How To Make A Bed Duvet 🧵 [6 Simple Tips]

Written by Team SafeSleep in Product Reviews Last Updated May 25, 2021

The duvet has many benefits. One such benefit is that it’s easy to clean and maintain, which means you can sleep soundly without worrying about the hassle of a dirty bedspread or sheets! Additionally, there are plenty of reasons why using duvets makes your room look better than ever before.

However, the only problem is that even the most straightforward duvet styles are sometimes expensive to purchase, especially when compared to homemade options. Apart from the fact that DIY helps save money, it also allows you to design your bed duvetsOpens in a new tab. just the way you want them.

In the rest of this post, I’ll share with you the simple and straightforward steps involved in making a bed duvet right from your home.

Simple tips on how to make a bed duvet

To make a bed duvet that you’re looking for, you need to put many things in mind. However, the most important of all of them is you need to opt for the right materials.

What you’ll need

Here are all the materials you’ll need for making your homemade bed duvet.

  • Fabric (about 10 yards or more)
  • Sharp scissors
  • Straight pins
  • Measuring tape or long quilter’s ruler
  • Sewing machine
  • Iron and ironing board

Choosing the right fabric for your bed duvet

Duvets are the perfect substitute for standard comforters. They are washable, changeable, and can serve as a top sheet and a blanket for a better sleeping experience.

As earlier mentioned, the fabric is the most important material you’ll need when making a homemade bed duvet. Since that’s the case, it’s highly paramount that you opt for the best fabric for your duvet coverOpens in a new tab..

If you don’t know, the best fabric for a bed duvet cover should be breathable, washable, and comfortable. That said, here’s a quick question, what is the best fabric for a bed duvet?

Percale Cotton

One of the best fabrics you can choose for your bed duvet is the Percale Cotton. The clothing material is fine, smooth, breathable, durable, affordable, and only requires little or no maintenance – all that you need is to throw it in the washing machine (on a normal cycle) for a deep clean. Furthermore, percale cottonOpens in a new tab. is lightweight and airy, making it the perfect choice for hot sleepers.

Pima, Supima, and Egyptian Cotton 

Apart from percale cotton, another fabric you can consider using for your bed duvet is Pima, Supima, and Egyptian Cotton. These clothing materials come with high thread counts, usually about 200 and 300. So, they are pretty much soft and will provide you with maximum comfort. Furthermore, all three cotton materials come with extra-long fibers, which make them soft and durable.

Silk

You can also opt for Silk material for your bed duvet. One interesting thing about this fabric is it’s capable of retaining heat during winter. However, that doesn’t mean the material is entirely useless during summertime. Silk fabrics are breathable, elegant and offer people comfort on the bed.

Others

Other fabrics that you can choose for your bed duvet include organic cotton, flannel, blends of cotton & rayon, and a mix of cotton & polyester.

Fabrics you should avoid

When making your bed duvet, there are some fabrics that you need to avoid. One of them is the upholstery-grade fabrics. Although the clothing materials are a great choice for blankets, I wouldn’t advise you to use them for your bed duvets. That’s so because they are heavy and require a longer time to maintain and clean.

Step 1: Measuring your fabric

The size of your fabric and the width play an important role in determining the exact measurement of your fabric.

There aren’t strict standards for choosing your bedding sizes in the US and many other countries in the world. With that in mind, it means you can always opt for any side of your bed duvet.

That said, irrespective of the type of clothing material you’re opting to buy, one thing is sure, and that’s – you’ll always get a fabric that’s wide enough to make a full bed duvet. And since that’s the case, all that you need is to get your pencil, mark the fabric, and cut the front piece and the back piece.

For you to get the measurements (length and width), here are a few steps that you need to take:

  • Get the measurement (both length and width) of your bed insert.
  • Next, add 4 inches each to the length and width of the insert. Doing that will allow you to achieve a 1-inch seam all the way around, which you’ll be able to fold over the edge.
  • Furthermore, to get the backside measurement, you’ll need to add 6 inches to the length. Doing that will allow you to achieve enough space for the pocket along the edge.

For instance, if you have a duvet insert that measures 66 x 88, adding 4 inches to the length and width will give you a new measurement – 70 x 92. As for the backside, all you need to do is add 6 inches to the already measured length, leaving the same width. With that, you’ll cut 70 x 98 for the back piece.

For a twin duvet cover, having a middle panel is very important. For you to get that, all you need is just to measure the width of the fabric. After that, you can now divide the remaining width equally to make the two side panels.

What is the exact width that you need? Take it (mine is 70) and subtract from it the width of the fabric (the center panel size). The width of my fabric, having measured it without the selvage, is 42. So, 70 minus 42 will give you 28 – that’s the remaining width you need to divide equally to achieve the two side panels. So, for each side panel, you’ll have 28 ÷ 2, which is 14.

Finally, I have my middle panel measured as 42, while my side panels are each 14 inches wide.

Step 2: How to attach the panels

Having decided on your middle panel and the side panels, the next thing you need to do is start attaching them appropriately. First, lay down the three panels flat on a surface, of course, with the right or good side facing up.

Next, reach out to one side panel and fold it up over onto the middle panel. You should have the right sides of the fabric touching and pin down the edges if you get me right.

Furthermore, along the edges of the fabric, sew a 1-inch seam by using a straight stitchOpens in a new tab.. That’s not all; use your sewing machine to run the same edges, serging them for greater durability – to prevent them from coming apart when you’re washing your cover.

Are you worried because you don’t have a serger to serve the edges of your fabric? If yes, you might have to stop worrying too much about it.

Another option you can use in the absence of a serger is to run the edges using a zig-zag stitch. However, while doing that, ensure that the stitch touches the fabric on one side. As for the outer edge, make sure that the needle lands outside the fabric. Furthermore, try and repeat the process for the two side panels.

Step 3: Adding finishes to the bottom edge

Now, it’s time to finish the bottom edge of your top panel. The first thing is to turn the top layer of your duvet cover and lay it flat on a surface with its face down. Then, make a decision on which side will be the bottom of the duvet cover.

Next, you need to fold the edge of that side (the one you’re choosing for the bottom) in one inch and iron it. Again, fold one inch more and iron flatOpens in a new tab.. After that, try to hold the folds in place using your sewing pins. Lastly, create a finished edge by sewing all around the seam.

Step 4: Let’s prepare the bottom layer.

The next stage in our bed duvet-making guide involves preparing the bottom layer. For this step, the first thing you need to do is balance the width of your flat sheet and the top layer.

So, cut the flat sheet to exactly the width of the top layer. After that, lay the sheet flat on the surface and place the top layer on top of it. While doing that, ensure that the right side of the top layer faces down. Also, make sure that the top layer aligns with the edges of the flat sheet.

Furthermore, it’s best to have the flat sheet longer than the top layer in terms of length. You need to fold the “excess sheet” under, making the “flat sheet” equal in length to the “top layer.” Are you wondering what the excess sheet folded under means? Of course, the purpose of that is to create a pocket inside your duvet coverOpens in a new tab.. If you don’t know, creating a pocket inside your duvet cover is a great idea; it allows the duvet insert to stay in place pretty nicely.

Step 5: Attaching the flat sheet & the top layer and keeping the insert in place

The next stage is to attach the two layers (top layer and the flat sheet). To do that, you need first to check the fold of the excess sheet and see if it’s straight and properly folded. After that, you need to pin close all the sides of your duvet cover except the finished/folded edge.

Next, sew all the pinned sides of the duvet cover using a straight stitch and putting a 1-inch seamOpens in a new tab. in mind. With that done, it means you only have your finished/folded edge open while the remaining sides are perfectly sewn.

Now that you’ve successfully attached three sides of your flat sheet and the top layer, the next thing you need to do is to keep your insert in place.

To do that, take about a 48-inch strip of ribbon and fold it in half-length. Of course, you can always use the same fabric – if you have enough of it to measure 48 inches. Next, use your sewing machine to run the ribbon or extra fabric all around the edge. After that, cut the 48-inch ribbon into 6-inch strips.

Pick each of the strips and fold in half. After that, slightly open them, making sure they form a V shape. Next, hold the V strips’ point and place them in every corner on the flat sheet end. After that, try and hold them in place using your sewing machine.

Now, let’s go back to the side with excess sheet length (pocket). Getting there, adjust the pocket by opening it up slightly. After that, see the strips into the pocket corner, where the insert corner will fit into.

Step 6: Attaching Velcro

Up next, we need to attach velcroOpens in a new tab. to the open end of the bed duvet cover. To do that, the very first thing you need to do is turn the duvet right side out.

After that, you need to cut out about five different pieces (1 inch) of velcro. While still having your duvet inside out, attach one piece of the hook and loop (velcro) to one side while the other to the opposite end.

Pin the loop side of your hook and loop piece. Note, you’re doing that along the inside of the flat sheet side in the same position. Next, sew every part of the loops and hooks in place.

Lastly, you need to attach your insert to the already finished duvet cover. To do that, all you need to do is turn your duvet cover inside out again and lay it flat. Next, lay the insert on it, but making sure that the attachment tabs face down. Lastly, tie the cover to the tabs on the insert and put its edge inside the pocket of the duvet.

Conclusion

You don’t have to wait for the seasons to change or spend a fortune on new bedding. With just some fabric and few minutes of time, you can create your own duvet in any size or color scheme that suits your needs! You may want to try making your own pillowOpens in a new tab., too- you’ll have a gorgeous look without any effort at all.

Sources

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Team SafeSleep

Hi! We're a team of scientists, doctors, teachers, and coaches experienced in helping people with special needs. We hope you like our research and share it with others who might find it helpful too :)

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