HOW TO MAKE A QUILTED PILLOW

August 30, 2021

How To Make A DIY Quilted Pillow

Learn how to make a DIY Quilted Pillow.  Take a traditional Churn-Dash block, make it into a 20″ x 20″ quilted pillow top, then add the pillow backing.

Follow along and make your own Churn-Dash Quilted Pillow.

MATERIALS FOR QUILTED PILLOW

FABRIC FOR PILLOW TOP

  1. Fabric A / Green Fabric – Fat Quarter
  2. Fabric B / Background Fabric – ½ Yard

PILLOW BACKING / SLEEVES

  1. ½ Yard
how to make a quilted pillow

CUTTING YOUR FABRICS

CUTTING FABRIC

  • Fabric A / Green Fabric –
    • (9) 4 ½” squares
    • (1) 10″ square
  • Fabric B / White Fabric –
    • (12) 4 ½” squares
    • (1) 10″ square
    • (1) 23″ square (to be sued for backing to quilt your pillow top).
  • Pillow Backing / Sleeves – 
    • (1) 12″ x 20 ½” rectangle
    • (1) 14″ x 20 ½” rectangle

HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES

Start by making (8) Half Square Triangles that measure 4 ½” unfinished. Do this by:

  1. Drawing an X from corner to corner on the wrong side of (1) Fabric B / Background 10″ square.
  2. Place (right sides together) your Fabric A and Fabric B 10″ squares. Pin in place.
  3. Sew ¼” away from the drawn lines on both sides of the drawn lines.
  4. Cut ON the drawn lines.
  5. Without moving your square off your cutting mat, cut both horizontally and vertically in the center of your 10″ squares.
  6. You now have (8) HSTs that need to be trimmed to measure 4 ½”.

BEHIND THE SCENES TIP

When making (8) at a time half square triangles, it works best to sew on both sides of your drawn line going in the SAME direction.

This helps avoid fabric bunching / puckering.

My sewing machine: Baby Lock Crescendo. 

8 at a time half square triangle
Baby Lock Crescendo

NINE PATCH

To make a 9 patch block:

  1. Sew (right sides together) (1) Fabric A 4 ½” square to (1) Fabric B 4 ½” square.  Press seams toward Fabric A.
  2. Repeat this a total of (3) times, so you have (3) Fabric and A and Fabric B rectangles that measures 4 ½” x 8 ½”.
  3. Looking at the image below, sew right sides together (1) Fabric A 4 ½” square next to (1) Fabric B 4 ½” square. Repeat this two times.
  4. Looking at the image below, sew right sides together (1) Fabric B 4 ½” square next to (1) Fabric A 4 ½” square.
  5. Press seams toward Fabric A.
  6. One row at a time, sew right sides together. Press seams open.  You have (1) 9 patch block that measures 12 ½” x 12 ½”. 

MAKING YOUR CHURN-DASHER BLOCK

  1. Sew right sides together, one at a time, (1) half square triangle, (1) Fabric A 4 ½” square, and (1) half square triangle, as shown below.  Note the direction your half square triangles.  Press seams toward Fabric A. 

This makes (1) row as shown below that measures 4 ½” x 12 ½”.  Repeat to make (4) total rows. 

2. Sew (2) rows to the top and bottom of your 9 patch block.  Sew right sides together and press seams open. 

blocks

3. On the opposite ends of your last (2) rows, sew (1) Fabric B 4 ½” square to both the top and bottom of each row.  Sew one at a time, right sides together.  Press seams toward Fabric B squares.  This will make (2) side columns that measure 4 ½” x 20 ½”.

pillow blocks

4. Sew right sides together, one at a time, your (2) side columns to your pillow top. Press seams open.

You now have (1) completed Churn-Dash 20 ½” x 20 ½” quilted pillow top.

Quilt Pillow

QUILT YOUR PILLOW TOP

It’s now time to quilt your pillow top.  To do this:

  1. Cut  a 23″ square piece of batting. (I used wool batting for mine, you can use whichever type of batting you prefer). 
  2. Sandwich (1) Fabric B 23″ square right side down, your batting square, and your pillow cover, right side up. 
  3. Baste (I use spray baste, but you can baste however your prefer).
  4. Quilt in your desired method.

NOTE: I used a Hera marker and ruler and did a modern straight line quilt pattern to quilt my pillow.

My quilting lines where spaced every 2″ and were on the diagonal. 

I used my Baby Lock Crescendo to quilt my pillow cover.

hera marker
How to make a quilted pillow

Trim the excess batting and backing, so your quilted pillow top measures 20 ½” x 20 ½”.

MAKE PILLOW SLEEVES

I will be back next week with the steps on how to complete your quilted pillow.  There will be step by step instructions. tomake your pillow backing.

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