Duvet Cover

A new duvet cover can bring all the elements of your bedroom decorating scheme together. Whether you choose a fabric to match your curtains and other home furnishings or go for something with a strongly contrasting color or pattern. The beauty of making your own is that you have a far wider range of fabrics to choose from.

MATERIALS:

Cotton fabric

Buttons (at least 6 for a duvet for a single bed)

Sewing machine

Needle and matching thread

Pins



INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut two pieces of fabric to length and width of the duvet, adding 6 inches to the length and 3 inches to the width for seam allowances and hems.

If you need to join pieces of fabric to achieve the correct width, have one full width in the center and narrower pieces on either side to avoid having a seam running down the middle.

2. Right sides together, pin the two pieces together and stitch around both long and one short edges, taking a 1/2 inch seam.

Cut diagonally across the corner to reduce the bulk.

3. On the unstitched short end, turn back, pin and stitch a 2 1/2 inch double hem.

Make buttonholes along the hemmed edge on one side.

To make button holes, mark the position of the buttonholes with tailor's chalk on the wrong side of the smallest piece of fabric about 1 inch below the hemmed edge. Cut a neat slit along the marked line. Work buttonhole or blanket stitch along both edges, finish with a few straight stitches to secure.

4. Turn the duvet cover right side out.

To mark the position of the buttons accurately, insert a pin through the center of each buttonhole.

Stitch the buttons to the inside hemmed edge.

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