Tutorial: How To Make Your Own Fitted Sheets

October 17, 2013
Prompted by the arrival of our fabulous 100% linen sheeting range, here’s a tutorial to show you just how easy it is to make your own fitted sheets. It might be easier to enlarge the images as you work through this post so just click on them if you need to see a bigger version. Bedding/sheeting measurements are provided in metrics so if you want the imperial equivalent, try this online converter.  

What you need:
Sheeting
72″ or 1.90mtrs x 6mm elastic
Thread

Using this chart below, work out your bed mattress width and length and add 40cm depth, at either end, at width and length. Note: If you own the new extra-high padded mattresses you may need to add 50cm depth.

In this case, a Queen size mattress measures 152cm x 203cm. After you add 40cm depth at each end, you end up with these measurements –  232cm x 283cm.

For our 265cm wide linen, you’ll need 283cm (or round up to 285cm) in length. Note: you can’t achieve this length across the width. With your mattress width measurement of 232cm, there should be an excess across the top of approx 33cm. Keep this excess as you can trim a queen flat sheet top with this amount.

Cut 40cm x 40cm depth squares at each corner or fold whole piece in half, then half again (quarter), making sure that all sides are lined up perfectly and pin together. Here you can cut all 4 corners out at once.
French Seam On Corners – for a stronger, more stable corner seam on your fitted sheets, sew a french seam at the corners. First join and pin wrong sides together, taking a 1/4″ seam and tapering off to a point at the corner end. 
Trim back slightly.
Press seam all to one side, then join and pin right sides together and sew 1/4″seam, making sure to taper at the corner end.
Now that the corner seams are all joined together, fold piece at the corner seams lining up raw edges evenly and measure out from the corner seam line approx 13″ and notch at this point on both sides. Note: The measurement from notch to notch with the corner seam in the middle will be 26″. This will mark the positioning for the elastic at the corners. 
Press raw edge back 1/2″ towards wrong side of fitted sheet.
 Cut four pieces of 6mm long life swimwear elastic 18″ (46cm) long.
Fold cut elastic in half, placing a pin in the centre. Line up pin at corner seam point on top of pressed back edge, lining up bottom edge of elastic with raw edge.  Make sure that you can see some fabric at the top folded edge (about 2-3mm).
Stretch out elastic ends at either end and pin to notch marks.
Sew using zig zag stitch along top edge of elastic. Do not sew on folded edge.
When zig zag sewing elastic into place, stretch and pull at back and front to keep sewing edge flat when sewing.
Now that elastic has been sewn at all four corners, next turn back edge again 1/2″ towards wrong side of fitted sheet and edgestitch at bottom edge all around fitted sheet area. Make sure you stretch and pull at back and front to keep sewing edge flat when sewing around corner edges with elastic, and that you are sewing at fabric edge above elastic at these corners (do not sew on top of elastic).
You’re done! Enjoy sleeping in crisp linen sheets this summer.
PS. Please leave a comment if you’d like a tutorial for making a flat sheet and standard pillow slips.