The Best Way To Sew A Mattress Cover At Home

sewing mattress cover

Make your own best bed cover at home. This perfect fit will keep your mattress clean and comfortable. 

A mattress cover is easy to make for those with good sewing skills. You take the bed’s measurements or work according to a pattern to complete the sheet. 

A mattress cover is essential to keep a bed hygienic and comfortable. Let’s look at the best method to create your own custom-made sheet at home!


How To Sew A Mattress Cover

Without a mattress cover, sleeping will be very uncomfortable. Imagine sleeping against the rough surface of a mattress! There are also more benefits to owning a bed cover. Your bedding appears to be more complete and it keeps the mattress in top shape. Since the cover catches most of the bad stuff like sweat, dust, and dirt, washing a mattress cover on a regular basis will keep your bed free of smells and allergens.

So, how do you make your own cover? The best is to choose a pattern that fits the size of your bed. When the instructions are followed closely, you will have a beautiful bed cover that you can be proud of. 

If you love DIY projects, keep your eyes open. We have a lot of extra projects sprinkled throughout this article, like how to cut a memory foam topper to size!

Where Do I Find The Perfect Mattress Cover Pattern?

The good news is that we live in an age where information is freely shared. Well, at least among craft bugs. The Internet is full of people who give away knitting patterns, crochet patterns, and tons of advice on how to make your own bedding. Yes, that includes endless options for mattress covers too!

If you do not feel like hunting down the right one, no worries. While you can certainly do that, we also included a suitable pattern in this article that will do the job just fine. 

You can also learn all the best advice on how to make your own mattress protector at home.

Can I Use Any Fabric Or Something More Specific?

cotton fabric for sewing

Unfortunately, this project won’t be successful with any type of fabric. For the best results, one must choose a material that is breathable and durable. If you are new to fabric properties and don’t know which types to choose, no worries! Here they are.

  • Cotton.
  • Linen
  • Rayon.
  • Merino wool. 

Do you own an air mattress but the plug is missing? Normally, this would make the bed useless. However, we have found all the best ways to plug your air mattress without the actual plug. If you need advice on how to stop leaks, here’s how you can fix leaks in an air mattress with duct tape.

What Equipment Do I Need To Make A Mattress Cover?

Alright, things are getting exciting! Let’s gather all the things you need to make a beautiful bed cover. Here’s your list of all the things you will need. 

  • A notebook and pen.
  • A measuring tape.
  • A good pair of fabric scissors.
  • Sewing needles.
  • Fabric that measures between 138 and 153 cm wide.
  • Choose thread with a similar colour to your cloth.
  • A sewing machine.
  • An elastic band measuring 15 mm.

Do you love the decadent look of decor? Need a little something extra in the bedroom? You can grab our article on how to put on a bed skirt without removing the mattress from the bed.


What Are The Steps To Make A Mattress Cover?

Step 1: Take out your notebook, pen, and measuring tape. Measure the width, depth, and length of the mattress and write them down.

Step 2: Using the numbers as a guide, take the scissors and cut the cloth according to this formula – (1 times width + 2 times depth + 30 cm) x (1 times length + 2 times depth + 30 cm).

Step 3: Prepare a length of elastic band that measures 1.5 x (length + width) and the cording 4 x (length + width).

Step 4: Fold the fabric. All of the corners should now be stacked on top of each other. The idea is to cut once and remove all four corner squares at once.

Step 5: Cut the corner squares using the following formula – your mattress depth + 15 cm. 

Step 6: Next, you need to tidy up the rough edges of the fabric. Using your sewing machine’s overlock stitch should do the job. 

Step 7: Create the corners of the cover by folding the edges together. Sew them together with the overlocker to form the cover (you should now have a rather boxy-looking cover instead of a flat sheet). 

Step 8: Sew the casing for the elastic band. You can do this by folding up the bottom seam, roughly 2 cm upwards, and leave a side opening to insert the elastic band. 

Step 9: Once the elastic band is inserted, the cover should now work like a fitted sheet and stay securely in place around the mattress.  

Want to try a more exotic way to rest at night? Here’s a fun DIY project. Learn how to make a Japanese futon mattress. This is also a good option if you do not have a bed frame and need a comfortable way to sleep on the floor.


I Don’t Want To Buy Or Make A Cover But Still Want One. What Can I Do? 

bed with hospital corners

There is a nifty solution. If you have a flat sheet, then you can basically get the same results by folding your flat sheet with hospital corners. It will actually save you a ton of time and effort!

How To Fold A Sheet With Hospital Corners

Step 1: Drape a clean flat sheet over the mattress. It should stay smooth and wrinkle-free throughout the folding process – so keep an eye on that. 

Step 2: Start at the foot of the bed and using your fingertips, fold the sheet’s lower edge under the mattress.  

Step 3: Repeat this process with the top part of the sheet located at the head of the mattress. 

Step 4: Choose a corner, pull the top upwards and grab the bottom part. The latter is the one you just tucked away under the mattress but a piece will still hang out sideways. 

Step 5: Push the bottom sheet under the mattress. 

Step 6: Bring the top down, over the bottom sheet, and tuck it away under the bed. 

Step 7: Repeat the process with the other three corners. 

Step 8: Finally, tuck the sides of the sheet under the bed to finish with a neat look. 

You can also try the top 5 ways to make a comfortable bed without a mattress.


A Quick Summary On How To Make Your Own Mattress Cover

  • A mattress cover is essential to make sleep more comfortable and to keep a mattress clean
  • These covers are easy to make if you have experience with sewing.
  • The best way to make a cover is to find a pattern you love and to follow the instructions. 
  • If you do not have the skills or time, you can make a cover using a flat sheet and folding hospital corners. 
  • You can also outsource the project to an experienced seamstress.

Related Topics To Read Next

How To Convert A Mattress Into A Sofa (The Easy Way)

Top 5 Ways To Keep A Futon Mattress From Sliding

How To Fit A Mattress In A Car Without Losing Your Mind

Top 5 Ways To Keep A Mattress Pad From Bunching

The Top 4 Ways A Mattress Is Built

How To Store A Mattress In A Garage Like A Pro

The Best Way To Build A Mattress Foundation

Why You Can Fill An Air Mattress With Water (But Shouldn’t)

How To Know If Your Mattress Will Fit Into A Minivan

How To Raise A Pack N Play Mattress Like A Pro

The Best Way To Recycle Your Air Mattress

How To Move A Tempurpedic Mattress Safely

How To Glue Foam Mattresses Together

Your Guide On How To Return A Nectar Mattress

Top 2 Reasons Why You Cannot Flip A Pillow Top Mattress

Stop Your Pillows From Falling Between The Mattress And Wall

About the Author Tom

My journey into the world of sleep came about through living in several properties over my lifetime and always seeming to have the worst luck with neighbors. All but one have been extremely noisy and very inconsiderate. What this made me realize early on, was that the little sleep my neighbors allowed me to get needed to be of great quality. So I started to learn all about sleep, and what helps people get the best quality sleep possible.