Delightfully Frightful

Designer: Lisa Debee Schiller

• 1⁄4 yard gray-and-white polka dot (pillow top)
• 1⁄8 yard lime green swirl (pillow top)
• 10" square aqua felted wool (appliqués)
• 1⁄2 yard green print (pillow back, binding)
• 16-1⁄2"-long piece 7⁄8"-wide ribbon
• Lightweight fusible web
• Embroidery floss: orange, dark gray, light green
• 12×16" pillow form

Finished pillow: 16×12"

Quantities are for 44⁄45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics unless otherwise specified.

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

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" abve for pattern pieces.

To felt wool, machine-wash it in a hot-water-wash, cool-rinse cycle with a small amount of detergent; machine-dry it on high heat and steam-press.

To use fusible web for appliquéing, complete the following steps.

1.    Lay fusible web, paper side up, over patterns. Use a pencil to trace each pattern once, leaving a small space between tracings. Cut out each fusible-web shape just outside traced lines.

2.    Following manufacturer's instructions, press fusible-web shapes onto back(s) of designated fabric(s); let cool. Cut out fabric shapes on drawn lines. Peel off paper backings.

From gray-and-white polka dot, cut:

• 1--7-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" rectangle
• 2--1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" strips

From lime green swirl, cut:

• 2--2×16-1⁄2" strips

From aqua wool, cut:

• 1 each of Raven Pillow patterns A and B

From green print, cut:

• 2--12-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" rectangles
• 2--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

1.    Referring to Raven Pillow Top Assembly Diagram, sew together gray-and-white polka dot pieces and lime green swirl strips to make pillow top. Press seams away from lime green swirl strips.

2.    Referring to Raven Appliqué Placement Diagram, arrange ribbon above the bottom lime green swirl strip. Whipstitch in place. Using two strands of orange floss and a single featherstitch, sew along each ribbon edge.

3.    Arrange aqua wool A and B birds on pillow top. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse pieces in place.

4.    Using two strands of dark gray floss, blanket-stitch along edges of each raven appliqué.

5.    Using two strands of light green floss, featherstitch along each seam of top lime green swirl strip. Featherstitch along lower seam of bottom lime green swirl strip.

6.    With wrong side inside, fold each green print 12-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" rectangle in half to make two 12-1⁄2×10-1⁄4" double-thick rectangles. Overlap folded edges by about 4" to make a 16-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" pillow back (Pillow Back Assembly Diagram). Baste overlapped edges.

7.    With wrong sides together, layer pillow top and pillow back; pin. Baste edges together through all layers.

8.    Bind edges of pillow top and pillow back with green print binding strips to make pillow cover. Insert pillow form to make Raven Pillow.

• 11×17" piece light gray felted wool (appliqués)
• 3" square dark gray felted wool (appliqués)
• 3⁄8 yard dark gray print (appliqué foundation)
• 3⁄8 yard yellow-and-gray print (triangle-square, Flying Geese units, border)
• 1⁄4 yard solid gray (triangle-square, Flying Geese units)
• 1⁄8 yard yellow-and-gray polka dot (pillow center)
• 3⁄4 yard black print (pillow back)
• 1⁄3 yard orange stripe (binding)
• Embroidery floss: light green, dark gray, orange
• 20"-square pillow form
• 14-1⁄2"-long piece 1⁄2"-wide ribbon
• Lightweight fusible web

Finished pillow: 20" square

Cut pieces in the following order. Cut black print rectangles with the 24-1⁄2" measurement parallel to the selvages. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces.

To use fusible web for appliquéing, complete steps in instructions for Raven Pillow, Cut Fabrics.

From light gray wool, cut:

• 1 each of Skeleton Pillow patterns A, B, C, D, G, H, I, J, and K

From dark gray wool, cut:

• 1 each of Skeleton Pillow patterns E and F

From dark gray print, cut:

• 1--12×14-1⁄2" rectangle

From yellow-and-gray print, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×18-1⁄2" border strips
• 1--4-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 triangles total (you will use 1)
• 14--21⁄2×41⁄2" rectangles

From solid gray, cut:

• 1--4-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 triangles total (you will use 1)
• 28--2-1⁄2" squares

From yellow-and-gray polka dot, cut:

• 1--3×14-1⁄2" strip

From black print, cut:

• 2--20-1⁄2×24-1⁄2" rectangles

From orange stripe, cut:

• 3--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

1.    Referring to Skeleton Appliqué Placement Diagram, arrange light gray and dark gray wool appliqué pieces on dark gray print 12×141⁄2" rectangle. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse pieces in place.

2.    Using two strands of light green floss, blanket-stitch along inside curved edges of dark gray wool E and F eye sockets.

3.    Using two strands of dark gray floss, stem-stitch teeth on skeleton face. Using a satin stitch, fill in area between teeth.

4.    Using two strands of dark gray floss and working from bottom layer to top, blanket-stitch along edges of remaining light gray wool appliqué pieces to make skeleton appliqué.

1.    Sew together yellow-and-gray print triangle and solid gray triangle to make a triangle-square (Diagram 1). Press seam in one direction. The triangle-square should be 41⁄2" square including seam allowances.

2.    Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid gray 2-1⁄2" square.

3.    Align a marked solid gray square with one end of a yellow-and-gray print 2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 2; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim excess fabric, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle. In same manner, add a second marked solid gray square to opposite end of rectangle to make a Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 4-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make 14 Flying Geese units total.

1.    Referring to Diagram 3, join seven Flying Geese units in a row to make a Flying Geese strip; press seams in one direction. Repeat to make a second Flying Geese strip.

2.    Referring to Skeleton Pillow Top Assembly Diagram, sew together triangle-square, Flying Geese strips, skeleton appliqué, and yellow-and-gray polka dot 3×14-1⁄2" strip in two vertical rows. Press seams toward Flying Geese strips. Whipstitch ribbon over seam between skeleton appliqué and yellow-and-gray polka dot strip.

3.    Join vertical rows to make pillow top center. Press seam away from skeleton appliqué.

4.    Add yellow-and-gray print 1-1⁄2×18-1⁄2" border strips to opposite edges of pillow top center. Add yellow-and-gray print 1-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" border strips to remaining edges to make pillow top. Press all seams toward border. The pillow top should be 20-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

5.    Using two strands of orange floss, featherstitch along seams of pillow top as shown in photo.

6.    Using two strands of light green floss, stem-stitch along top edge of ribbon. Using two strands of orange floss, stem-stitch along bottom edge of ribbon.

7.    With wrong side inside, fold each black print 20-1⁄2×24-1⁄2" rectangle in half to make two 20-1/2×12-1⁄4" double-thick rectangles. Overlap folded edges by about 4" to make a 20-1/2"-square pillow back. Baste overlapped edges.

8.    With wrong sides together, layer pillow top and pillow back; pin. Baste edges together through all layers.

9.    Bind edges of pillow top and pillow back with orange stripe binding strips to make pillow cover. Insert pillow form to complete Skeleton Pillow.