EYELET PILLOWCASES

Close-up

I created this design especially for this project. However, it could be used in lots of different projects.

Click HERE for pattern

(Note: If you have a problem when printing the JPG file from the above link, download the TIF version HERE. This file has been ZIP'd, so you will have to download it and then use an unzipping utility -- such as Winzip -- to unzip the file.)

Supplies:
Appliqué (open toe) foot
4mm eyelet plate
Eyelet cutter and mat
5" spring embroidery hoop
#80 universal or 75 embroidery needle
Wing or twin needle 2.0 (optional hem stitch)
Embroidery thread in colors of choice
Bobbin thread
White embroidery thread and some wound on a bobbin for the eyelets
Stabilizers (your choice of tear aways or liquid stabilizer to stabilize the embroidery area)
Water erasable marking pen
7/8 yd. Of 45" batiste (fabric should be washed, spray starched and ironed)

Use a rotary cutter to straighten the ends of the batiste. From one straight end, measure 28" and cut. Cut along the fold to make 2 pieces. Each piece will be 22" X 28" after cutting away the selvages. I allow ½" seam allowance and 3" hems.

Fold one piece of fabric in half so it is 14" X 22". Measure 6 ½" from the folded side of one end to find the center front of the pillowcase. Make a dashed line about 6" long at the lower end to mark the center front.

Measure for the 3" hem and use a ruler to make dashes so you can see where the fold of the hem will be so you can trace the design in the proper place.

Lay the pattern under the fabric and line up the center line and the hem lines on the pattern with the lines you made on the pillowcase and trace the pattern with the water soluble pen.

Stitching Order: Stitch all stems, then all leaves, all flowers. Then sew all the knots in the center of the flowers and then all the eyelets.

Stems: Triple action stitch, Appliqué foot
Des 1: A8, SL 2.5
#1+ or #1: A9, SL 2.5
Rose: 2, SL 2.5
Start at the lower end and stitch to the top of the stem and touch "stop." This completes the stitch. Tap the foot pedal so the needle will go down, pivot and sew back to the other end as close as possible to the first stitching and touch the "stop" to complete the stitch.

Leaves (green thread):
Des 1:
Program:
C5, SL .2, SW 4, elong. 5
C5, SL .2, SW 4, elong. 5 mirror end to end (vertical)
Touch "fix, stop, cut"
Touch "REP" to sew.
Place your needle into the fabric where the petal is closest to the stem and stitch straight outward.
The 1+ and #1 will use D35. The only difference is you won't have the cut feature.
Rose: 2, SL 1.5 > 30, SW 2.5 > 38, SW 3.5 > 38, SW 3.5 > 30, SW 2.5 end to end mirror > 2 SL 1.5 > Stop REP

Place your needle into the fabric where the petal is closest to the stem and stitch straight outward. Pull the threads backwards out of the way and stitch another leaf.

Flowers (color of choice):
Des 1:
Bring up the same program as the leaves. Press "adjust" and change the SW to 5. Move the cursor under the second part of the program and touch "adjust" and change the SW to 5. "REP"

#1 and 1+ and Rose owners will bring up the leaves program and touch the "right arrow" on the far right of the info display to move the cursor under each shape and increase the SW for each part of the design by 1. Then touch "REP".

Stitch one petal from the center outward. Then turn the fabric and do the petal that is just opposite it. Then do another petal and again, do the one opposite it, etc. See my pictures to understand what I mean. This keeps them balanced.

Knots (Yellow thread. Drop the feed dogs. Open toe foot is still okay to use.):
Des 1:
A2 A2 A2
C22 SW 2.5 elong 1
A2 A2 A2 touch "stop"
#1+ and #1:
Drop the feed dogs
Program:
A2 A2 A2
D39, SW 2.5, elong 1
A2 A2 A2 touch "stop"
Rose:
Drop the feed dogs
Sew 3 straight stitches #1, then touch #5, SW 2.5 and sew about 8 stitches, change to #1 and sew 3 stitches in the center of the knot.

Because you dropped the feed dogs, the fabric will stay in place. It will stitch 3 stitches in place then zig zag stitches then 3 stitches into the center of the knot. Place your needle into the very center of the flower to sew. When one is done, press the button to raise the foot a bit so you can move to the next flower.

Cut all thread on the back and front and remove excess stabilizer.

Eyelets:
All machines: Lower the pressure to 1 (use the "set" menu on the Des 1.) Feed dogs dropped and ankle and foot removed. Attach the 4mm eyelet plate. The projection will be to the left of the needle.

Change to the white embroidery thread and the bobbin with the same thread. Hoop the fabric with tear away so a group of eyelets are sort of centered in the hoop.

Place the hoop over the cutting mat that came with the eyelet cutter. Place the eyelet cutter over one of the eyelet dots and tap it twice with a hammer or mallet to cut the hole. Cut all the holes in that area. Make sure the cut dots are out of the holes.

Des 1: A 11, SW 4
#1+ and #1: A12, SW 4
Rose: #4, SW 4
Place one of the holes over the projection of the eyelet plate. Hold onto the top thread and turn the hand wheel manually to lower the needle and bring up the bobbin thread. Grab both threads and pull out about 4". Lower the presser foot. Hold the thread tails to the front and to the left of the protrusion so that as you sew, the stitches will form over the thread tails.

As you sew, move the hoop counterclockwise rather fast so as the stitches form so they won't pile up on top of each other. When you reach the beginning stitches, you will want to touch "fix" before one of the stitches goes to the right so the "fix" stitch will be stitched into the fabric instead of in the hole. Do not use the cutter because you will need to bring up that tail for each eyelet. Raise the presser foot and remove the hoop from the protrusion and bring it forward to cut the bobbin thread and the top thread and leave nice long tails.

Place another hole over the protrusion, bring up the bobbin thread the same way and start stitching as before. After finishing those eyelets, rehoop another area.

When you are all done, change the pressure setting back to normal and and raise the feed dogs. Turn your pillowcase over and make sure you trim away all your threads and stabilizer. Otherwise they will show through when you turn your hem under and be caught in between. DO NOT IRON THE FABRIC WITH THE MARKINGS.

Hem or scalloped edge:
Decide what type of finish you want on the bottom and either stitch out the scalloped design at the marked hemline and cut away the excess hem fabric. Or turn up the hem and choose the scalloped stitch as a border on the upper hemline or the double hemstitch or entredeux stitch . I used the B foot and placed the left edge at the raw edge of the turned under hem. I could see it through the fabric on top. Make sure you use stabilizer again if you are using these stitches. Trim away excess fabric.

I used the "tracery scallop" using twin needles. This makes a double stitching line in a scalloped look and I don't use stabilizer for this stitch. Des.1 #E6 - 1+ is A32. Rose machines do not have this stitch. I adjusted the SW to 5 instead of using the "twin needle" button so the scallop would be almost normal in size. If you use the 2.0 twin needle, it will be ok. I also adjusted the tension to 5 to tighten it a bit. After stitching, I carefully cut close to the curved scallops to remove the excess fabric. Turn the machine off/on to recalibrate the tension.

Sew the seams with ½" seam allowance using the sewing advisor to choose "seam overcast" stitch. Cut off the excess seam allowance beyond the stitching. Or finish the seams any way you choose. Rinse the case to remove the markings.

J.H.