Mickey & Minnie Inspired Super Simple Pillowcases

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Mickey Mouse inspired pillowcases are perfect sewing craft projects to start teaching the skill of sewing to your kids as they are so simple and quick.  They are fun for your little ones’ bedroom or to take a long on a trip to Disney.

At the basic pattern, they only require 3 seams.  You can also introduce the method of sewing french seams and then the pillowcase only has 5 seams. The combinations of fabrics are endless. Be inspired by your kids’ favorite Disney character. 

We visit Disney World almost every year from when I was in High School through all the years my kids have been growing up.  I like to make each trip extra special with handmade items that are Disney inspired.  This year I decided to make our trip extra special with Mickey and Minnie Mouse inspired Super Simple Pillowcases.

You may also be interested in Mickey Inspired Rice Krispy Treats – Make Your Beach Vacation Special see all the details here!

Crafting and Sewing with Kids

I love crafting with children.  It is so much fun and a fun way to teach life skills without it seeming like learning.  I love sewing as you have so many possibilities. Sewing craft can be as simple as you want to like these adorable pillowcases.

As you are only making straight sewing lines you can start even a small child with this project.  If your kids are toddlers, they can help you pick out the fabric and hand you pins, while you do the cutting and sewing.

The girls and I brainstormed this year and decided that a Disney inspired pillowcase would be fun as we always have traveled with our own pillows.  Having their own pillow helped the kids in the car sleep on long road trips and helped them when they were very little sleep better in the hotels. 

Our son one year with I tried to limit how many stuffed animals he was going to take along found that sticking a few in the pillowcase was a way to not leave beloved friends at home.

(he did not get past me with this trick as I saw them before we left. I did not let on to him that I saw his hiding place and let the extras come along)

To ensure that we did not forget our favorite pillow in the hotel I always used a colored pillowcase, so there was not any confusion. Making Disney themed cases jumped out at me as a way to distinguish our pillows and make the trip extra special.

The Burrito or Roll Pillowcase Method

This technique of sewing a pillowcase is so simple and easy you will find it hard to stop yourself from making one with the theme of all your child’s favorite movies. The technique is called the Burrito or Roll Method.

At first, you may feel intimidated by this process but after you lay it out the first time you will see how simple it really is.  Once you lay out the three fabric pieces you roll them up in a tube like a burrito and set your first seam across the top.  It really does take pictures to get the gist but I assure you it is so simple.

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Supplies Needed:

• Sewing Machine
• Rotary Cutter
• Rotary Cutting Mat
• Ruler for Fabric 
• Iron & Ironing board
• Magnetic Pin Holder 
• Sewing Pins
• Main Body Fabric: 45″wide fabric and 27 ” long (3/4 of a yard)
• Cuff: 45″ wide fabric 9″ long, pressed in half
• Accent trim: 45″ wide fabric 2″ long, pressed in half
• Matching thread

Steps for Super Simple Pillowcase:

Step 1:

Purchase three different colors of fabric that match the theme of your favorite Disney character or Disney movie. For Mickey for my son, I picked solid red cotton for the body of the pillowcase, a black polka dot for the cuff, and a yellow small polka dot for the trim. 

For Minnie for the girls, I picked out a red with large white polka dots for the body, the same black and small polka dot for the cuff, and the plain yellow for the trim. As our son-in-law was traveling with us, I made his a plainer white for the body, with the same cuff and trim.

Step 2:

Cut all the pieces of fabric.  For most sewing projects I like to cut my fabric on a day before I actually start sewing.  I like to cut all the pieces and have them all laid out so when it is time to sew everything is ready.  I find if I cut and sew at the same time I will get frustrated as I am doing do very different tasks and I like sewing less. 

So on my first day, I cut all the body pieces first by trimming off all the salvage. The salvage is the funny ruff end of the fabric that will sometimes have ridges or little holes.  It is easier to cut the correct size and make it straight if this if off.

Using the Rotary Cutter I lay the fabric on the cutting mat and fold it up on top of its self until the whole 45″ piece is about 8 inches and cut off the salvage through all the layers. After all the fabric has the salvage cut off:

• Cut the body fabric in 27″ long. (remember to cut all the body fabric at the same time as it is easier to batch same tasks together)
• Cut the Cuff fabric in 9″ long.
• Cut the Trim in 2″ long.

Step 3: 

Start your Iron and Iron all the cuffs and trim in half. This will make sewing easier.

Step 4:

Now to lay out the fabric. Opening each of the three fabrics the longest edge at the top of your work service.

Lay the 9″ cuff first, right side facing up and the long edge horizontal on the table. This piece is ironed in half but it is opened up flat right side up.

On top of the Black Dot fabric, pay the Red body of the pillowcase right side facing up.

On top of that lay the Yellow Dot trim fabric right side facing up. (this fabric stays folded in half)

The top raw edge of each fabric should be lined up exactly on top of each other on the table.

Step 5: 

At this point, I pined the top edge, just as it lays flat so it did not move.

Starting from the bottom edge that is closed to you, starting rolling up the Red Body fabric and bring up from the bottom the Black Dot fabric so that the two raw edges of the Black Dot Cuff fabric are together and now pin this whole roll.

Step 6:

Sew a straight stitch 1/4 of an inch from the raw edge.

Step 7: 

Remove all the pins and pull them inside out.

To make French Seams (which Is best as it looks more professional and will keep the fabric from unraveling). Fold in half wrong sides together and pin along the long side and the bottom.  Make sure to match the trim edge so it sits nicely together.

Set a 1/4 inch seam.

Turn the pillowcase inside out so the right sides are together.  Set a 1/2 seam on the long side and the bottom, enclosing the raw edges that were sewed when it was the wrong side together.

Step 8:

Iron the Pillowcase to make it look perfect.

Once you start making this pillowcase you will want to make them in all different colors. Having a fun Disney inspired pillowcase for the kids on a Disney vacation is perfect to make everyone sleep better and not lose their pillow.

This is a project that was hard for me to explain.  I will make a few more and see if I can add some photos to make it clearer.  Believe once you start cutting the fabric and laying it out it becomes clear.