the main fabric from inside the tube and pull it out to turn everything inside out. 
Press all seams flat, and trim the ends of the bands to match the main fabric. Your pillowcase is just about there.
At this point, you could just put right sides together and sew along the two open edges and call it a day. However, if you are looking for a more professional finish, this is the point where we add a french seam. We only did the top edge with this seam, since you won’t see the other one once it’s stuffed with a pillow. To do a french seam, lay the pillowcase with wrong sides together.
Sew along the top edge. Again, we used a serger for this step.
Turn the pillowcase inside-out, and press the seam flat. Now, we will be sewing along the same seam again, to encase the raw serged edges. This is indicated in the photo below with the pink line.
Using a 3/8″ seam, sew along the top edge. You can also continue around the corner down the back side with the straight stitch to close things up. We ran it through the serger to prevent fraying.
Turn the pillowcase inside out, and press all your seams flat. 
Stuff it with a pillow and place on your bed!
We love how these turned out! You know we had to make one for each of Audrey’s three girls. They were so quick that we did all three in one afternoon.
Of course, you can always use the same method for regular burrito pillowcases, changing the fabric measurements to 24″ main fabric and 9″ cuff fabric, with the accent band still at 2.5″.
These are perfect for holidays, special occasions, or easy handmade gifts. The best part of making these for kids is that they don’t outgrow them! Well, maybe in taste, but not in size. Make one, or two, or a few!
Hi,
Beautiful pillowcases – I love those fabrics. I figured this technique out last year when I was determined to use some directional conversation print fabrics for charity pillowcases for my guild. I would have been glad to have seen your post before I tackled the project! No serger, so I use all French seams in pillowcases. Susan aka susansquiltstudio
Hello,
I just tried the directional pillowcase, and it came out
the with the pattern going lengthwise instead of across the width. Apparently, I did not comprehend the directions. maryg1027@att.net
Definitely saving this link! I’ve done a few burrito pillow cases, but not with one-directional fabrics. Now I’ll be able to refer to your post when the time comes. 🙂
I just finished sewing this pillowcase. The one directional fabric did come out the correct direction. I put the pillow into the case and it hangs out of the pillowcase. Is there a way to make the one directional fabric longer?
Hi Julie, the only way to make the one directional fabric longer would be to piece it together. That is the tricky part about how they print it. If the pillow doesn’t fit in the case, we suggest making the cuff wider.
Can one direction pillowcases only be made as wide as the width of the fabric? 21″. Did you purchase a shorter than standard pillow in order to fit the pillowcase? I had no problem fitting the pillow into the pillowcase when I made the regular pillowcases.
Hi Julie, different pillow forms will definitely make a difference. We used down pillows for ours, which seem to fit a little bit better. You can also experiment with making the cuff a bit wider, depending on the width of your fabric. Some fabrics are 44″ wide, which would give you 22″ instead of 21″.
Hi so there’s two seams one running along bottom where you sewed the two cut pieces back together and one along the opposite side where it was assembled?
So, for a king size pillow you’d have to make a really big cuff. Would that be the case?
Yes, that would be the case, since the manufactured width of the fabric determines how wide you can get the directional print.
I don’t see the answer previously published so I apologize if it has been answered. My question is about cutting the main fabric in half (the piece you got was 21.75″). I haven’t tried the tutorial yet, and really thank you for this, every pillowcase tutorial out there assumes you have multi-directional and yet never calls it out as such. Before I sew it up and make a mistake, can’t I just keep the fabric intact and keep the fold? Not cut it into two pieces 21.75″, but keep it one 21″ x 43.5″? I understand the 43.5″ measurement is subject to change b/c it is based on the width of the fabric. But, I am missing something? Wouldn’t this save me an edge of sewing and the seam allowance?
What you have described is the regular method for the burrito pillowcase, which usually results in the print being sideways. In our method, you are changing the shape of the rectangle from horizontal to vertical, in order to rotate the directional print. Does that help?
Audrey and Diane,
Thank you for the beautifully worded and well-photographed tutorial. I am an experienced sewer but maybe I was rusty when I attacked this “simple” project. ARRRGGGG If only I had realized that the seam where the 2 directional pieces are sewn together, become one of the SIDE SEAMS! (something I would have wanted French seamed). All that sewing and finagling of widths/lengths and I finished, looked at it and ….what’s that???……I have a raw edge side seam, NOOOOOO! so I go back to the instructions and notice the mention of this seam but assumed it was the inside far end seam. GAHHH……unfortunately, I made it 1/4″ so I went back and double stitched it to prevent further unraveling.
I’ll make diagrams for next time and know not to not French seam it, if I use a directional again. For all you other cutters/sewers….make that 21″ cut longer or add onto that edge or like the authors said, make the cuff wider ….but I don’t like the cuffs wider so I’d add onto the fabric, either a coordinating print (think, what quilters do when we’re short a piece) or and an additional piece of main fabric. The pillowcase comes out a little wide/high (measuring from top to bottom if lying flat) but that’s easy to reduce (I used a full down/feather pillow)