Cozy Floor Pillow

Inspired by: Sparklers from designer Corey Yoder

Project tester: Colleen Tauke

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

• 1 yard cream batik (block, border, backing)
• 3⁄8 yard brown batik (block)
• 1⁄4 yard yellow batik (block)
• 23"-square pillow form

Finished pillow: 22-1⁄2" square

Finished block: 18" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

If you prefer to make triangle-squares larger than necessary and trim them to size, cut 2-1⁄2" squares instead of the 2-3⁄8" squares listed in cutting instructions.

From cream batik, refer to Cutting Diagram and cut:

• 2--16×23-1⁄2" backing rectangles
• 2--3×23-1⁄2" border strips
• 2--3×18-1⁄2" border strips
• 4--3-1⁄2" squares
• 8--2×3-1⁄2" rectangles
• 12--2" squares

From brown batik, cut:

• 4--3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles
• 4--2-3⁄8" squares
• 8--2×3-1⁄2" rectangles
• 40--2" squares

From yellow batik, cut:

• 1--3-1⁄2" square
• 4--2-3⁄8" squares
• 12--2×3-1⁄2" rectangles
• 8--2" squares

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

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1. Referring to Diagram 1, lay out three cream batik 2" squares, two brown batik 2×3-1⁄2" rectangles, and two brown batik 2" squares in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a corner unit. The unit should be 5" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

2. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of 24 brown batik 2" squares, each yellow batik 2-3⁄8" square, and each yellow batik 2" square.

3. Align a marked brown batik 2" square with one end of a yellow batik 2×3-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 2; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1⁄4"; press open attached triangle. Add a second marked brown batik 2" square to opposite end of rectangle, again noting direction of marked line, to make a left-hand diamond unit. The unit should be 2×3-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four left-hand diamond units total.

4. Reversing seam directions, repeat Step 3 to make four right-hand diamond units (Diagram 3).

5. Referring to Diagram 4, sew together a left-hand diamond unit, a brown batik 3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangle, and a right-hand diamond unit to make Unit A. The unit should be 3-1⁄2×9-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four A units total.

6. Layer a marked yellow batik 2-3⁄8" square atop a brown batik 2-3⁄8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 5). Cut apart on marked line. Press open to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight triangle-squares total.

7. Align a marked brown batik 2" square with left-hand end of a cream batik 2×3-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 6; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1⁄4"; press open attached triangle. Add a marked brown batik 2" square to right-hand end of rectangle to make a Flying Geese unit. The unit still should be 2×3-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Flying Geese units total.

8. Referring to Diagram 7, sew together two brown batik 2" squares, two triangle-squares, and one Flying Geese unit to make Unit B. The unit should be 2×9-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four B units total.

9. Sew together an A unit and a B unit to make a side unit (Diagram 8). The unit should be 5×9-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four side units total.

10. Align marked yellow batik 2" squares with opposite corners of a cream batik 3-1⁄2" square (Diagram 9; note direction of marked lines). Sew on marked lines; trim excess fabric, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowances. Press open attached triangles to make Unit C. The unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four C units total.

11. Sew together a cream batik 2×3-1⁄2" rectangle and a yellow batik 2×3-1⁄2" rectangle to make Unit D (Diagram 10). The unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four D units total.

12. Referring to Diagram 11, lay out C and D units and yellow batik 3-1⁄2" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows; join rows to make center unit. The unit should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1. Lay out corner units, side units, and center unit in three rows (Diagram 12). Sew together units in rows; join rows to make a block. The block should be 18-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

2. Sew cream batik 3×18-1⁄2" border strips to opposite edges of block. Add cream batik 3×23-1⁄2" border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border. The pillow top should be 23-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1. Turn one long edge of each backing fabric 16×23-1⁄2" 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 15-1⁄2×23-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

2. Referring to Pillow Back Assembly Diagram, overlap hemmed edges of pillow back pieces by 7-1⁄2" to make a 23-1⁄2" square. Stitch across overlaps to make pillow back.

3. Layer pillow top and pillow back with right sides together. Stitch 1⁄2" 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.