Certain fabric lines make me think of particular shapes. Kate Spain's Sunnyside, for example, had me cutting rectangles. The moment my Chicopee by Denise Schmidt for Free Spirit Fabrics arrived, I knew it needed to be equilateral triangles. I'd purchased the fabric with no plan other than making pillows for the dark leather furniture in our living room. Over the holidays I cut many triangles and played with them on the design wall until I had a look that I wanted.
The pillows are 16" square, and have bottom zippers. I made five of them; each one is different. Both the front and the back are quilted.
To make one 16" pillow you will need:
21 60 degree triangles, cut to 6" high
1 square of fabric for back of pillow, cut to 17 1/2 x 17 1/2"
16" zipper
2 pieces of Pellon Fusible Fleece, each cut to 19" square
Cotton thread, I used Aurifil 50 weight in light grey (2600)
Seam ripper
16" pillow insert
Optional but helpful: 60 degree ruler
Step 1: Cut 21 triangles.
Step 2: Arrange the triangles as desired, in three rows of seven each.
Step 3: Starting with the top row and working from left to right, piece the triangles together with 1/4" seam allowances.
Step 4: Press seams to side.
Step 5: Sew the second row together and press seams to the opposite side of the first row. For example, if you pressed the seams to the left in row #1, press the seams to the right in row #2. Repeat for the third row.
Step 6: Sew row #1 to row #2 with a 1/4" seam allowance. Add row #3. Press seams as desired.
Step 7: After pressing, cut pillow front into a 17 1/2" square.
Step 8: Fuse pillow front to rough side of Fusible Fleece according to manufacturer's instructions.
Step 9: Fuse back of pillow to Fusible Fleece. Allow to cool.
Step 10: Time to quilt! Since I straight line quilted both fronts and backs, in 1/2" increments, I used a hera marker to make a crease down the center of each piece to get started.
Step 11: Once the front and back are quilted, trim both pieces to 17" square.
Step 12: Zipper time! Choose which side of the pillow front will be the bottom, as that's where the zipper will be. Right sides facing, sew with a basting stitch and a 1/2" seam allowance. Press seam open. Center the zipper along the seam, upside down, and pin one side. My zippers are from Zipit.
Step 13: Return to your regular stitch length. Sew a rectangle around the zipper, backstitching at the start and the end.
Step 14: Turn it over and rip the basted seam out to expose the zipper.
Step 15: Important! Open the zipper a few inches before placing pillow right sides together and sewing the other three sides with a 1/2" seam allowance. Clip corners, turn, press, insert pillow form and you're all done!
I'm glad I took the time to quilt the backs; they look and feel great.
They go together quickly, and the living room is now a bit cheerier. And, I have plans for another project with triangles.
Enjoy!
xo Karin
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