Sew a reversible duvet cover

Choose bold, contemporary fabrics for this reversible duvet cover. It can be difficult to buy fabric that is wide enough to fit a double bed, especially if you're using a fabric with a large pattern, so joining squares of fabric together is the perfect solution. The backing is made from two lengths of fabric stitched together to make the required width.

Estimated time to complete

The bedspread took 3 hours

You will need

● 225 cm/90 in. each of 2 co-ordinating patterned fabrics
● 450 cm/180 in. striped fabric
● Sewing machine and matching sewing thread

Take 1.5-cm/1⁄2-in. seam allowances throughout unless otherwise stated.

1. Cut eight 53-cm/203⁄4-in. squares of each of the two patterned fabrics.

2. With right sides together, alternating the fabrics, pin and machine stitch the squares together to form four rows of four squares each. Press the seams open.

3. With right sides together, pin and machine stitch the four patchwork rows together to make a block of 16 squares. Press the seams open.

4. Cut two pieces of striped fabric 203 cm/80 in. long and the full width of the fabric. Cut off one of the selvedges on each piece. With right sides together, pin and machine stitch the pieces together along the cut edges. Press the seam open. Place the fabric on your work surface. Measure 101.5 cm/40 in. either side of the centre seam and use tailor's chalk to draw a line the full length of the fabric. Cut the fabric along these lines to a width of 203 cm/80 in.

5. Measure 71.5cm/28 in. from one corner of the patchwork panel and make a cut 1.5 cm/1⁄2 in. deep. Repeat from the other corner of the same edge of the panel. Press the central section to the wrong side by 5 mm/1⁄4 in. and then turn this over by another 1 cm/3⁄8 in. Pin and machine stitch along the folded-over section. Repeat on the striped panel of fabric.

6. With right sides together, pin the front of the duvet cover to the back piece. Machine stitch from the stitched section at the bottom all the way around to the other end of the stitched section.

7. Snip the corners of the seam allowance off, turn right side out and press.

This pattern is taken from 'Sewing in No Time' by Emma Hardy (CICO Books, £14.99). Click here to buy 'Sewing in No Time' from our online bookshop with free P&P