How to make a Duvet Cover Set for Girls

What can be more inspiring than our children? I do anything for my little girl and to see her smile. Sometimes I think she’s an unusual child, or maybe I just haven’t had enough experience with kids but the things that make her happy at the age of 4 don’t seem the usual ones. She’s happier with cute dresses than with toys and she cares about her bedroom and loves having a lovely duvet cover set especially if pink is involved. She loves having things that are only and especially for her so anything with her name on it makes her feel over the moon. LOL.

How to Make a Duvet Cover Set for Girls

I take a huge pleasure in making things for her because she cherishes them so much, She actually cares about who gives her anything and she never forgets. She has this PJ that a friend of mine gave her. It used to be her daughters. Each and every time I put it in the bathroom and she gets ready to wear it, she would tell me “Mommy Totis gave me this PJ and I love it”. Or if it’s a dress that grandma gave her she would always say “Mommy grandma gave me this dress”.

When she watches me making something that she knows is for her, she always tells me, Mommy I love what you are making for me! And God knows how proud I feel every time I see her happy when I make something for her!

This bedding set was one of my Christmas gifts for her. I had to hide to make it so it would be a surprise. It’s not the usual kind of tutorial you would find on my blog. I usually share quick and easy projects but this one took me about 3 or 4 days to finish. Of course, I didn’t spend 24 hours on it, but I can say I spent several hours a day.

I’ll do my best to explain each step the best I can and as organized as I can.

This bedding set has 3 main parts. The duvet cover itself, the embroidered name and the pillows.

This was made for a twin-sized duvet cover. You might need to adjust the amount of fabric you need according to the size of duvet cover you will be making.

The first thing is to check the duvet exact measures in the duvet’s tag. Mine says 140 cm X 200 cm. I added 3 cm and 5 cm just to be sure it would fit fine in the new cover.

Let’s start with Supplies:

• 2 yards of white sheet fabric {the name might change between countries}
• 3 yards of a patterned fabric for the bottom layer of the duvet cover
• 1.5 yards each of 3 different but coordinated patterned fabrics.
• Thread
• Buttons
• Lace ribbon {4 strips of 20 cm or 8 Inches}.

* Here where I live most fabrics are 150 -180 cm wide {59 – 70 Inches}. If where you live fabrics are not as wide you can follow Corey’s technique to make the fabric wider.

Now I’m going to start with the pieces you need for the duvet cover and then I’ll show how made my girl’s name on one of the cover sections.

For the top layer of the duvet cover you need:

• 2 rectangles white fabric 35,5 cm X 143 cm {14X56.5 Inches}
• 2 rectangles fabric of EACH patterned fabric 35,5 cm X 143 cm {14 X 56.5 Inches}

For the Back of the duvet cover you need:

• 1 piece of 143 cm X 205 cm {56.5 X 81 Inches}

Additional pieces:

• 1 Rectangle of 143 cm X 15 cm {56.5 X 6 Inches}
• 1 Strip of 143 cm X 5 cm {56.5 X 2 Inches}
• Fabric scraps for letters.

The order in which I made to top layer:

Pattern 1 – White – Pattern 2 – White – pattern 1 – Pattern 2.

We are using one of the white rectangles to create the name. Because of the measures, the name shouldn’t be larger than 60 cm X 20 cm {24 X 8 Inches} but’s actually up to you; you can play with these measurements.

Print the name you want to place in the duvet cover in the actual size.

Cut the letters and then using them as pattern draw and cut them in different fabrics {if you want it can be in one fabric}.

Place each letter in the white fabric. Once they are as you want to pin them in place. Make sure they are well pinned so they won’t move.

To make sure the letters don’t move around, stitch them first with a straight seam really close to the edges.

Then using the tighter zigzag stitch the sewing machine allows, zigzag all around the edges.

When all the letters are done stitching, iron the whole piece so the fabric fits into place. Usually it gets wrinkled because of the zigzag.

Then let’s start assembling the top layer together.

Take the pieces pattern 1 and plain white. With right sides together stitch with a 1 cm seam and then serge the edges so that it won’t come fray apart in the wash. If you don’t have a serger like me, simply run it through the machine again with the zig-zag stitch making sure that it catches the fabric on the outer edges.

Then do the same but adding the pattern 2 with the right sides together. Then stitch the white fabric with the name on it, and then pattern 1 and the last panel would be pattern 2.

Iron the whole top panel so it will be easy to manage. This is more or less what you would have so far {the other half is there I promise, just didn’t have enough space}.

Now lay your top layer onto the bottom layer right sides together and pin all the way around on 3 sides, not pinning on the side with the hem and pocket.

On each top corner pin in place one strip of lace ribbon. Make sure the middle of the ribbon is right over where the stitch will go through.

Stitch all around the edges of the cover except for the opening leaving 1 cm seam allowance.

Also, make sure to stitch back and forth on top of the ribbon to secure it. These strips secure the cover onto the duvet so it won’t move around inside.

I wanted to create kind of a pocket in the inside of the cover, so the duvet wouldn’t show through the opening. This is where the additional pieces come in and it’s a bit tricky.

Take your rectangle of 143 cm X 15 cm {56.5 X 6 Inches}. Make a hem on one of the largest edges. Take the top layer last panel’s edge and this piece with right sides together and pin in place. Stitch them together leaving 20 cm from each end with a 1 cm seam allowance.

You should get something like this:

Take your bottom layer piece and your strip of 143 cm X 5 cm {56.5 X 2 Inches}. With right sides together lengthwise, seam along the edge also leaving 20 cm from each end with 1 cm seam allowance.

Turn it back with the wrong sides together.

Fold inwards the other edge and pin in place.

Having top and bottom layers right side together, hold the part where you didn’t stitch on the bottom layer and twist the fabric little where the stitch starts and pin together.

Lift the pocket piece and get the top layer edge joining the bottom ones.

Finally lay the pocket piece on top of everything. You will have a 4 layer edge to stitch.

Pin right where the cover opening starts {20 cm /8 In.} so you don’t stitch more than you should. Also pin in place the 4 layers.

Pin the other 2 lace strips on each corner.

Stitch along until limit pin.

When you lift the pocket piece you should see this:

Then stitch the bottom layer hem all along.

Turn the pocket right side out and fold it back. Stitch the sides to the cover following the seam.

Serge or zigzag all the edges. Then cut all the frayed remains so the zigzag is clean.

Make a cut on each corner so it’s easier to manage the corners when turning inside out.

Now it is time to turn that sucker right side out!!!

The final step is adding the buttons. I used medium size buttons 20 cm apart. I Made the buttonholes using the attachment that came with my sewing machine and followed its instructions.

I also didn’t want the buttons to be visible, so I sew them on the inside pocket fabric and the buttonholes on the bottom layer.

*TIP: Try making the buttonholes on another piece of fabric first so you are sure the size and style are fine before doing it in the actual cover.

Ok the duvet cover is ready.

Now Let’s work on the pillowcases. I made 2 because she has 2 main pillows.

For this I used these 2 combinations:

Fabric needed:

• 2 rectangles of 65 cm X 52 cm {25 X 20.5 In.} Fabric A
• 2 strips of 52 cm X 12 cm {20,5 X 5 In.} Fabric B
• 2 strips of 52 cm X 4 cm {20,5 X 1.5 In.} Fabric C

Fold in half lengthwise all the strips. Press.

Fold inwards the edged of Fabric B to make a hem.

Take each fabric A and place fabric C and place it close to the edge, about 1cm from edge and pin.

Then Insert fabric A and C between both hems of fabric B. For this match fabric A edge of fabric B hem edges. Then lay the other edge over the fabric C.

Pin in place and do it with the other side.

Stitch along the fabric B edge.

Then with right sides together, stitch all 3 sides of the pillow pieces. Leaving the patterned fabric side open. Serge or zigzag the edges.

There you go!

Do the same for the other pillowcase with your favorite fabric combination.

That’s it!

You can do some matching pillow covers as well to make the bed even prettier. I made all these pillow covers. I measured each pillow my girl has and made them following the same process as for my Christmas Pillows.

On one I monogrammed the letter E with the same technique I used for the cover.

On another I stamped a cute design using heat transfer vinyl. The design can be found on Silhouette Store and I added “Mom’s Princess”.

The others have no design.

So this is it! This is my final result of my girl’s duvet cover set. Hope I made sense throughout the tutorial. I’m not a sewist as is and I also don’t know most technical words in this area. But I hope you can follow if you are interested in making one of these!

Hope you like this project; it’s made with all my love. Let me know all your thoughts or questions in comments!

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