By the Sea Pillow

Inspired by: Breath of Fresh Air from designer Stephanie Luiere

Project tester: Sarah Huechteman

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

• 1/4 yard blue batik (pillow top)
• 15"-square solid white (pillow top)
• 11"-square each dark purple batik and light purple batik (pillow top)
• 3/8 yard medium purple batik (pillow top, pillow back)
• 16"-square pillow form

Finished size: 16" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

From blue batik, cut:

• 8—3-1/2" squares

From solid white, cut:

• 4—6-1/2" squares

From dark purple batik, cut:

• 4—3-1/2" squares

From light purple batik, cut:

• 4—3-1/2" squares

From medium purple batik, cut:

• 2—10-3/4 ×16-1/2" rectangles
• 2—1×16-1/2" strips
• 2—1×15-1/2" strips
• 1—3-1/2" square

1) Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each blue batik 3-1/2" square. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under each square.)

2) Align a marked blue batik square with top left-hand corner of a solid white 6-1/2" square (Diagram 1; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press open attached triangle. Add a second marked blue batik square to bottom right-hand corner of unit to make a corner unit (Diagram 1). The unit still should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

3) Sew together one dark purple batik 3-1/2" square and one light purple batik 3-1/2" square to make a center unit (Diagram 2). The unit should be 3-1/2 ×6-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four center units total.

4) Referring to Diagram 3, lay out corner units, center units, and medium purple batik 3-1/2" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 15-1/2" square including seam allowances.

5) Referring to Pillow Top Assembly Diagram, sew medium purple batik 1×15-1/2" strips to opposite edges of block. Join medium purple batik 1×16-1/2" strips to remaining edges to make the pillow top. The pillow top should be 16-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1) Turn one long edge of each medium purple batik 10-3/4 ×16-1/2" rectangle under 1/4"; press. Turn under 1/4" again and stitch in place to hem pillow back pieces. Each pillow back piece should be 10-1/4 ×16-1/2" including seam allowances.

2) Referring to Pillow Back Assembly Diagram, overlap hemmed edges of pillow back pieces by 4" to make a 16-1/2" square. Stitch across overlaps to make pillow back.

3) Layer pillow top and pillow back with right sides together. Stitch 1/4" from outer edges to make pillow cover. Turn right side out through opening in pillow back; press.

4) Insert pillow form in pillow cover to complete the pillow.