Solids and bright prints are a fresh way to showcase 90° triangles in this contemporary pillow. Fabrics are from the Rapture collection by Pat Bravo and the Pure Elements solids collection, both for Art Gallery Fabrics.
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Designer: Pat Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics

Materials

  • 1⁄2 yard total assorted prints in peach, white, mint green, teal, yellow, and pink (triangle units)
  • 1⁄3 yard solid mint green (triangle units, piping)
  • 1⁄2 yard total assorted solids in peach, red, pink, yellow, orange, and teal (triangle units)
  • 1-1⁄3 yards solid white (setting and corner triangles, lining, pillow back)
  • 24" square quilt batting
  • 2-1⁄2 yards 1⁄4"-wide cotton cording
  • 20"-square pillow form

Finished pillow: 20-1⁄2" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut Fabrics

Cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted prints, cut:

  • 14--3-1⁄2" squares

From solid mint green, cut:

  • Enough 2"-wide bias strips to total 90" in length for piping

From remaining solid mint green and the assorted solids, cut 14 matching sets of:

  • 2--1×4-1⁄2" strips
  • 2--1×3-1⁄2" strips

From solid white, cut:

  • 1--24" lining square
  • 1--21" square for pillow back
  • 7--6-3⁄8" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 28 setting triangles total
  • 8--3-1⁄2" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 corner triangles total

Assemble and Quilt Pillow Front

For a scrappier look, cut and piece more triangle units than necessary, then play with color placement before assembling pillow top.

1.    Gather one print 3-1⁄2" square and a solid set of two 1×4-1⁄2" strips and two 1×3-1⁄2" strips.

2.    Sew solid 1×3-1⁄2" strips to opposite edges of print 3-1⁄2" square. Add solid 1×4-1⁄2" strips to remaining edges to make a square unit (Diagram 1). Press all seams toward strips.

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3.    Cut square unit in half diagonally to make two triangle units (Diagram 2).

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4.    Repeat steps 1–3 to make 28 triangle units total.

5.    Referring to Pillow Top Assembly Diagram, lay out triangle units, solid white setting triangles, and solid white corner triangles in eight horizontal rows.

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6.    To assemble each row, first join each triangle unit with its adjacent setting triangle, then join all pieces. Press seams toward triangle units where possible. Join rows to make pillow top. Press seams in one direction. The pillow top should be 21" square including seam allowances.

7.    Place pillow top right side down. Top with batting 24" square, then solid white 24" square. Baste all layers together.

8.    Quilt as desired. In the featured pillow, each setting triangle is quilted with two lines of echo quilting about 3⁄8" apart.

Finish Pillow

1.    Using diagonal seams, sew together solid mint green 2"-wide bias strips to make a 90"-long strip.

2.    With wrong side inside, fold under 1-1⁄2" at one end of mint green 90"-long strip; press. Fold strip in half lengthwise with wrong side inside. Insert 1⁄4"-diameter cording next to folded edge with cording end 1" from folded end of strip. Using a cording or zipper foot, machine-baste close to cording to make piping (Diagram 3). Trim seam allowance to 1⁄4".

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3.    Beginning at center of a pillow top edge, pin piping to right side of pillow top with raw edges aligned. Start stitching 1-1⁄2" from folded end of piping. When you reach a corner, ease piping into place and clip seam allowance to within a few threads of stitching line (Diagram 4). Continue in same manner until you are 2"–3" from starting point. Cut end of piping so it will fit into folded opening. Slide cut piping end inside folded piping end so the cording ends abut (Diagram 5). Stitch remainder of piping in place.

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4.    Layer solid white 21" square pillow back and pillow top with right sides together; pin or baste edges. Sew together through all layers, leaving an opening to insert pillow form. Clip corners. Turn pillow right side out and insert pillow form. Hand-stitch opening closed.