Fat Quarter Pillows

  Quilted Pillows featuring "Dainty Blossoms" by Carina Gardner for Riley Blake Designs 

Hi, there!  Sharing some quilty fun today!  What a great way to start off the new year!

  

I ♥ Riley Blake Designs' fabric!

Always fresh and fun, a little something for everyone.  Fabric that puts a smile on your face.  And I’m always tickled when the girls at RBD invite me to come over to play ~ love these “Dainty Blossoms” (coming to stores mid-January)!

These quick pillows take just a few fabulous fat quarters, and we'll review a couple of our “ Quilting Basics ” techniques to quickly put them together.

Here's what's in store today:

• Half- and Quarter-Square Triangles ( Building Blocks II )
• How to put a Machine Binding on a quilt (including a review of mitered corners and that mysterious final joined seam for a Continuous Binding).
• An Embellished Finish ( Finishing School IV )

Supplies:
         2 Coordinating Fat Quarters
         1 yard backing, or 4 more Fat Quarters
         2 ~ 2" width of fabric strips for binding
         2 yards Pom-Poms (optional)
         Button (optional)
         2 ~ 16" to 18" Pillow Forms 

Instructions:

~ Half- and Quarter-Square Triangles ~
Begin with 2 coordinating Fat Quarters(What's a Fat Quarter??  1 yard of fabric cut in half, then half again. 
The resulting piece usually measures 18" tall and 20" to 22" wide. 
A quilter's favorite size fabric to work with.)

 

1)  LAYER right sides together, TRIM to 18" square.

  

2)  CUT diagonally through both layers.

 

 3)  PIN if necessary, STITCH, using 1/4" seam allowance.

 

 4)  PRESS with seam allowance toward floral fabric.

   

 Yield:  Two Half-Square Triangles

Now, REPEAT Steps 1 ~ 4

1a)  LAYER right sides together

 

 (Seams should NESTLE)

  

2a)   CUT diagonally through all layers

 

 (PIN intersections and as needed)

   

3a)  STITCH, using 1/4" seam allowance.

 

4a)  PRESS.  Fan intersecting seam, Press with nose of iron.

 

 Flip over and PRESS seams

 

 (Closeup of Intersection)

  

Yield:  TWO Quarter-Square Triangles

  

~ Now, QUILT as desired ~
(See last month's Quilt It! Tutorial )
Layer with a muslin backing, a little batting for definition.

Stitch in the ditch along seamlines,
then doodle with your sewing machine.

Small projects like this are PERFECT to practice your technique.

 TRIM quilted pillow top

 

Straight line and floral echo quilting

~ An Embellished Finish ~

(Optional: If desired, STITCH Pom-Poms, piping
or other embellishments to RIGHT side of quilted pillow top)

~~~  EASY PILLOW BACK ~~~

CUT Pillow Backing, the width of pillow top

 

(approx 16-1/2" x 42", or use 2 Fat Quarters.  TRIM to pillow width.)

CUT backing in half, then FOLD each piece in half.
(approx 16-1/2" x 21")

OVERLAP folded edges at center for pillow opening.

  

 If using an Envelope Finish

Place quilted pillow top RIGHT sides together,

 

PIN in place,

 

STITCH all around pillow, pivoting at corners
and overlapping beginning stitches.
Take a generous seam allowance.

 

 TURN right side out through back opening.

 

 Ready for a pillow form.

~ Machine Binding~

If finishing with a BINDING ,

place quilted Pillow Top and backing WRONG sides together. 

PIN well.

  

BASTE, using a scant 1/4" seam allowance.

Stitch all the way around the pillow.

  

  

APPLY Binding

   
PRINTER FRIENDLY BINDING INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Leave an 8" tail.  2.  Stitch using a 1/4" seam allowance.
If you have one, use your 1/4" quilter's foot with a side guide.
Stitch to 1/4" from end, backstitch, remove from machine.  3.  Fold miter. 

4.  Fold back down.  5.  Continue stitching, repeat miters at all corners.
6.  Overlap binding tails.  Make an 1/8" clip through all 4 layers of binding.
7.  Cut off beginning binding tail right at notch.
8.  Use cut binding as measuring tool to determine additional width
to add to ending tail.  9. Cut at edge of measurement.
10.  Place tails right sides together, forming a "V".
11.  Mark a 45-degree line from notch to point.  Stitch.
12.  Check to be sure the binding did not twist.  13.  Trim seam.
14.  Press seam open.  15.  Align raw edges of binding with quilt, pin.
16.  Stitch joined binding to quilt.  Press.
17.  Bring joined binding around to front of quilt.  Pin corners.
18.  Stitch binding to front of quilt with straight stitch
or decorative stitches, pivoting at the corners.
Try using an Edge-joining or blind hem foot
(guide in the middle) for accurate stitching.
19.  Finished quilted pillow top.  20.  Fill with pillow form. 

See Deonn and Cindy's ↓ Machine Binding Video Tutorial!

Enjoy your adorable pillows, or keep one and give the other as a gift!

See why I ♥ these fabrics? A-dorable!   And these pillows are the perfect addition to my newly cleaned up and organized Sewing Room .  Thanks for joining me here today!  What adorable, wonderful thing have you made lately to beautify your sewing space, or that puts a smile on your face?  I'd love to hear all about it!