Snowflake Pillow

Inspired by: Christmas Garland from designer Heather Briggs

Quilt tester: Diane Tomlinson

Finished pillow: 18" square

Finished block: 14" square

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

• 1/3 yard cream print (pillow top)
• 9×21 piece (fat eighth) light blue print (pillow front)
• 10" square dark blue print (pillow top)
• 2/3 yard blue tone-on-tone print (borders, pillow back)
• 18-1/2"-square batting
• 18-1/2"-square muslin
• 18"-square pillow form

Cut pieces in the following order.

From cream print, cut:

• 4—2-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles
• 4—2-1/2×4-1/2" rectangles
• 8—2-1/2" squares
• 32—1-1/2" squares
• 16—1-1/4" squares

From light blue print, cut:

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

From dark blue print, cut:

• 4—2-1/2×3-1/2" rectangles
• 1—2-1/2" square

From blue tone-on-tone, cut:

• 2—11-3/4×18-1/2" rectangles
• 2—2-1/2×18-1/2" border strips
• 2—2-1/2×14-1/2" border strips

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 cream print 1-1/2" and 1-1/4" square.

2. Align marked cream print 1-1/2" squares with opposite corners of a light blue print 2-1/2×3-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 1; note direction of marked lines). Sew on marked lines. Trim seam allowances to 1/4". Press open attached triangles. Align marked cream print 1-1/2" squares with remaining rectangle corners; stitch, trim, and press as before to make light blue Unit A. The unit still should be 2-1/2×3-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four light blue A units total.

3. Using dark blue 2-1/2×3-1/2" rectangles instead of light blue rectangles, repeat Step 2 to make four dark blue A units total.

4. Sew together one light blue A unit and one dark blue A unit to make a side unit (Diagram 2). The unit should be 2-1/2×6-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four side units total.

5. Align marked cream print 1-1/4" squares with opposite corners of a light blue print 2-1/2" square (Diagram 3; note direction of marked lines). Sew on marked lines. Trim seam allowances to 1/4". Press open attached triangles to make Unit B. The unit still should be 2-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight B units total.

6. Referring to Diagram 4, sew together two B units and two cream print 2-1/2" squares in pairs. Join pairs to make a subunit. The subunit should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four subunits total.

7. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together a cream print 2-1/2×4-1/2" rectangle and subunit. Add a cream print 2-1/2×6-1/2" rectangle to make a corner unit. The unit should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

8. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out corner units, side units, and dark blue print 2-1/2" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 14-1/2" square including seam allowances.

9. Referring to Pillow Top Assembly Diagram, sew blue tone-on-tone 2-1/2×14-1/2" border strips to opposite block edges. Add blue tone-on-tone 2-1/2×18-1/2" border strips to remaining block edges to make pillow top. Press seams toward border. The pillow top should be 18-1/2" square including seam allowances.

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

2. Turn one long edge of each blue tone-on-tone 11-3/4×18-1/2" rectangle under 1/4"; press. Turn same edges under 1/4" again; stitch in place to hem. Each hemmed rectangle should be 11-1/4×18-1/2" including seam allowances.

3. Referring to Pillow Back Assembly Diagram, overlap hemmed rectangle edges by 4" to make an 18-1/2" square. Stitch across overlapped edges to make pillow back.

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

5. Insert pillow form through opening to complete pillow.