How to sew bed linen
High-quality bed linen is not so cheap, and those that many can afford are very short-lived. There is a way out of this - to sew bed linen with your own hands, especially since it is very, very simple. Even if you don't have skills of a professional seamstress, sewing a set of bed linen will not be difficult at all. In this article we will look at the dimensional parameters of linen sets, as well as the sewing process itself and the material that is ideal for these purposes.
Contents
Bed linen sizes
Bed linen can be for children or adults. In turn, an adult can also be of different sizes: single, single, double and Euro double. Each of them has its own dimensional parameters, which the manufacturer can adjust at its discretion. However, when sewing yourself, you can proceed from the following measurements:
- for a single set: pillowcase 50*70 cm; duvet cover 135*200 cm; sheet 110*200;
- for a one-and-a-half-size set: pillowcase 60*60 cm; duvet cover 210*150 cm; sheet 210*160 cm;
- for a double set: pillowcase 60*60 cm; duvet cover 210*180 cm; sheet 210*175 cm;
- for the euro set: pillowcase 70*70 cm; duvet cover 214*176; bed sheet 240*220 cm.
Children's bedding sizes differ significantly from adult ones:
- pillowcase: 60*40 cm;
- duvet cover: 147*115 cm;
- bed sheet: 150*120 cm.
During the cutting process, it is very important to take into account the individual characteristics of the bed, pillow and blanket, since their manufacturer may sew according to other patterns, so the specified standards may not be relevant in your particular case. Moreover, this is not at all difficult to do - just measure the surface of the mattress, taking into account how the sheet, blanket and pillow will be tucked in. These will be the individual indicators that it is better to focus on when sewing PBC.
How to sew bed linen
Bed linen fabric
An important factor when sewing bed linen is what material it will be made from. Nowadays, fabric stores can offer their customers a huge selection of materials, which a beginner can easily get confused about. We will try to help you decide. To begin with, let us clarify that you should not take very cheap fabrics that are sold supposedly for bed linen; often this is how chintz is sold, which is not durable and after two or three washes holes or frays will appear on it. To ensure that your work does not go down the drain, and that your bed linen lasts for several years, give preference only to durable materials. So, what fabrics are suitable for sewing PBC:
- If finances are tight, and bed linen is extremely necessary, then chintz can be considered as the most extreme option. However, don’t forget about its low quality; it will start to tear very quickly. The material tends to shed and sleeping on it is not the most pleasant pleasure, but it is natural and breathable.
- If you want “eternal” bed linen that will withstand hundreds of washings and ironing, then choose linen - it definitely won’t let you down. The material is 100% natural and very, very durable. Such bed linen can be passed on by inheritance. Its main disadvantage is that it wrinkles very quickly, but is difficult to smooth out. By the way, it is flax that is used for sewing linen for hospitals, because where else is it often changed and washed, so the strength must be very high. But the cost of flax is not the lowest, about 600-700 rubles per linear meter, which means the price of flax will be significantly higher than average.
- For aesthetes and lovers of all things luxurious, we can recommend silk for sewing linen. Sleeping on it is a real pleasure, especially if it is real Japanese silk. Artificial silk is weaker, so you shouldn’t expect durability from it.
- If you want your bed to always be warm and pleasant to the body, then you can use terry cloth. It wrinkles slightly, but is ironed very easily, absorbs moisture perfectly, does not slip and is wear-resistant.
- A popular material is bamboo. It is natural, durable and pleasant to sleep on. The appearance of such bed linen is very attractive and bright.
- Recently, microfiber bedding has been gaining popularity due to its softness and durability.
In addition to the above, there are other fabrics that can be used in sewing PBC, these include: cambric, jacquard, viscose, percale, poplin, satin, polycotton, flannel.
How much fabric do you need for bed linen?
Once the material has been selected, you can move on. The calculation of the amount of material is based on what size of bed linen is needed. To perform calculations, you can use the following diagram:
- For the sheets. Measure the width of the bed and add 35-40 cm on each side (this excess will hang down). For example, with a bed width of 1.5 m, the total width of the sheet, taking into account processing allowances, will be about 2.30 m.
- For a duvet cover. The calculation follows the same principle, only you need to take into account an additional five centimeters so that the blanket lies freely. Measure the width of the blanket, multiply by 2 and add 5. Seam allowances are 1-2 cm. On average, about 3.7 m of fabric is used for a blanket 1.8 m wide.
- For a pillowcase. Everything is the same as for the above described.
When calculating the amount of fabric, it is necessary to take into account the percentage of shrinkage, which is especially high for natural fabrics, so add 10% to the calculated one.
Approximate calculations of fabric consumption for bed linen of different sizes:
- Single-bed: with a fabric width of 2.2 m - consumption 6.30 m; with a width of 1.5 m - consumption 8.5 m.
- Double: with a fabric width of 2.2 m - consumption 7.45 m.
- For a Euro set: with a fabric width of 2.2 m - consumption 8.30 m.
- For family: with a fabric width of 2.2 m - consumption 10.40 m.
- For a children's set: with a fabric width of 1.5 m - consumption 4.10 m.
How to sew bed linen
First of all, the fabric must be decated. Otherwise, after the first wash, it may shrink seriously, after which all you can do is throw it away. To do this, immerse the purchased fabric in warm soapy water for several hours, and then remove it and let it dry naturally. Only after this can you start cutting.
To sew simple bed linen, it is not at all necessary to make patterns; you can only lay out the patterns on a piece of paper in advance, naturally to scale, and then use this pattern to draw out the fabric itself with chalk or soap. To save time, you can use the following scheme:
After that, cut out all the parts and begin the sewing process.
How to sew a bed sheet. This is the easiest way to do it. Take the sheet piece and finish the edges with an overlocker. Then fold them in so that the overstitch is hidden inside. Use needles or hand stitches and then machine stitch around the perimeter. That's all, the classic sheet is ready!
How to sew a duvet cover. Fold the duvet cover piece right side inward and think about where there will be a place to thread the duvet. For example, there will be a cut on the side. Mark the center of the sidewall, measure 20 cm from it in each direction. This will be the place for threading the blanket. The same applies if the cut is from below. Sew the rest on an overlocker, and then, to secure the seam, go through it on a sewing machine. It is easy to process the cut; to do this, you just need to bend it inward twice and stitch it on a machine.
How to sew a pillowcase. Fold the prepared cut onto the pillowcase “face” inward, leaving 30 cm for the pocket. Finish the edge of the pocket with an overlocker, then fold the edges and sew on the machine. Then place the pocket with the wrong side facing the back of the pillowcase. Sew the sides of the pillow using an overlocker and machine stitch it. Turn it inside out and that’s it, the pillowcase is ready.
How to sew baby bedding
Bed linen for children is sewn in the same way as for adults, with the only difference being that it is cut to different sizes. To make the bed linen more fun, you can always decorate it with ruffles and frills, and also make the duvet cover itself not closed, but open and curly. Here the only limitation is your imagination and the interests of the child.
