Perfect Points Pillow

INSPIRED BY: Flying Colors by Patty Dudek of Elm Street Quilts

QUILT TESTER: Diane Tomlinson

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

• 1/4 yard each white tone-on-tone and black tone-on-tone (blocks)
• 9×21" piece (fat eighth) each cream print, white floral, tan tone-on-tone, tan print, cream tone-on-tone, red print, and black floral (blocks)
• 5/8 yard red floral (blocks, pillow back)
• 1/2 yard black print (piping)
• 2-1/8 yards 3/16-diameter cording (piping)
• 20"-square batting
• 20"-square muslin
• 18"-square pillow form

FINISHED PILLOW: 18" square

FINISHED BLOCK: 3×6"

Cut pieces in the following order.

From white tone-on-tone, cut:

• 12—3-1/2" squares

From cream print, cut:

• 3—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles

From white floral, cut:

• 3—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles

From tan tone-on-tone, cut:

• 6—3-1/2" squares

From tan print, cut:

• 3—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles

From cream tone-on-tone, cut:

• 6—3-1/2" squares

From red print, cut:

• 3—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles

From black tone-on-tone, cut:

• 12—3-1/2" squares

From red floral, cut:

• 1—18-1/2" square
• 3—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles

From black floral, cut:

• 3—3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles

From black print, cut:

• Enough 2-1/4-wide bias strips to make 90" in length

These 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. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each 3-1/2" square.

2. Align a marked white tone-on-tone square with one end of a cream print 3-1/2×6-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 1; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1/4"; press open attached triangle. Add a marked white tone-on-tone square to opposite end of rectangle to make a white-cream Flying Geese block. The block should be 3-1/2×6-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make three white-cream Flying Geese blocks total.

3. Repeat Step 2 to make three each of white-white, tan-tan, cream-red, black-red, and black-black Flying Geese blocks.

1. Referring to Pillow Top Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks in six rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

2. Join rows to make pillow top. Press seams in one direction. The pillow top should be 18-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Layer pillow top, batting, and muslin squares; baste. Quilt as desired. Trim batting and muslin even with pillow top edges.

2. Sew together black print 2-1/4"-wide bias strips to make one long pieced bias strip.

3. Fold pieced bias strip in half lengthwise with wrong side inside; press. Insert 3/16"-diameter cording in folded bias strip.

4. Aligning raw edges, using pins as needed, and starting 1-1/2" from piping end, baste piping to front edges of pillow top. As you stitch each corner, clip seam allowance to within a few threads of stitching line (Diagram 2); gently ease piping in place.

5. Lap piping ends, pushing piping tails into seam allowance (Diagram 2).

6. Layer pillow top and red floral 18-1/2" square with right sides together. Stitch 1/4" from outer edges, rounding stitches in corner to catch the piping and leaving a 10" opening for turning (Diagram 3), to make pillow cover. Trim piping ends even with pillow cover edges.

7. Turn pillow cover right side out through opening; press.

8. Insert pillow form in pillow cover through opening. Hand-stitch opening closed to complete pillow. Rip out any visible basting stitches on piping.