Contempo Blog Hop Day 1: Quarter Log Cabin Pillow Covers by Clover & Violet

We're kicking off the launch of Contempo Studio with a blog hop featuring tutorials made using Contempo fabrics. Today, Jennie from Clover & Violet is sharing a quilted pillow in two sizes made using Dwellings in the Guesthouse colorway. Gorgeous! After you read Jennie's tutorial, head over to her blog to see the wide range of fantastic patterns they offer and find out how to win some Dwellings fabric for yourself!

Hi! I'm Jennie and I work with my mom over at Clover & Violet where we design PDF patterns for patchwork handbags as well as offer tutorials and ideas for patchwork projects of all types. I chose the Dwellings fabrics in the Beach House colorway because I could vision them in my living room. I love adding a little bit of quilting to every area of my home.  The scale, colors, and beautiful finish on the fabric was perfect for some large-scale quilt blocks that will really show off the prints.

The tutorial I'm going to share is for a Quarter Log Cabin Pillow Cover, which will include an invisible zipper for easy washing, and can be made in two sizes {or easily adjusted to any size you'd like}.

To make two covers, one 20" square and one 18" square, you will need {if only making one, you will need 6 fat quarters):

• 1 fat quarter each:
  • Baby Bloom Khaki
  • Confetti Aqua
  • Beaded Stripe Aqua
  • Baby Box Trot Ivory/Aqua
• 1/2 yard each:
  • Bloom Aqua
  • Wavy Pencil Stripe Green
• 1/3 yard prewashed cotton flannel {like you'd use for pajamas}
• 20″ or longer invisible zipper

Optional:

• Invisible zipper foot
• serger

Note: Patchwork seam allowances are 1/4" and pillow seam allowances are 1/2". Measurements for 20" pillow are in parenthesis. From fat quarters cut:

• Baby Bloom Khaki - 8" (10") square
• Confetti Aqua - 4 1/2" x 8" (4 1/2" x 10") rectangle
• Beaded Stripe Aqua - 4 1/2" x 12" (4 1/2" x 14) rectangle
• Baby Box Trot Ivory/Aqua - 7" x 12" (7" x 14") rectangle

From half yards cut:

• Bloom Aqua - Two 12" x 18" (12" x 20")
• Wavy Pencil Stripe Green - Two 7" x 18" (7" x 20") rectangles

Beginning with the center square, sew the rectangles around two sides of the square as shown. Place pieced square on top of a square of flannel slightly larger than the square. Pin and quilt in place. Set aside. Now we’re going to make the back. First, serge one 18" (20") edge of each of the back pieces.

Note: If you don't have a serger, a zig zag stitch works just fine.

Next, take your invisible zipper and press the zipper open. This will make it much easier to sew right next to the teeth, even if you’re using an invisible zipper foot. It was very difficult to get a picture of what this should look like, but if you examine the zipper you’ll see what I mean.

Note: I intentionally left my backing fabrics a little larger than the front of the pillow so I wouldn't have to line up seams!

Then, sew your zipper to the right side of one of your backing fabrics. Zip the backing together and place it right sides together with the front of the pillow.

Leave a small portion of the zipper open and pin the ends next to each other. Stitch around the pillow with a 1/2" seam allowance, back stitching twice at the zipper ends.

Serge the edge {or zig zag and trim}.

Carefully open the zipper from the wrong side and turn the pillow right side out.

And there you have some fun pillow covers that are just as pretty from the back (shown above) as the front.

Thanks, Jennie!

Head over to Jennie's blog to see how you can enter to win a fat quarter bundle of the Dwellings collection.

Find the remaining Contempo blog hop tutorials here:

Day 2: Ruffle Trim Bib from see kate sew

Day 3: Reversible Placemats by the Benartex Blog Team

Day 4: Strip-pieced Wrist Strap and Lanyard Set by Ebony Love