DIY Twin Daybed Ensemble - Saved $205!

What Prompts Me to DIY
Slightly better than duvet covers, daybed covers that suits your home decor is very difficult to find. I've been searching for a good and pretty one over the last 7 years but still am not satisfied. I can find styles that I like but never the pattern. What makes my choice even more limited is that I only want the ones that is a one-piece drop from the mattress all the way to the floor, as opposed to having to manage a separate fitted sheet, a bedskirt, and then a quilted cover. Too much work. Too difficult to change. Then this daybed that I have is in the nursery together with the cribs - so I can stay overnight with them when needed. I cannot find ANY that has a nursery theme. I'm not looking for nursery prints, but perhaps a pastel color and simple pattern? Non-existent! The closest set that I can find is one on JCPenney for $200, but then it's much too "grandma" than "grand baby". Then, I will have to get a separate non-matching duvet cover for the comforter. The fact is, that I have never been able to find a matching set of daybed cover and duvet cover!

Since I just made the 2 Toddler Duvet Cover Sets, here I go again.

Project
Twin Daybed Cover + Twin Duvet Cover + 2 Pillowcases

Materials
Fabric - Blizzard Anti-Pill Print Fleece 58" Wide, Color Green White Dots, 8.5 Yds
(1) 30" Zipper (salvaged from an old ugly duvet cover that I'm throwing away)

Size
Daybed Cover: 38" Wide x 75" Long x 21" Dropped Front to fit Twin Mattress 38"x75"x7"
Duvet Cover: 60"x84" to fit my 20-Year-New Down Comforter
Pillowcases: 20"x28" to fit Standard Twin Pillows

Time & Cost
Project Time: 7.75 Hr
Cost: $55 (Daybed Cover + 2 Pillowcases + Duvet Cover)
Closest Alternative: JCPenney Marianna Daybed Cover & Accessories - $260 (Daybed Cover + 2 Pillowcase + Non-Matching Duvet Cover)

What
I choose fleece because:

1. It can double as a summer time blanket if you take the insert out. In winter time, use it as a regular duvet with down comforter inside.
2. It's easy to cut and hem because fleece cut edges don't flake like other fabrics. You can save yourself a lot of work without having to double hem the edges.
3. It is thick enough in itself that edge cording is not aesthetically necessary. Save work, save money, and looks better!
4. It matches the 2 toddler duvet sets that I just made!

I found an old ugly Grandma-style pink floral pattern duvet cover tucked up somewhere in the closet. I wouldn't give a second thought to throw it away. I won't even use the fabric for anything else other than rags, but I salvaged the 30" long zipper which is in perfect condition after I don't even know how many years. A zipper is a zipper. Plus, it's going to be hidden anyways. If you don't have any reusable zippers, you can always get a basic one, anywhere from 20" to 30" long, at Joann for about $3.

How
This fleece is marked as 58" wide, but really measures 60" excluding the loom edges on both sides.

Here is how it should be cut:

First cut out the biggest 14'  panel for the duvet cover.
Then 20" for a pillowcase. See below for the remaining 118" panel.

The middle T-shaped panel is the bulk of the daybed cover.
You only need to cut away the two 21"x21"  squares on the lower corners.
Further cut up the 21-Squares into 4 small patches that will make up the back drop.

Duvet Cover

1. Fold in half along the 14' edge, RS to RS, pin along a 14' edge and a 5' edge to stabilize.
2. Pin zipper centered on the remaining 14' edge, RS to RS, sew on WS as close to zipper as possible.
3. Pin zipper on the opposite 14' edge, RS to RS, sew on WS as close to zipper as possible.
4. Sew across both ends of zipper to secure. Sew fabric close 1" from end of zipper to the end of fabric. (Thus hiding the zipper behind the fabric.)
5. Sew close the other pinned 14' and 5' edges using 1/2" seam allowance.
6. Flip inside out. Done!

Pillowcase (Makes 2)

1. Cut length of Pillowcase panel above to 57" long.
2. Fold in half along 57" edge, RS to RS, pin along both 28.5" edges. Sew on WS using 1/2" seam allowance.
3. Fold hem and sew along opening edge on WS using 1/2" seam allowance.
4. Flip inside out. First one done!
5. Use the leftover panel from the Toddler Duvet Cover & Pillowcase Project to make the second pillowcase.

Daybed Cover

1. Sew the 4 Back panels lengthwise to make a long 10.5"x76", using 1/2" allowances. This will constitute the Back Drop panel. (You can always buy extra fabric to skip this step, but it will be an awful lot of wasted material compared to a rather simple patched panel that's only the back side of the daybed)
2. Pin the Back Drop panel centered on the 118" edge. Sew on WS using 1/2" allowance.
3.  The next step requires a little imagination. Here's a guideline:

First pinch the 4 red corners together and align them RS to RS. Sew on the WS down from the pinched corner for 7" (which is the depth of the mattress) using 1/2" allowance, thus forming a box/lid shaped cover for the mattress. Sew a few extra stitches at the pinched corner to strengthen.

Then fold and hem all the rest of the edges marked hem using 1/2" allowance.

All done!

Tips

1. As usual, buy fabric at Joann when they are 50% off, which happens a lot. Buy at store if you can, that way you can take advantage of those 15% or 20% off entire order (include sale items) coupons that they send you in the mail. This takes it down from $11/yd to just $4.4/yd.
2. Since this is fleece, you don't need to double fold to hem because there isn't any raw edges. You can simple fold 1/2" into the WS along the edge and sew it close.

Daybed Bedding Ideas

DIY Toddler Duvet Cover & Pillowcase - Saved $72 Per Set!

What Prompts Me to DIY
Duvet covers that suits your home decor has always been very difficult to find. Let alone toddler size duvet covers. About 3 years ago, I was able to find one by Boppy for my son on Amazon, which cost about $40 for only the duvet cover without any pillowcase. It's very good quality fabric of a blue background with brown embroidered elephants and a brown cording around the edges. It's been washed over and over (and over and over...) and it still looks like new after 2 years of heavy use with no pilling and fading.

Now that I'm getting ready for my daughter, I go back to the same company and they don't make them anymore! How sad. The next good price toddler duvet set I can find is one by Ikea, but fabric is thin and the print pattern selections are pretty bad. The closest alternative that has good fabric quality and a pattern that matches our nursery decor is one by Pottery Barn Kids which costs a whooping $80. With PBK and with such particular product, you can hardly find them on sale. I even tried the second hand market, but what I'm looking for is simply too particular.

A toddler duvet cover is not a lot of materials and is very easy to make. So, here I'm making 2 sets, one for each.

Project

2 Sets of Toddler Duvet Cover + Pillowcase

Materials
Fabric - Blizzard Anti-Pill Print Fleece 58" Wide, Color Green White Dots, 3.75 Yds
(2) 30" Zipper (salvaged from old broken storage bags)

Size
Duvet Cover: 33"x39" to fit JoJo Designs Baby Down Comforter
Pillowcase: 12"x16" to fit Pinzon Feather and Down Pillow

Time & Cost
Project Time: 5 Hr
Unit Cost: $8 Per Set
Total Cost: $16 Total
Closest Alternative: Pottery Barn Kids Mini Dot Toddler Duvet Cover with Pillowcase – $80 Per Set!

What
I choose fleece because:

1. It can double as a summer time blanket if you take the insert out. In winter time, use it as a regular duvet with down comforter inside.
2. It's easy to cut and hem because fleece cut edges don't flake like other fabrics. You can save yourself a lot of work without having to double hem the edges.
3. It is thick enough in itself that edge cording is not aesthetically necessary. Save work, save money, and looks better!

I happen to have two 30" long zippers in my salvage box that I can reuse to zip up the duvet cover. If you don't have any reusable zippers, you can get a basic one, anywhere from 20" to 30" long, at Joann for about $3.

How
This fleece is marked as 58" wide, but really measures 60" excluding the loom edges on both sides.

Here is how it should be cut:

There is enough fabric to make the 2 duvet covers plus 3 toddler size pillowcases.
Cut and save up the leftover piece on the lower right corner for the Twin Daybed Ensemble Project.

As you can see if you only make one set, you can still get an extra pillowcase (marked #2).

Duvet Cover (Makes 2)

1. Fold in half along the 67" edge, RS to RS, pin along both 33.5" edge to stabilize.
2. Pin zipper centered on the 40" edge, RS to RS, sew on WS as close to zipper as possible.
3. Pin zipper on the opposite 40" edge, RS to RS, sew on WS as close to zipper as possible.
4. Sew across both ends of zipper to secure. Sew fabric close 1" from end of zipper to the end of fabric. (Thus hiding the zipper behind the fabric.)
5. Sew close both 33.5" edges using 1/2" seam allowance.
6. Flip inside out. Done!

Toddler Pillowcase (Makes 3)

1. Fold in half along 25" edge, RS to RS, pin along a 12.5" side and a 17" side. Sew both sides on WS using 1/2" seam allowance.
2. Fold hem and sew along opening edge on WS using 1/2" seam allowance.
3. Flip inside out. Done!

One set of Toddler Duvet Cover + Pillowcase - Cost $8 vs. $80!

Tips

1. Buy fabric at Joann when they are 50% off, which happens a lot. Buy at store if you can, that way you can take advantage of those 15% or 20% off entire order (include sale items) coupons that they send you in the mail. This takes each yard down from $11 to just $4.4.
2. If you buy at a store, they let you cut fabric down to inches - do it for the good of both your wallet and your environment. I hate to keep throwing away a good piece of 3" x 60" fabric which can be otherwise better utilized when attached to the bolt for the next cut.
3. Salvage any buttons, clasps, zippers, cords, etc. the next time you throw away your old clothing, accessories, linens, etc. If they are in good shape, these parts can come in very handy and you just saved your Planet Earth another piece of garbage in the landfill.

Toddler Bedding Ideas

Duvet Cover Ideas