Klay blog
Making our Patched Calico Duvet Covers
We make our duvet covers in our Auckland studio in smallish batches. We have just finished making a top up of Kings and pillowcases!
These are inspired by a duvet cover Kirsty made 15 years ago using fabric from her workroom, which I cherish because of its handmade feel.
These are made from 10 patched panels (5 on each side). There are two long parallel panels at the sides and three panels in the centre, the side panels in both the Queen & King sizes stays the same. The centre panel becomes wider for the King size.
These are quite complicated to put together because each one is made from 10 panels, all different sizes and they are joined with flat felled seams and traditional french seams, so there is a lot of detail that has gone into the construction sequence.
Joining the panels and seams
There is no visible overlocking on these, as the seams are carefully concealed inside French seams. French seams involve sewing the side seams twice to enclose the raw edges, providing a neat (and durable!) finish. This method results in a long-lasting, tidy appearance, however it is more time consuming, which is why it's less commonly used these days. The panels of the duvet covers are joined using traditional flat-felled seams. Like French seams, flat-felled seams are an old-fashioned technique that hides raw edges for a clean, finished look.
There are so many pins involved in making the patched duvet covers! Pinning all the panels together at various stages.
These are finished with lovely natural corozo nut buttons (not plastic!).
Ties in the top corners
The duvet covers feature small openings at the top, allowing you to insert your hand and tie the cover to the corners of the duvet insert, ensuring it stays securely in place.
Calico fabric
Calico is a utilitarian material that has been used since the 11th century. It has a natural, unbleached finish, with some small flecks of the husk in places as the cotton is not fully processed. The colour is a natural warm off-white.
It is the same warm, off-white colour/ tone/ texture as the natural canvas we offer as a cushion cover :)
Our duvet covers and pillowcases are both back in stock now <3
