Stitch Freemium Pillows

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fbulus flr pill

fly-awy pillw

Chrysnthmum pil

Cut-as-a-Buttn p

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sewingPILLOWS:5 Free Ac P Cv

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sewingPILLOWS5 FREE Artistic Pillow Cover and Pillow Patterns

page 2 of 16visit sewdaily.com

1 Art of Bleach Pillows

2 Fabulous Floor Pillow

3

Fly-Away Pillow4 Chrysanthemum Pillow

5Cute-As-A-Button Pillow

Photo by Larry Stein

EditorAmber EdendEsignErJocelin Damien

illustration Ann Sabin Swanson

PhotograPhy

Joe Hancock and Larry SteinProjEct dEsignErs

Carol Zentgra, Kay Whitt, Melissa Frantz, and Tricia Waddell

Projects and inormation are or inspiration and personal use only. Sew Daily

and Stitchmagazine are not responsible or any liability arising rom errors,

omissions, or mistakes contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed cau-

tiously, especially with respect to technical inormation. Interweave grants per-

mission to photocopy any patterns published in this issue or personal use only.

sewdaily

Welcome to our new Sew Daily eBook: 5 FREE Artistic

Pillow Cover and Pillow Patterns.

We know how much you love pillow projects, and so

we are creating a ree eBook that oers you ve gorgeous

pillow projects that you can create or your home and

gis.

The Art of Bleach Pillows by Carol Zentgra lets you

get artistic with stencils and bleach to give denim pillows

two unique looks. One pillow eatures bleached leaves,

while the other shows a reverse eect with the back-

ground bleached and ree-motion stitching to highlight

the simple batik technique.

The Fabulous Floor Pillow by Kay Whitt is a quilted

pillow with pretty scalloped edging that is perect or

lounging on the oor in style. Five coordinating prints

make a bold statement, and the abric-covered buttons

and scalloped back closure are the perect nishing

details.

The Fly-Away Pillow by Melissa Frantz is created

rom stenciled abric paint and handstitching that make

happy red balloons on this comy cotton-canvas pillow.

Use a print or the envelop back and design your own

corded piping as the nal touch.

The Chrysanthemum Pillow by ormer Stitcheditor

Tricia Waddell creates instant elegance with an Asian-

inspired silk pillow eaturing a rufed ower centerpiece.

Use gathering lengths o ribbon yarn to create spiral

rufes and luxurious texture, then add a contrasting

abric on the pillow back or a tie closure.

Finally, the Cute-as-a-Button Pillow, also by Tricia

Waddell, layers small coordinating buttons or a mod-

ern detail that turns a plain linen pillow into a stylish

room accent. Add simple knie pleats and a tea-dyed

background or the buttons and then stu it with 100%cotton lling.

I just love these patterns and am already trying to

decide which one I will make rst. And I hope you love

them just as much!

Happy stitching,

amber edenEditor,Stitchmagazine and

SewDaily


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For exPlAnAtions oF

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Art oBleachPillowsGet artistic with stencils andbleach to give denim pillowstwo unique looks. One pillowfeatures bleached leaves whilethe other shows a reverseeffect with the backgroundbleached and free-motion

stitching to highlight thesimple batik technique.

byCArol ZentgrAF

Fabric (fo 2 os)1 yd of 45-wide

dark-dye, lightweight denim

yd of 45"-wide muslin for underlining

Other SupplieSCotton battingTemporary spray adhesive

Bleach: bottled and bleach penParaffin wax and beeswax30 wt. cotton thread

Darning or free-motion embroidery foot(optional)

Open-toe presser foot (optional)One 16" and one 18" square pillow insertLarge home dcor stencil

Old newspapersRubber glovesSmall glass bowl

Flat fabric paintbrushDouble boilerUnprinted newsprint or packing paper

(available at shipping stores)

Handsewing needle

FiniShed SizeS16" square and 18" square

nOteSAll seam allowances are " unless other-

wise noted.

Photo by Joe hancock


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For explanations of terms and techniques,see Sewing Basics on SewDaily.com.

Sew all seams with right sides together.

When working with bleach: Provide goodventilation in the work area, make sure youare working in an area where nothing will bedamaged by bleach spills or splashes, wearold clothes or an old apron, andprotect your hands with rubber gloves.

cut the Fabric1 From the denim, cut:Two 20" 20" squares

One 17" 17" squareOne 19" 19" square

2 From the muslin, cut:

One 17" 17" squareOne 19" 19" square

3 From the batting, cut:One 17" 17" square

One 19" 19" square

bleached leaveS technique4 Spray the back of the stencil with tempo-rary adhesive and adhere it to the right side ofa 20" 20" denim square. Press the cut-outdesign edges firmly in place to prevent thebleach from bleeding under the stencil. Placethe fabric with the stencil on several layers ofnewspapers to absorb the excess bleach.

5 Put on the rubber gloves. Pour cup (4 oz,or 120 ml) of bleach into a small glass bowl.Dip the paintbrush into the bleach and applyit to the stencil openings (cut-out design),working from the center toward the edges.The bleach should completely saturate the

fabric in the openings without bleeding underthe stencil.

6 You will see the bleached areas begin tolighten almost immediately and they willcontinue to lighten as long as the bleach is leftin the fabric. When the areas have lightened toyour satisfaction, rinse the fabric under coldrunning water. Hang the fabric to dry.

7 Press the fabric when dry. If there are ar-eas that need defining or need to be lightenedfurther, use the bleach gel pen for touch-ups.

Let the gel set until the desired lightening isachieved. Rinse and let dry. Press the fabric.

batik technique8 Spray the back of the stencil with tempo-rary adhesive and adhere it to the right side ofa 20" 20" denim square. Press the cut-outdesign edges firmly in place to prevent thewax from bleeding under the stencil. Placethe fabric with the stencil on several layersof newspapers to absorb the excess wax.Place the fabric and newspapers close to thestove burner where you will be working, beingcareful not to let either actually contact theburner.

9 In a double boiler over boiling water, melta wax combination of 70% paraffin and 30%beeswax. The wax must be very hot as youwork to saturate the fabric, so make sure thewater continues to boil under the double boiler.Caution: The wax is flammable, so do not heat

it directly; always use a double boiler.0Working quickly, dip the paintbrush into thehot wax and apply it to the stencil openings(cut-out design), working from the center out.The wax will not penetrate as evenly as thebleach and will create some cracked effectsand uneven edges, which are characteristicof batik.

- Let the wax cool completely. Remove thestencil from the fabric. Pour 1" to 2" of bleachinto a sink with the stopper in the drain. Wearrubber gloves and immerse the fabric in thebleach. Crinkle the fabric and move it aroundin the bleach; it will create a more interest-ing look if the bleach is absorbed unevenly,and cracks in the wax add to the batik texture.

When satisfied with the resulting color, removethe fabric and rinse with cold water. Examineyour work and apply more bleach in splattersor by pouring if desired, and rinse again. Hangthe fabric to dry.

= Sandwich the batik denim between layersof absorbent paper (unprinted newsprint orpaper towels) and iron with a hot iron to meltand remove the wax. Change the paper occa-sionally as it becomes saturated with meltedwax, and continue ironing until all the wax hasbeen removed from the denim.

add Stitchingq Trim the bleached leaves panel to 19" 19"and the batik leaves panel to 17" 17". Spray

the wrong side of each piece with adhesiveand adhere it to the corresponding battingsquare.

w Use either of the following techniques tooutline and quilt the design with 30 wt. cottonthread:

For free-motion stitching, lower the sewingmachine feed dogs and install a darning orembroidery foot. Stitch around each leaf andstem, then add free-form swirls and lines tothe background.

For machine-guided stitching, leave the feeddogs up and install an open-toe presser foot,if available. Stitch around each leaf and vein,varying the placement from the design edgeto slightly inside or outside the edge; connectveins and leaves with stitching as desired.

aSSemble pillOwSe For each pillow cover, sew the front panel tothe corresponding back panel with right sidestogether, using a " seam allowance. Leavean opening in the center of the bottom edge forturning. Trim the corners.

r Turn the pillow cover right side out andpress, turning the seam allowances to thewrong side along the opening. Insert the pil-

low form and slipstitch the opening closed.

reSOurceSFairfield Processing, poly-fil.com, Cotton

Classic batting.

Royal Design Studio, royaldesignstudio.com,Endless Vine Allover Pattern stencil.

Sulky of America, sulky.com, KK 2000 Tem-porary Adhesive Spray and 30 wt.cotton thread.

CArol ZentgrAF is a writer, a designer,and an editor who specializes in sewing, textiles,painting, and decorating. Her work has beenpublished in several magazines and she is the

author oPillows, Cushions and Tuets,Decorative Storage, The Well-Dressed Win-dow, Machine Embroidery Room-by-Room,Sewing or Outdoor Spaces andSewingChristmas Greetings.


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FabulousFloorPillowThis quilted pillow with prettyscalloped edging is perfect forlounging on the floor in style.Five coordinating prints make abold statement, and the fabric-covered buttons and scallopedback closure are the perfect

finishing details.

bykAy whitt

Fabric*Fabrics requirements for AE are based

on 44" wide fabricFabric A: 1 yd for pillow front and backFabric B: 1 yd for pillow front and backFabric C: 1 fat quarter or yd for pillow

frontFabric D: 1 fat quarter or yd for pillow

frontFabric E: 1 yd for scalloped border

Other SupplieS1 yd fusible fleece (Pellon Thermolam

Plus recommended, TP971F)Small scrap of lightweight fusible interfac-

ing (at least 3 9" or enough to cut 4 of thecoverable button templates)

22" or 24" square pillow insert (use a 22"insert for a softer, flatter result; use a 24"for an overstuffed appearance as shown)

Four 1" wide coverable buttons (Maxantbrand recommended)

Matching sewing threadRotary cutter and self-healing matChalk pencilScallop templates from pages 8 and 9Freezer paper to make scallop templatesButtonhole foot for your sewing machine

Handsewing needle

Fs S: 26" 26"

nOteAll seam allowances are " unless otherwiseindicated.


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create pillOw FrOnt1 Cut a 12" square from each fabric, AD(fgure 1).

2 To form two rectangles, place the top twosquares (A and B) right sides together andsew. Press the seam allowance toward thedarker fabric. Repeat with the bottom twofabrics (C and D).

3 Place the top and bottom sets of squareswith right sides together to form one largesquare, being sure to match up the seams sothey are even, then sew together. Press seamallowances to one side.

4 With the right side of the large squarefacing, mark " across the edge from onecorner, then mark " down the opposite edgefrom the same corner. Repeat for each of theremaining three corners.

5 Cut four strips from Fabric E, each mea-suring 33 5". Fold each strip in half width-wise to find the center of the strip and mark.With right sides together, pin each strip to oneof the sides of the large square, matching upthe center mark on each strip to the seam oneach side of the large square and matchingup the edges. Note: There will be excess stripthat will extend on each end. Do not cut away,because this will be used for mitering thecorners in the coming steps.

6 Starting at one of the " markings, beginsewing the strip to the large square, stoppingwhen you reach the other " mark. Repeat

for the remaining three strips. Flip the borderstrips to the outside of the large square andpress flat.

7 To miter the corners, fold the large squarein half, right sides together, diagonally fromone of the corners. This will align the borderstrips so that they lie on top of each otherright sides together. Be sure that the strips liewith raw edges evenly matched up.

8 At one of the corners near the diagonal fold,fold the top border strip upward at a 45 angle,starting at the corner of the pillow and extend-ing AWAY from the pillow itself (fgure 2).Press this fold to create a crease.

9 After pressing the fold, lay the strip backdown directly on top of the strip beneath it,right sides together, and open out the fold. Pinthe strips together at the pressed crease. Thecrease will be the stitching line for mitering.

0 Repeat Steps 8 and 9 to miter the oppositecorner along the same diagonal fold.

- Repeat Step 7, folding so that the other twocorners meet, then repeat Steps 8 and 9 tomiter the two remaining corners.

= Sew along each crease, starting at thecorner of the pillow front where the stripscome together and stitching outward to theedge of the strips (fgure 2 shows the miterstitching line). Trim away the excess strip offabric to within " of the seam and press theseam allowances open at each corner. Pressthe seam allowances at the border away fromthe large square.

q Cut a piece of fusible fleece measuring 31 31". Lay the completed pillow front on top ofthe fusible side (bumpy or rough to the touch)of the fleece, with the right side facing up. Fol-lowing the manufacturers instructions, fuse

the fleece to the pillow top. Trim away anyexcess fleece that may remain beyond the rawedge of the pillow front fabric.

create ScallOp bOrderw Trace the Outer Edges Scallop Borderpattern template onto the matte (non-waxy)side of the freezer paper, placing it on the foldas indicated and copying all guidelines andmarkings; be sure to notch the center point(on the fold). Cut out. Align the template alongone of the borders, with the straight edge of

the template lying along the seam attach-ing the border to the large square; matchthe center seam of the squares to the centermarking on the template and the anglededges to the mitered seams. Note: Due to thedifferences from one sewer to the next, slightadjustments may need to be made dependingon how accurate the seams were completed.Make any adjustments necessary to get thescallop template to align properly.

e Iron the freezer-paper template to theborder with the shiny side of the paper againstthe right side of the fabric. This will cause atemporary bond of the pattern piece to the

fabric so that the scallops can be traced.Trace around the scalloped edges with a chalkpencil. Peel away the paper, iron to a newside, and repeat the tracing process until alledges of the border have been marked. Trimalong the scalloped edge markings, cuttingthrough all layers.

r Topstitch directly on top of the seamsattaching the small squares to each other(stitching on top of an existing seam is calledstitching in the ditch) to secure the fleece

A

C

B

D

fgure 2

fgure 1


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to the pillow front. Do not stitch in the ditchwhere the border and squares meet becausethis stitching will occur in a later step. Set thepillow front aside.

create pillOw backt From Fabric A, cut two rectangles for thetop back panel, each measuring 15 23". Ifthe pattern of the fabric is directional, makesure that it runs in the correct direction alongthe 15" width. Cut a piece of fusible fleecealso measuring 15 23".

y Fuse the fleece to the wrong side of one ofthe Fabric A pieces just cut.

u Trace the Back Scallop Border Templateonto the matte side of the freezer paper andcut out as in Step 14.

i On the back panel with the fleece attached,align the template with one of the 23" sides(center the template between the " seam al-lowances on each side). Iron the paper in placealong the edge so that the top of the scallopslines up with the outer edge of the fabric; tracethe scallops with a chalk pencil. Remove thepaper and cut out the scallops.

o Place the scalloped back panel on top ofthe other back panel with right sides together,lining up the raw edges. Pin along the scal-loped edge only. Using a " seam allowanceand with the scalloped back panel facingup, stitch the two pieces together along thecurves of the scallops. Trim away the excessfabric so that the edges of both panels match

(follow the scalloped edge) and then clip alongthe curves of the scallops by cutting smalltriangles into the seam allowances with thepoint of the triangles facing the seam. Cutclose to the seamline, but be careful not to cutinto it. This will ensure that the piece will lieflat without puckering when turned.

p Turn the scallops right side out and useyour fingers to smooth out the curves. Pressthe scalloped edge so that the curves are welldefined and the seam is flat. Be careful inyour pressing so that the fabric from the otherside of the scallop does not show. Realign thethree remaining raw edges and pin in place.

[With the right side of the piece with the

fleece attached facing up, begin topstitchingalong the curves of the scallops " away fromthe finished edge. Continue stitching alongthe three remaining raw edges, about 38" fromthe raw edges.

] Choose one or more of the fabrics (AD) tomake the covered buttons. Using the templateprovided by the coverable button manufac-turer, cut four circles from the interfacingscrap. Place these interfacing circles on the

wrong side of the fabrics chosen for the but-tons and fuse in place according to manufac-turers instructions. Cut out the circles fromthe fabric(s). Follow the instructions on the

button package to complete the buttons usingthe circles to cover them. Note: The purposeof the interfacing is to give the fabric addi-tional thickness so that the shiny metal of thebutton form does not show through the fabric.

\ On the right side of the scalloped back panel(the side with the fleece attached) measure in1" from the center of the edge of each scal-lop and mark. Draw a guideline with the chalkpencil through each mark for a centered (top tothe bottom of the scallop) 1" buttonhole thatruns parallel to the edge (fgure 3). With thebuttonhole foot on the sewing machine, sewbuttonholes over each guideline. Clip open thebuttonholes between the two lines of stitching.Set this piece aside.

a For the bottom back panel of the pillow, cuta rectangle from Fabric B measuring 29 23".If the fabric pattern is directional, have the pat-tern running in the correct direction along the29" length. Fold the fabric in half with wrongsides together so that it measures 14 23"and press the fold.

sCut a piece of fusible fleece that measures14 23". Unfold the back panel and place thefleece against the wrong side, with one edge ofthe fleece along the fold and the other fleeceedges even with the remaining three edges.Fuse in place according to the manufacturersinstructions.

d Fold the back panel in half again along theexisting fold so that the fleece is sandwichedbetween the layers of fabric. Align the rawedges and pin in place. Stitch around theoutside raw edges, about 38" away from theedge. Topstitch along the folded edge " fromthe edge.

f Position the top back panel piece on thebottom back panel piece with right sides (withfleece attached) up so that the scalloped edgeof the top panel overlaps the topstitched, foldededge of the bottom panel by about 3". Makesure that your buttonholes are facing up. Pinthe back panels together and measure fromthe top of one piece down to the other end. Thispiece should now measure about 23" square.If it is smaller or larger, adjust the amount ofoverlap between the two pieces until the cor-rect measurement is achieved. Tack the layerstogether by stitching them together on eachside of the overlap, about " from the edge(fgure 3).

gMark through the center of each buttonholeonto the lower fabric for button placement. Sewthe buttons in place and then button the twosections together.

h To add the border to the back panel, repeatSteps 512.

aSSemble the pillOw cOver

j Once the border has been added, unbut-ton the back panels and place the pillow frontand pillow back right sides together with theouter edges even. Note that the back piece hasstraight edges and the front is scalloped. Pinthe two pieces together.

kUsing a " seam allowance and with thepillow front facing up, stitch the pieces together,following the curves of the scallops. Trimaway the excess fabric so that the back piecematches the curves of the front piece, then clipalong the curves as in Step 21 so that the seamwill lie flat.

l Turn the pillow cover right side out throughthe back panel opening and use your fingers

to smooth out the curves. Press the pillowedges flat and smooth. Topstitch " away fromthe finished edge, following the curves of thescallops.

;Button the pillow cover closed and turn itover so that the front side is facing up. Pin thepillow cover together through all thicknessesalong the border seam on all four sides. Top-stitch on top of the border fabric about " awayfrom the seam, all the way around.

' Unbutton the pillow cover and place the pil-low insert inside. Button closed and enjoy!

kAy whitt launched Serendipity Gis in 2001.Since early 2006, her company has operated as

Serendipity Studio. Kay is also a licensed designer orthe McCall Pattern Company. She resides in Texaswith her husband, Keith, and their two birds, ET andZeppy. Visit her at sewserendipity.com.


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cut both templates fromfreezer paper on the fold

line up on border seamline

centerofbord

er

foldline

centerofborder

foldline

fabulous floor pillow

scallop border templateouter edges

Alignscallopedg


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sideedge

lineupwithm

itered

seam

line

fabulous floor pillowscallop border templatepillow back

aight

raw

edg

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Fly-AwayPillowStenciled fabric paint andhandstitching make happy redballoons on this comfy cotton-canvas pillow. Use a print forthe envelope back and designyour own corded piping as thefinal touch.

bymelissA FrAntZ

Fabric yd of brushed cotton canvas or medium-

weight home decor cotton for front panel yd of coordinating print cotton for back

panels2 yard of 1" wide single-fold bias tape

or 1 fat quarter (18 20") of coordinatingcotton to make bias tape (shown here: 2 dif-ferent cotton print fabrics to create a variedlength of bias tape)

Other SupplieS14 28" pillow form90" of " wide upholstery piping cordCoordinating sewing threadContrasting embroidery thread

Handsewing needleBalloon template (page 12)Fabric Paint (I used Jaquard Textile Color)Paintbrush (medium size)Freezer PaperX-Acto knife or paper bladeWater-soluble fabric markerZipper footRotary cutter and self-healing mat

(optional)French curve (optional)Pinking shears or serger (optional)

Fs S: 14 28"

nOteAll seam allowances are " unless otherwisenoted.

cut Fabric1 Cut a rectangle for the front panel from thecotton canvas or home decor cotton measur-ing 15" long 29" wide.

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2With the front panel lying flat on a table infront of you, measure 2" over from one corneralong the edge and mark, then measure 2"down the other edge from the same corner and

mark. Repeat to mark the edges at the otherthree corners. Using a drinking glass or Frenchcurve as a guide, draw a curve at each cornerfrom mark to mark to create evenly roundededges. Cut along the curved marks.

3 Cut two rectangles for the back panelsfrom the coordinating cotton, each measuring15" long 20" wide.

Stencil ballOOnS4 Trace the balloon bunch template frompage 12 onto freezer paper, drawing on thematte (non waxy) side. Using an X-Acto knifeand a cutting mat or scissors, carefully cut outeach balloon, being careful not to cut into thepaper connecting the balloons. On a separate

piece of freezer paper, trace and cut the singleballoon shape.

5With the front panel facing right side up,place the larger stencil (waxy side down) on thefront panel, positioning it about 5" from the left(short) side of the pillow and about 3" from thebottom. Using a hot dry iron, press the stencilonto the fabric for a few seconds. The waxwill melt, forming a resist for the paint. Placethe single balloon stencil near the oppositecorner (about 6" from the right side and about4" from the top, or as desired) and repeatpressing.

6 Take your paintbrush and dab a light layer ofpaint over the stencil balloon shapes, working

from the outer edge in. Let dry. You may needseveral light coats of paint until you are satis-fied with the saturation. Let dry completely.

7 Rip away the freezer paper and heat-setthe paint according to the manufacturersspecifications.

8 Outline each balloon with embroiderythread (use just one or two strands), usinga small running stitch (see Stitch Glossaryon SewDaily.com). Using a ruler and a fabric

marker, draw in balloon strings extend-ing to the edge of the fabric and embroiderthem using a running stitch as before. Draw afree-form balloon string from the remaining

balloon (on the opposite corner), about 3" longor as desired and embroider with a runningstitch as before.

aSSemble piping andattach tO pillOw FrOnt9 If you are using readymade bias tape, skip toStep 10. Cut 1" wide bias strips and sew themtogether end to end (placing them right sidestogether and sewing diagonal seams) until youhave a 2 yd length. (See Diagonal Seams forJoining Strips in Sewing Basics at SewDaily.com under Free Resources.) To achieve the lookof the piping on my pillow, cut strips of varyinglengths from the two different prints and stitchtogether. Trim the excess fabric from the seamallowances and press flat.

0 If you are using readymade bias tape, pressit flat. With wrong sides together, cover theupholstery piping cord with the bias tape byplacing cord in the center of the bias tape andthen bringing the raw edges together, enclos-ing the cord inside the bias tape. Pin along thelength as you go to secure. Stitch the pipingclosed, about 18" from the raw edge.

-With the right side of the pillow front facingup, pin the raw edge of the piping to the rawedge of the pillow front.

= Pin the beginning and the end of the pipingoverlapping at a 45 angle (fgure 1). Baste

the piping to the pillow front

1

8

" from the rawedge. Remove the pins.

aSSemble pillOw backqWith the wrong sides facing up, lay bothback panel pieces side by side with short sidestogether. Fold each center edge over ", thenfold over again 1" and pin. Topstitch about 18"from the top of each fold, then topstitch again,about 18" from the outer edges, creating onefinished center edge on each panel.

wWith the right sides facing up, overlap thecenter edges of each panel so that they createa finished back panel measuring 29" wide. Pinthe panels together using two or three pinsdown the center.

aSSemble cOmplete pillOweWith the right sides facing, pin the frontand back panels together, taking care to makesure that the piping is still flipped inside andsandwiched between the two panels. You mayhave to stretch the front panel slightly as youpin because the piping may have pulled itsome.

r Using a zipper foot, position the needle asclose to the piping as you are able and stitcharound the entire perimeter. It will make aseam allowance that is about " wide.Trim the corner edges of the seam allowanceson the back panels to match the curves on thefront panel. Pink or serge the seam allow-ances or use the zigzag stitch on your sewingmachine to finish the edges. Carefully removeall pins.

tTurn the pillow case right side out throughthe overlapped back panels and stuff with the

pillow form.

melissA FrAntZ lives and sews in Port-land, Oregon, with her partner and three boys. Youcan nd her at allbuttonedup.typepad.com.

ill

fgure 1


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Single balloon

shape

Balloonbunch

template


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Chrysanthemum PillowCreate instant elegance withan Asian-inspired silk pillowfeaturing a ruffled flower cen-terpiece. Use gathered lengthsof ribbon yarn to create spiralruffles and luxurious texture,then add a contrasting fabricon the pillow back for a tieclosure.

bytriCiA wAddell

Fabric1 yd of douppioni silk yd of douppioni silk in a contrasting color

Other SupplieS55 yd of 1" wide ribbon or ribbon yarn

(shown here: Trendsetter Yarns Cha Cha[47% wool, 47% acrylic, 6% polyamide];66 yd; 1 skein)

All-purpose thread to match main fabric19" square pillow formHandsewing needleTailors chalk or fabric pencilPoint turner


wise noted.Adjust the tension on your machine for

sewing on lightweight silk to avoid pucker-ing. Practice on a fabric scrap before start-ing the project.

Fs S: 19 19"

cut Out Fabric1 Cut one 20" square (pillow front), one12 20" piece (pillow back A), and one9 20" piece (pillow back B) from the mainfabric.

2 Cut one 16 20" piece (pillow back C)from the contrasting fabric.

3Cut two 7

2" pieces from the mainfabric for ties.

create FlOwer ruFFle4Cut the ribbon into manageable strips (around60" each). With your handsewing needle andthread, baste (see Stitch Glossary in Sewing

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Basics, see bottom of page 13) one of the ribbonstrips along the length, " from one edge. Whenyou get to the end of the strip, pull the thread togather the ribbon in a loose ruffle, then secure

the thread. Repeat basting and gathering for allthe remaining ribbon strips; set aside.5 Using tailors chalk or fabric pencil, mark a13" diameter circle (I used a round chargerplate as a guide) on the right side of your pil-low front fabric square. This will be the outeredge of your flower.

6 Take a gathered ribbon strip and pin it allalong the edge of the circle, once around, plac-ing the non-gathered edge of the ribbon alongthe circle line. Leave any remaining ribbonstrip unpinned until you have sewn around thecircle once. Topstitch along the ribbon " fromthe gathered edge. As soon as you have madeyour way around the circle once, continue topin the remaining length of the ribbon strip,

spiraling in and layering the ribbon as you go,then stitch it in place. Be sure to place eachnew layer of ribbon so that it overlaps the layerbefore it and none of the fabric shows throughbetween the layers. Continue adding ribbonstrips in a layered spiral until you have a 3"diameter center fabric circle remaining.

7 To create the center of the flower, takea gathered ribbon strip and coil the strip ina continuous circle around itself to form arosette that is wide enough to fill the centercircle of the flower. Baste the base of therosette to keep it coiled. Whipstitch (see StitchGlossary in Sewing Basics) the rosette inplace in the center of your flower.

8 Check to make sure all your flower rufflesare secure by running your hands through theruffles. Handstitch any areas that are not fullystitched down.

prepare pillOw back pieceS9 Fold pillow back C in half lengthwise(wrong sides together) so that you have apiece measuring 8 20". Pin the foldedpiece (the side where the two raw edgesmeet) to pillow back B along the 20"lengths, right sides together. Stitch along thepinned edge through all three layers. Use thezigzag stitch on your sewing machine to stitchalong the seam allowances (held together),close to their seamline, to minimize fraying.Trim the seam allowances to reduce bulk and

press all seam allowances to one side.0With right side facing up and the contrast-ing fabric (pillow back C) on the right, top-stitch (see Stitch Glossary in Sewing Basics)along the seam on the main fabric (pillowback B), 1" to the left of the seam.

- Using pillow back A, fold the 12" side un-der 4" and press. Zigzag stitch along the rawedge of the folded-under edge to minimizefraying. With right side facing up, topstitch 1"in from the fold along the 12" length.

create tieS=

To create ties, take one of the 7

2"pieces and fold it in half lengthwise, right sidestogether, so you have a 1" wide strip.

qMachine stitch along one short edge and thelong edge with a 18" seam allowance, leav-ing the other short edge unstitched. Clip thecorners. Use a point turner to turn the tie rightside out and poke out the corners.

w Repeat Steps 12 and 13 for the second tie.On the large pillow back piece (B and C seamedtogether), pin a tie in the center of the piece9" from either end, with the open edge of thetie lined up along the inside of the topstitchingand the rest of the tie lying toward the con-trasting fabric. Fold in the edges of the shortedge of the tie and topstitch a rectangle (about5878", keeping the stitching 18" from the edge)along the edge of the tie, securing the tie to theback piece.

e Repeat Step 14 to attach the second tie tothe remaining pillow back piece, attaching thetie along the topstitched line. The long endof the tie will be facing toward the fabric fold(hanging off the pillow back piece).

aSSemble pillOwr

Place the pillow front on the table rightside up. Place the smaller pillow back pieceon top of the pillow front, right sides together,and matching up the raw edges so that the tieis facing toward the middle of the pillow; pinthe raw edges together. With right sides to-gether, place the larger pillow back piece withthe contrasting fabric in place on the oppositeside of the pillow front so that it overlaps theother pillow back by about 4". Again, match upthe raw edges so that the tie is facing towardthe middle of the pillow and pin in place.

tMachine stitch around the perimeter of thepillow. Zigzag stitch the seam allowances tominimize fraying.

y Turn the finished pillow cover right side

out through the back panels. Insert the pillowform and tie the ties in a simple knot.

reSOurceS Trendsetter Yarns Cha Cha rib-bon yarn can be found at your local yarn storeor trendsetteryarns.com.

triCiA wAddell is the ormer editor oStitch.When shes not working, she spends her time makingstuf.


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sewdaily






Cute-as-a-ButtonPillowLayer small coordinatingbuttons for a modern detailthat turns a plain linen pillowinto a stylish room accent. Addsimple knife pleats and atea-dyed background for thebuttons and then stuff it with

100% cotton filling.

bytriCiA wAddell

Fabric yd of medium-weight linen for main pil-

low fabric yd of medium-weight linen in a contrast-

ing color

Other SupplieSVarious buttons in coordinating shades

(scrapbooking stores are a great place tofind packs of small coordinating buttons)

All-purpose thread to match main fabric100% cotton stuffing

Clear acrylic rulerTailors chalk or fabric pencil10" diameter embroidery hoop (optional)Handsewing needlePressing cloth

Fs S: 11 18"


wise noted.Cant find the perfect natural shade of linen?

Try tea dyeing. Brew two cups of tea, let thetea steep for a couple of minutes, then soaka piece of white linen in it for 5 to 10 minutes.Ta da! The perfect sepia-toned shade of linento match the buttons. Try the same idea with

fruity herbal teas for varying colors.

For exPlAnAtions oF


CliCk here For our



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sewdaily sewingPILLOWS5 FREE Artistic Pillow Cover and Pillow Patterns

page 16 of 16

cut Out Fabric1 Cut a 12 34" piece from the main fabricfor the pillow front. Cut a 12 19" piece fromthe main fabric for the pillow back.

create buttOn detail2 Using the clear acrylic ruler, mark a 5 7" rectangle on the contrasting fabric witha fabric pencil (do not mark this along theedge of the fabric; leave enough fabric aroundthe rectangle to secure the fabric in the 10"embroidery hoop). Along one short side, marka line " inside the rectangle (running all theway along and parallel to the edge. On theremaining three sides, mark a line " insidethe rectangle as before. These are your seamallowances.

3 To make it easier to sew on all the buttons,put the contrasting fabric in an embroi-dery hoop with the drawn rectangle evenlycentered. Be careful not to pull the fabric tootightly in the hoop to avoid puckering.

4With a handsewing needle and thread,begin sewing your buttons in the center ofthe rectangle, keeping them at least " awayfrom the seam allowance lines. Layer the but-tons as you go, randomly distributing buttonsizes and colors.

5When you are finished sewing buttons, cutthe fabric to the size of the outside rectanglemarkings. Fold under the three " seam al-lowances and press. Set aside.

create kniFe pleatS6

Place your larger pillow front fabric rightside up, and starting from one short end,mark a line 1" from the edge (running allthe way along and parallel to the short edge).

Mark 22 more lines, each 1" apart. These willdetermine the size and position of your pleats.

7 Beginning at the second line (toward the

middle of the fabric piece), fold the fabric over(with right sides together) along the line andfinger press, then fold it back over (with wrongsides together) along the next line (fgure 1);secure with pins at the top, middle, and bot-tom of the fold. To make the next pleat, skipa line and fold the fabric over along the nextline, then fold it back over along the next line(dont skip one this time); this will place theedge of your next fold along the line previouslyskipped so that there is 1" between the firsttwo pleats (fgure 2). Continue creating theseaccordion folds in the same manner, pinningat the top, middle, and bottom of each fold tosecure as you go. Continue folding pleats untilyou have 1" left at the end. Using a pressingcloth, iron the pleated folds in place.

8 Baste (see Stitch Glossary in Sewing Basicsat SewDaily.com) " from the top and bottomedges of the pillow front to secure the pleatsin place.

9With a handsewing needle and thread,tack the pleats at three evenly spaced pointsalong each pleat to hold it in place. To tack,pick up a few threads on the underside of apleat near the edge but far enough back toremain hidden, then pick up a few threads onthe top of the opposite pleat (make sure it willstill be hidden under the top pleat). Keepingthe stitch slightly loose, pick up a few threadson the underside of the top pleat again, then

tie off and use the needle to thread the tailthrough the pleat for a short distance. Bringthe needle out and cut the thread against thepleat so that the tail will retreat into the fabricwith a gentle tug.

aSSemble pillOw0 On the pillow front piece (with right sidefacing), pin the button detail (right side up)opposite the pleated side, centering the "seam allowance side of the detail on the shortside of the pillow front and lining up the rawedges. Make sure the " seam allowances onthe button detail piece are still folded under andthen topstitch (see Stitch Glossary) 18" from theedge on all three sides, turning at the cornerswithout lifting the needle for a continuous stitch

line.

- Place the pillow back fabric piece on top ofthe pillow front, right sides facing. Pin and thenstitch around three sides of the pillow, leavingthe short side with the button detail open. Clipthe corners by cutting a triangle into the seamallowances at each corner with the point of thetriangles pointing toward the seam; be carefulnot to cut through the seam or cut so closely

that the fabric will fray through the seam. Turnright side out through the opening.

= Stuff the pillow with cotton stuffing. Becareful not to overstuff so you dont distort thepleats.

q Fold in the remaining " seam allowancesand handstitch the pillow closed using a slipstitch (see Stitch Glossary).

triCiA wAddell is the ormer editor oStitch.When shes not working, she spends her time makingstuf.

fgure 1

fgure 2

Stitch Freemium Pillows

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