I hope you all had a fun New Years ... I spent my evening with the kids and my husband and a needle and thread ... a perfect night really!
Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway for the Flower Garden Pillow there really was an amazing response! Thank you also to Rachel at One Pretty Thing who featured both of the pillows, you provide a great resource for us all!
So after all that the winner is ... Lorraine of Granny Loz
Congratulations Lorraine! Please send me your details and I will pop the pillow in the mail.
Because of the number of requests for the pattern I have decided to include it in this post. I will send out an email to everyone who asked for a pattern and link you back here. I have also put a link in the side bar.
I'll be back on the 4th with the winner of the Rocket Ship Pillow.
Flower Garden Pillow
This pattern, for the most part, uses fusible raw edge appliqué and the pillow top has been machine quilted. This doesn’t mean that you’re locked into using these methods. You might prefer to finish your appliqué edges with a machine blanket stitch and leave your pillow top as a plain piece of fabric with no batting or quilting. The pillow is secured with two large self covered buttons, alternatively you might prefer to use a zip or ties.
Chose a method that you feel comfortable with.
Please remember that this pattern and appliqué design is intended for your own personal use only and should not be used for profit or sale.
What you need...
55cm white cotton – cut as follows ;
X1 20 ½” square (front)
X1 20 1/2 “ x 18 1/2” (back lower section)
X1 20 ½ “ x 12 “ (back upper section)
20cm green print or multiple scraps of different greens totaling 20cm
20cm various scraps totaling this amount for appliqué shapes
20cm coordinating stripe for binding – this will allow 3 x 2 ½ “ strips for the binding providing you with ample excess for matching of stripes
55cm x 55cm piece of batting – try and use one that has a high loft to ensure that your finished appliqué has a full ‘puffy’ appearance.
30cm piece of Fusible web – I use a fusible that leaves a tacky surface on the rear of the appliqué shape making auditioning the appliqué shapes a breeze. In this project I have used Lite Steam-A-Seam 2 – this is available in Australia from Oz Quilts.
x2 30mm self cover buttons
x2 small beads for the birds eyes (alternatively you could use a French knot – I would recommend this if you are making the pillow for a small child)
Scissors
Fine tip Permanent marking pen
Water soluble pen
Spray Baste
Pins & needles
Rotary cutter, quilting ruler & cutting mat
Iron
Light box – not essential
Darning foot and a sewing machine capable of lowering the feed dogs
Quilting gloves
Method
1. Download Applique shapes and print them out ready for use. Always follow the manufactures directions regarding the use of your fusible web.Trace the appliqué shapes onto the backing paper of the fusible web using a permanent marker ensuring that you leave adequate space between your shapes to allow them to be separated while still leaving a small margin around each of the shapes. You will require the following numbers of shapes;
Flower 1 3
Flower 2 5
Flower 3 3
Flower center 11
Leaf 11
Bird & wing x1 plus x1 in reverse
Beak 2
2. Separate all of the shapes and select the colour combinations that you intend to use. Adhere the fusible to the rear of the fabric following the manufacturer's instructions. Cut out the shapes. Remove the backing paper revealing the tacky surface of the fusible. Using the photograph as a guide roughly set out the applique shapes. Don't spend a lot of time on this task as you are likely to move them quite a bit before they are finally ironed in place.
3. Cut a length of fusible 3 ½“ x 17". Iron the fusible to the back of the fabric you intend to use as the flower stems. Using your rotary cutter cut ten - ¼” strips. Using the photo of the quilt as a reference, arrange the stems of the flowers. Cut the lengths leaving yourself a little overhang to allow for adjustment if required. Once you have all of the pieces on the background fabric stand back and make sure that you are happy with the overall design. Iron the appliqué shapes in place.
4. Using the photo of the quilt as a reference and a water soluble pen, mark out the stitching detail of the birdie tail & legs on the pillow top.
5. Make a quilt sandwich with the pillow top, batting and lining fabric using spray baste – be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Use a machine blanket stitch to secure the flower stems. Bring threads to the back of the fabric and tie off.
7. To complete the remaining appliqué edges & the stitching detail; Change your machine foot to a free motion foot and drop your feed dogs. Select a top & bobbin thread to complement the shape you will be working on. Begin by lowering your needle into the quilt an inch or so from the shape. Raise the needle and pull on the top thread pulling the bobbin thread through to the top. Lower and raise the needle again temporarily securing the two threads on the top of the quilt. Slide your quilt to your intended starting point and lower your needle. Free motion stitch close to the edges of all of the appliqué shapes stitching over each area at least twice. Add detail to the leaves & flower centers as desired.
Take several stitches close together at the start and finish points of each appliqué shape. This will secure the start & finish points allowing you to cut the threads at the quilt surface eliminating the need to bury threads.
8. To complete the stitching detail of the bird tail & legs stitch over the marked line several times until the row of stitching is the desired thickness – I used 4 rows on the tail and 6 rows on the legs.
9. Once you have finished this process complete the background quilting. I used a swirl flower background fill design.
If you are new to machine quilting and would like to give it a go my best advice to you is to do a class! Other than this practice before you start on a scrap section of quilt sandwich but most of all don't get hung up on the machine quilting! It doesn't need to be perfect no one will notice! The pillow is for someone you love ... they won't be judging you.
10. Square the pillow top using a ruler and rotary cutter ensuring that the finished edges are 20 ½” ensuring that the corners are square and sides are even and straight.
Completing the pillow back ...
11. On the larger of the two pieces of fabric fold over a hem of ½ “ on one of the long sides and press. Fold over further 3“ and press. Secure the hem using a straight stitch close to the edge of both folds.
12. On the smaller of the two pieces of fabric fold over a hem of ½ “ on one of the long sides and press. Fold over further 3“ and press. Secure the hem using a straight stitch close to the edge of both folds.
13. At this point if you want to add the additional appliqué to the pillow back you should do so now. Arrange the shapes on the larger of the pillow back pieces using the photograph as a guide. Attach the shapes following the directions you used previously using tear-away stabilizer rather than batting to stabilize the fabric while you are securing the shapes and completing the stitching detail.
14. On the smaller of the two back sections mark points at 6 ½ “ & 13 ½ “ along the hem. In addition to this mark ¾ “ up from the edge of the hem. Make button holes at each of these two points.
15. Attach the beads for the birds eyes.
16. Position the pillow top, right side up on top of the pillow front with wrong sides facing each other. Adjust the pillow back so that the smaller section overlaps the larger piece. Bind the pillow using the bias strip as you would normally bind a quilt finishing with a mitered seam. You can find my instructions to help with this here ...
17. Make the two self cover buttons according to the manufacturer's instructions. Using a water-soluble pen mark the lower point of each button hole on the larger of the pillow back pieces. Fix buttons to these points.
Finished!!!
I hope you enjoy making the pillow!
Kellie
PS. Sorry about the formatting ... poor Typepad has really struggled with this post!
