How to Sew a Duvet Cover – Stripes or Solids

A duvet cover is the most practical bedding solution for families, pet owners, and those who like to eat potato chips in bed. Seriously, what’s with the potato chips in bed? Sewing your own duvet cover can be a costly and cumbersome feat but with these tricks you can create perfectly unique and prudent custom bedding.

The easiest way to make a duvet cover is to simply sew together two flat sheets, one for the front and one for the
back. But we wanted a bit more pizzazz. We cut up and sewed together small amounts of designer fabric with multiple flat sheets in different colors and patterns to make our striped duvet.

We’ve provided two ways for you to assemble your desired duvet. As you can see by the chart below, these large dimensions require some creative fabric piecing. For our queen-size duvet cover, we created a striped panel to make the front, and a solid panel to make the back. Of course you can make both sides striped, or solid. The choice is yours!

Materials
For the striped side: Three 1 yard (91 cm) cuts of coordinating fabric, for the stripes
Fabric, in a solid color (for amount see the chart)
For the solid side: Fabric, in a solid color (for amount see the chart)
Ruler
Rotary Cutter
Cutting Mat
Scissors
Straight pins
Sewing machine
Coordinating thread
½–1½ yards (46 cm–137 cm) of ½” (12 mm) hook and loop
tape that’s not adhesive-backed (the amount you need depends on bed size)

Instructions
To create a striped front side:
The front of the duvet cover requires three, 1 yard (91 cm) cuts of coordinating fabric, plus two pieces of 44″- or 52″- (112 cm- or 132 cm-) wide fabric at least as long as your required bed width, plus 1″ (2.5 cm) seam allowance (see the Duvet Cover Fabric Chart).

1 To make the stripes, use the ruler, rotary cutter, and cutting mat to cut each of the three yards of fabric into thirds. Each will yield three pieces (nine total) measuring slightly less than 44″ × 12″ (112 cm × 30.5 cm).

2 Place two strips of the same fabric, right sides together. Sew along one short side with a ½” (12 mm) seam. Sew the remaining strip of the same fabric to the opposite short side to make one very long strip measuring 132″ × 12″ (335 cm × 30.5 cm). Finish the seams using your preferred method (see Finished Seam Solutions). Repeat these steps with the remaining two fabrics. You will have a total of three long sewn strips.

3 Arrange the three sewn strips from top to bottom as you’d like them to appear on the duvet. If you have spare length, it looks nice to stagger the seams so that they are intentionally not aligned, as shown. Pin and sew the strips together along their long sides with a ½” (12 mm) seam. Finish the seams using your preferred method.

4 To finish the front side of this queen-sized duvet, cut one 93″ × 36″ (236 cm × 91 cm) piece and one 93″ × 44″ (236 cm × 112 cm) piece from the solid fabric. Using a ½” (12 mm) seam, sew the 95″ × 36″ (241 cm × 91 cm) piece to the top of the striped block and sew 95″ × 44″ (241cm × 112 cm) piece to the bottom, long sides together. Finish the seams using your preferred method.

5 Set the front side of your duvet cover aside.

To create a solid back side:
The back of the duvet cover requires two (for crib, twin, or full) or three (for queen or king) pieces of 44″ or 52″ (112 cm or 132 cm) wide fabric at least as long as the length of your required fabric (see the Duvet Cover Fabric Chart.)

1 If making a crib, twin or full duvet, cut two pieces of fabric to the correct length. Leave one piece whole
and cut the second one in half, the long way down the center.

2 Align and pin the long side of one narrow piece to one long side of the center piece, and sew with a ½” (12 mm) seam. Repeat this process to sew the second narrow piece to the other long side of the center piece. Finish the seams using your preferred method

3 If making a queen or king duvet, cut three lengths of fabric to the correct length. Align and pin the long sides of two of these pieces together and sew with a ½” (12 mm) seam. Repeat this process to sew on the third piece
of fabric. Finish the seams using your preferred method

Assembly instructions
1 Refer to the Duvet Cover Fabric Chart to trim the front and back pieces of your duvet cover to the correct size. Set the back piece aside.

2 Place the front piece wrong side up. Fold and press the bottom edge of the fabric to the wrong side by ¼” (6 mm). Then fold and press the bottom edge again by an additional ¼” (6 mm). Sew the hem at the inside folded
edge.

3 Place the front piece wrong side up again. Fold the bottom hemmed edge 8″ (20 cm) to the fabric’s wrong side. Cut the hook and loop tape into 4″ (10 cm) lengths. Separate the hook sides of the tapes from the loop sides. Pin a length of the loop-side tape every 4″ (10 cm) across bottom edge of the folded flap of fabric. (Be sure to pin through only one layer of fabric.)

4 Unfold the 8″ (20 cm) flap. Sew around all edges of the loop tape strips backstitching at the start and finish to
secure the stitches. Fold the 8″ (20 cm) flap back up, pin it, and set it aside.

5 Place the back piece of your duvet cover wrong side up. Fold and press the bottom edge of fabric to the wrong side by ½” (12 mm). Then fold and press the bottom edge again by an additional 1″ (2.5 cm). Sew the hem at the inside folded edge.

6 Finish the duvet with French seams. Pin the front and back pieces of the duvet cover together with wrong sides facing and the bottom, hemmed edges aligned.

7 Sew down both sides and across the top with a ¼” (6 mm) seam. Trim the seams. Leave the bottom,
hemmed edge open.

8 Turn the duvet inside out (so the right sides of the fabric are facing each other). To finish your French
seams, sew down both sides and across the top with a ½” (12 mm) seam. Leave the bottom open.

9 Turn the duvet cover right side out. Position the hooksides of the tape opposite each loop strip sewn to the front of the duvet cover. Sew around all edges of the hook tape strips, backstitching to secure the ends of your stitching. Add a decorative × from corner to corner, if desired.

For more fab home decor diy’s check out our book Pretty Prudent Home wherever fine books are sold.

by Jacinda