Tutorial: How To Make Your Own Awesome Duvet Cover

Just over 2 years ago, Jesse asked me to marry him. Romance, excitement, and an adventurous spirit characterized our lives and relationship. One of the tasks before us was to complete a wedding gift registry. As we cataloged our possessions and listed the things we were likely to need, I balked at the high price and uninspired design of the bed coverings available where we were registering. I used to sew, you know, and just knew I could create something much better for a fraction of the price. This is our current duvet cover:



I thought you, too, might want to know how to throw together something for your own bedroom, so I’ve created a tutorial:

1) Do some calculations to determine dimensions of your bedspread, and yardage needed to create a cover (don’t forget to allow for the front and back!).
2) Keep your eye out for the ‘perfect’ fabric.

3) Avoid distant, inconvenient fabric stores and order online – it’ll be delivered to your door in mere days.

4) When it arrives, realize you hate it and send it back for a full refund minus shipping and handling.
5) See perfect fabric (in person) and buy it immediately!
6) Wash and dry fabric to pre-shrink it.

7) Fold and store in a closet for 16-18 months. Allow your unprotected comforter to yellow during this time.
8) In a fit of inspiration and frustration, finally pull out the fabric, ironing board, sewing machine and supplies, and coffee. Set aside about 3 hours, or about 75% of the time needed to complete the project.

9) Start to iron the fabric and realize the fold lines and wrinkles have been galvanized by neglect and won’t come out without another wash/dry cycle.
10) Ignore this fact and haphazardly measure and cut anyway.

11) Construct the duvet cover with ever increasing stress, anger, and fear that you’ve ruined everything. Make your sister Kerri* help you through this time, listen to her when she tells you just to keep plowing ahead without being anal about measurements, straight lines, consistent border sizes, etc.

12) Realize with great relief and satisfaction that, due to the inexact and fluffy nature of bedding, your hack job worked out fine and no one will ever know what shoddy work went into it.


*It helps if your sister Kerri also knows how to sew, will do half of the sewing/cutting for you, and has been through this cycle of stress and frustration herself a few times.

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