Jersey Cushion Cover?

Hello, dear friends,

my granddaughter will turn 1 next month. Among other things, I’d like to give her cushion covers for her room. The cushions are 40 x 40 cm and washable in the washing machine at 95 degrees. So they’re practical for a child’s room.

Most people would probably use cotton for cushion fabric. BUT her mom picked out cotton jersey from my fabric stash. Probably because it has a little ballerina on it and there’s a matching patterned fabric in mint green. I’m sure it will look nice as a cushion.

Now the internet advises against using jersey for cushions. Probably because it doesn’t hold its shape due to the spandex content worked into it. But now it’s supposed to be this fabric anyway.

Do you have any tips on what I need to keep in mind for my first jersey cushion cover?

I have never sewn in a zipper with the sewing machine before. I hope it works out. Does the zipper also have to be 40 cm long, or shorter? I’m not a big fan of Velcro fasteners. And while I do like the envelope-style closure, it’s probably not the right thing for my stretchy jersey, is it?

Best wishes, Ina

Ina, when sewing in a zipper, a special zipper foot is helpful. If you don’t have one, it’s also enough to move the needle all the way to the right or left if your sewing machine can do that—I do it that way, for example, even though I have a zipper foot :-) It’s safer, especially for beginners, to baste the zipper in place first; that way, nothing slips and it stays exactly where it’s supposed to be. The length doesn’t necessarily have to be 40 cm; I often use shorter zippers when I want one in a pillow.
Ina, if you use cotton jersey for pillows, they have a wonderfully cooling effect, especially in the summer. I also used cotton jersey for the back of one of my summer quilts—I love how cool it feels. You can’t go wrong with cotton jersey when making pillowcases.

Hugs, Inge

I really like your line, “You can’t go wrong with cotton jersey when you use it for a pillowcase!” Yes, and you do end up resting your head on a pillow sometimes. Cotton jersey is very comfortable and soft for that. Thanks for encouraging me on that point.

I’m not even sure if I have a zipper foot. I’ll practice with an old zipper and see how I can manage the needle settings. What stitch should I use for that? The zipper is pretty stiff, and the jersey is stretchy. Yes, I’ll baste it first.

I’ll let you know how it goes and show you the results. If I were a pro, I’d sew color-coordinated piping all around the edges—I always think that looks nice. But I’ll be happy just if I can get the zipper right.

Thanks again, and have a great weekend.

Best regards, Ina

I’d always choose a zipper that’s a little shorter than the pillow—it usually fits better that way once the pillow insert is inside.

I usually sew in my zippers with the 2.5 setting, Ina; that’s enough even for jeans.

Best regards, Inge

I’d also reinforce the zipper seam with iron-on interfacing or, alternatively, twill tape. Otherwise, it’ll pucker there, and personally, I don’t think that looks very nice. Other than that, I don’t think jersey is a bad choice for a pillowcase fabric. 

Oh, I see. 2.5 is good.

A slightly shorter zipper looks better. That way, beginners especially have a chance to hide any imperfections.

Dear Nina, the tip about the iron-on interfacing is also helpful. I was actually worried that the jersey fabric would pucker over the zipper. If you reinforce the seam edge with iron-on interfacing, it’s sturdier and more stable. I like that idea in theory.

Best regards and thanks for your tips. Ina