The instructions call for cutting a 27″ piece of fabric (1 1/2 yards for two pillowcases). The result is a 27″ by 44″ rectangle of fabric. The 44″ length is the selvedge to selvedge width of the fabric.

The best way to describe this is as follows:

If you pick up your rectangle and hold it so the 27″ side of the rectangle is at the top between your fingers holding the edges you are looking at the orientation of the pattern as the pillow will lay on the bed. For non-directional prints you would actually have the same orientation of pattern whether you looked at it with the 27″ side up or the 44″ side up. For directional prints you may or may not end up with the correct orientation by cutting your fabric this way.

In general, I would say you won’t end up with the correct orientation for a directional print. Most fabrics are printed with the orientation running parallel with the selvedge. This makes sense because for sewing clothes that is how you would lay down a pattern for a pair of long pants or a skirt. It wouldn’t make sense to have the direction of the print run from selvedge to selvedge (you’d be limited to a 44″ pattern piece).

To use these types of prints for the pillowcase I had to do the following:

Lay out the fabric and cut a 44″ length (this would require 1 yard and 8″ of fabric for only one pillowcase, you would need 2 yards and 16″ for two). Refold the fabric with cut ends even and cut the fabric again. This time you’ll cut off one side (one of the selvedge edges) and then measure 27″ and make another cut. You’ll still have a 27″ x 44″ rectangle but the orientation of your directional print will meet the specification I described above. You end up with a ‘waste’ piece of fabric that measures 44″ x 17″ (the 17″ is 44″ width minus the 27″ you used).

Using a directional print definitely uses up a lot more fabric and cancels out the ease of cutting that makes the pattern so cool. Of course, both sets of these pillowcases that I’ve made I’ve used directional prints so go figure.