Big Block Pillow

Inspired by: Big Blooms from designer Vicki Ruebel

Project tester: Sarah Huechteman

Finished pillow: 24" square 

Finished block: 21" square 

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

• 1-1/8 yard purple tone-on-tone (pillow top, pillow back)
• 3/8 yard each orange tone-on-tone (pillow top)
• 1/2 yard each green tone-on-tone and yellow tone-on-tone (pillow top, binding)
• 24-1/2" square batting
• 24-1/2" square muslin
• Lightweight tracing paper or other foundation material of your choice
• 24" square pillow form

Cut pieces in the following order. 

From purple tone-on-tone, cut:

• 2—14-3/4×24-1/2" rectangles
• 2—3-7/8" squares
• 4—3-1/2" squares
• 2—2×24-1/2" strips
• 2—2×21-1/2" strips

From orange tone-on-tone, cut:

• 2—3-7/8" squares
• 21—3-1/2" squares
• 4—2-1/2×5" rectangles

From green tone-on-tone, cut:

• 4—6-1/2" squares
• 16—2-1/2×5" rectangles

From yellow tone-on-tone cut:

• 3—2-1/2×42" binding strips
• 4—3-1/2" squares

Click on "Download this Project" above for foundation patterns.

To foundation-piece, you will stitch fabric pieces to a foundation paper with the marked side of the paper facing up and the fabric pieces layered underneath. The resulting pieced unit will be a mirror image of the foundation paper.

1. Use a pencil to trace eight of Foundation Pattern A, eight of Foundation Pattern B, and 12 of Foundation Pattern C onto lightweight tracing paper (or other foundation material of your choice), tracing all lines and numbers. Or print page 6 four times and page 7 three times in the pattern download.

2. Cut out each traced foundation pattern roughly 1/4" outside dashed lines to make eight A foundation papers, eight B foundation papers, and 12 C foundation papers.

1. Mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each purple tone-on-tone 3-7/8" square.

2. Layer a marked purple tone-on-tone square atop an orange tone-on-tone 3-7/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 1). Cut apart on marked line. Press open to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four triangle-squares total.

3. Referring to Diagram 2, cut eight green tone-on-tone 2-1/2×5" rectangles in half diagonally from bottom left-hand corner to top right-hand corner to make 16 green Left Triangles. Repeat with two orange tone-on-tone 2-1/2×5" rectangles to make four orange Left Triangles.

4. Referring to Diagram 3, cut remaining green tone-on-tone 2-1/2×5" rectangles in half diagonally from top left-hand corner to bottom right-hand corner to make 16 green Right Triangles. Repeat with remaining orange tone-on-tone 2-1/2×5" rectangles to make four orange Right Triangles.

5. Gather one A foundation paper, one orange tone-on-tone 3-1/2" square (position A1), and one green Left Triangle (position A2). Foundation-piece Unit 1 (Diagram 4). Carefully remove foundation paper. The unit should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight total of Unit 1.

6. Gather one B foundation paper, one orange tone-on-tone 3-1/2" square (position B1), and one green Right Triangle (position B2). Foundation-piece Unit 2 (Diagram 5). Carefully remove foundation paper. The unit should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight total of Unit 2.

7. Gather one C foundation paper, one purple tone-on-tone 3-1/2" square (position C1), one orange Right Triangle (position C2), and one orange Left Triangle (position C3). Foundation-piece Unit 3 (Diagram 6). Carefully remove foundation paper. The unit should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four total of Unit 3.

8. Repeat Step 7 using C foundation papers, orange tone-on-tone 3-1/2" squares (position C1), green Right Triangles (position C2), and green Left Triangles (position C3) to make four total of Unit 4 (Diagram 7). 

9. Repeat Step 7 using C foundation papers, yellow tone-on-tone 3-1/2" squares (position C1), green Right Triangles (position C2), and green Left Triangles (position C3) to make four total of Unit 5 (Diagram 8). 

10. Referring to Diagram 9, sew together one Unit 1 and one Unit 2 to make a subunit. The subunit should be 3-1/2×6-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight subunits total.

11. Referring to Diagram 10, lay out one triangle-square, two subunits, and one green tone-on-tone 6-1/2" square in two rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make Unit A. The unit should be 9-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four A units total.

12. Referring to Diagram 11 for unit orientation, sew together one each of units 3, 4, and 5 to make Unit B. The unit should be 3-1/2×9-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four B units total.

13. Referring to Diagram 12, lay out A units, B units, and remaining orange tone-on-tone 3-1/2" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 21-1/2" square including seam allowances. 

14. Referring to Pillow Top Assembly Diagram, sew purple tone-on-tone 2×21-1/2" strips to opposite edges of block. Add purple tone-on-tone 2×24-1/2" strips to remaining edges to complete pillow top. Press seams toward strips.

1. Layer pillow top, batting square, and muslin square. Quilt as desired.

2. Turn one long edge of each purple tone-on-tone 14-3/4×24-1/2" rectangle under 1/4"; press. Turn under 1/4" again. Stitch in place to make hemmed pillow back pieces. Each hemmed pillow back piece should be 14-1/4×24-1/2" including seam allowances.

3. Referring to Pillow Back Assembly Diagram, overlap hemmed edges of pillow back pieces by 4" to make a 24-1/2" square. Stitch across overlaps to make pillow back.

4. Layer pillow top and pillow back with wrong sides together. Stitch a scant 1/4" from outer edges to make pillow cover.

5. Bind pillow cover with yellow tone-on-tone binding strips. Insert pillow form through opening to complete pillow.