What Is a Pillow Sham? And How It Differs From a Pillowcase
A pillow sham is a decorative pillow cover, finished on all four sides with the opening at the back rather than the end. It is made to dress the bed. A pillowcase is a plain, three-sided cover with an opening at one end, made to be slept on. Most well-made sets include both, and every Kashukuma set contains two of each.
Summary table
| Pillow sham | Pillowcase | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Decorative, dresses the bed | Practical, slept on |
| Finishing | Four sides finished | Three sides, open end |
| Opening | At the back (ours close with a back zip) | At one end |
| Embroidery | Yes, on Kashukuma shams | No, left plain for sleeping |
| In a Kashukuma set | Two | Two |
What makes a sham a sham?
Construction, not size. A sham is finished on all four sides, and its opening sits on the back of the cover, out of view, so the front reads as a clean, framed panel when the bed is made. Ours close with a zip along the back. That hidden closure is what lets a sham carry embroidery across the whole face without a seam or an open end interrupting it.
Why we put the embroidery on the shams, not the pillowcases
The pieces you sleep against should be plain cotton, so nothing textured sits under your face all night. The pieces that dress the bed can carry the handwork. That is why every Kashukuma set gives you two hand-embroidered shams for display and two plain pillowcases for sleeping. You never have to choose between looking at the embroidery and resting on smooth cotton.
How to use shams and pillowcases together
Most people stand the shams at the back of the bed, against the headboard, and lay the sleeping pillows in their plain cases in front. At night the shams come off and the pillowcases stay. It is a small ritual, and it is the reason a made bed and a slept-in bed can look like two different things.
Questions
Can you sleep on a pillow sham?
You can, though it is not what it is made for. The back opening and the decorative finish suit display more than nightly use. Our plain pillowcases are the pieces meant for sleeping.
Do Kashukuma shams have a flange?
Our shams are finished on all four sides with a zip closure at the back, and measure 30.5 by 24 inches. They are made for display and hold their shape when the bed is dressed.
Why does a set need both shams and pillowcases?
Because they do different jobs. Two shams dress the bed, two pillowcases are slept on. A set with both is complete; a set with neither shams nor a duvet cover is usually four pieces and less generous than it looks.