You will need
1/3 yard (30.5cm) of various scrap fabrics
20-in (51-cm) square of print fabric
20-in (51-cm) square of batting (wadding)
¼ yard (25cm) of boxing fabric
14-in (35.5-cm) zipper
18in (46cm) diameter circle of Home Foam, 3in (7.5cm) thick, or an 18-in (46-cm) circular pillow form (cushion pad)
Basic kit
Finished size
18in (46cm) in diameter
This quilt pillow was made using fabrics from Betsy Siber’s range called “Everglades” from Michael Miller Fabrics. The batting (wadding) used is Warm and Natural and the 3in (7.5cm) home foam was supplied by The Warm Company. The threads used for piecing and quilting are from Aurifil.
Cutting
Press all fabrics for the pillow before cutting for easier piecing. Use the cutting list below for the size and quantity of each piece:
Scrap fabrics: cut into 2½ x 18-in (6.5 x 46-cm) strips
Print fabric: cut one 19-in (48.25-cm) circle
Boxing fabric: cut one 5 x 18-in (12.5 x 46-cm) strip and two 4in (10cm) wide strips
- Make up a 20-in (51-cm) square of pieced fabric.
- Take the square and fold it into quarters by matching diagonally opposite points on the square and then folding the resulting triangle in half again.
- Because most compasses will not expand to create a 19-in (48.25-cm) circle, I made a template to mark the fabric on the WS. Place a pin at the folded point and use that as your centre anchor to mark a sweeping arc with a pencil. Using a rotary cutter, cut along the drawn line and discard the scrap.
- Unfold the circle and spray baste it to a layer of batting (wadding). Quilt the layers as you wish—I quilted a spiral radiating out from the centre of the circle.
- Fold the 5-in (12.5-cm) boxing fabric strip in half lengthwise, RS together, and press with a hot iron. Sew along ½in (12mm) from the folded edge—this width should be half the width of the zipper, which in my case was 1in (2.5cm). Cut along the fold with sharp scissors and press the seam open.
- Centre the zipper along the pressed-open seam and pin in place for stitching. With your zipper foot attached to your machine, carefully sew the zipper in place all round. Turn the piece over to the RS and use a seam ripper to open the seam over the zipper.
- Join the 4-in (10-cm) wide boxing panel strips with a ¼-in (6-mm) seam allowance to make one strip approximately 50in (12cm) long. It will be a touch longer than you will need. Press the seams open.
- With RS together, add your 4in (10cm) wide boxing strip to one end of the zipper panel with a ¼-in (6-mm) seam allowance, and press the seam open.
- Beginning with the zipper panel, attach the boxing to the quilted pillow top by pinning every 2in (5cm), while easing the fabric around the circle. When you reach the other end of the zipper panel, join it to the end of the boxing strip with a ¼-in (6-mm) seam allowance and cut off any excess boxing.
- Sew the boxing to the pillow top with a ½-in (12-mm) seam allowance, and then repeat the pinning process to add the print fabric circle for the back. Be sure to open the zipper before pinning and sewing on the back.
- If you don’t have access to an 18-in (46-cm) circle pillow form (cushion pad) you can easily make one by using a template to mark the circle to be cut on a square of foam. Because the foam is too thick to cut in one pass, take small shallow passes around the marking until it is completely cut.
- Pull the stitched pillow cover RS out and insert the foam through the zipper opening by folding it in half. Close the zipper to finish.
This project is taken from Modern Quilts by Michael Caputo. To get more free projects like this one - direct to your inbox - sign up to our mailing list here.