These pillows are made from leftover pieces of printed linens. The linen background gives the pillows a simple contemporary feel. They are a great starting point for beginners, as the appliqué designs are quite simple and quick to achieve. Try mixing up the background with your leftover linen fabrics; you can also use cotton fabrics with small or large tone-on-tone prints.
The appliqué for the tree uses fusible web and is stitched by machine. All the other appliqué is done by hand.
Yardage is based on 44˝ (112cm) wide fabric, unless otherwise noted. Yardage and supplies are for only one pillow.
Linen or cotton: ¾ yard (70cm) total of assorted linen or cotton (This can be pieced with large scraps.)
Muslin (or similar): ¾ yard (70cm) for appliquéd pillow front backing
Fusible batting: 24˝ × 24˝ (61cm × 61cm)
Pillow form: 22˝ × 22˝ (56cm × 56cm) (I used the same size for both pillows but removed stuffing as needed.)
Paper-backed 20˝ fusible web: ¾ yard (70cm)
Perle cotton thread: size 8 in a variety of colors, including black
Zipper: 16˝ (40cm)
Owls pillow
Black cotton: ½ yard (50cm) for tree
Variety of wool felt: 5 squares 5˝ × 5˝ (15cm × 15cm) of purple, pink, mauve, blue-mauve, and plum
Black wool felt: 1 square 3˝ × 3˝ (7cm × 7cm)
Circle fabric print for eyes: 4 circles
Lovebirds pillow
Black wool felt: 1 square 10˝ × 10˝ (25cm × 25cm)
Black iron-on bias tape: ¼˝-wide ¾ yard (70cm)
CUTTING
Seam allowances are ¼˝ unless otherwise noted.
Linen or cotton
Owls
Pillow front: Cut 1 piece 19˝ × 19½˝, or cut fabric as shown. Stitch together the pieces as shown to make a rectangle 17½˝ × 21˝. *
Pillow back: Cut 2 pieces 10⅝˝ × 19½˝.
Lovebirds
Pillow front: Cut 1 piece 17½˝ × 21˝, or cut fabric as shown. Stitch together the pieces as shown to make a rectangle 19½˝ × 19˝. *
Pillow back: Cut 2 pieces 9⅞˝ × 21˝.
* If you are using scraps, feel free to stitch them together any way that works for you.
Muslin and fusible batting
For the owls, cut 1 piece each 19˝ × 19½˝.
For the lovebirds, cut 1 piece each 17½˝ × 21˝.
Appliqué pieces
Copy the Lovebird Pillows appliqué patterns (For all printable patterns or digital content, click here) at 100%. The patterns give you the shapes to cut, and the pattern pieces show suggested stitching.
Owls tree
1.Trace the tree pattern onto the paper side of paper-backed fusible web. Cut out the tree, leaving a rough 1˝ margin.
2.Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the fusible web to the wrong side of the black tree fabric and cut out the tree on the drawn line.
All other appliqué
Note: All of these pieces are cut from wool felt, so there is no need to trace around the pattern to leave a seam allowance.
1.Trace the appliqué patterns onto the dull (paper) side of freezer paper and cut on the drawn lines.
2.Press the freezer-paper templates onto the wool felt.
3.Cut out all of the appliqué pieces. Refer as needed to Appliqué Basics (page 5) for specific information on suggested fabrics for the appliqué pieces.
4.Cut out 2 pairs of eyes.
Appliqué
Note: I like to stitch as much of the appliqué as I can before I apply it to the background. Refer to Appliqué Basics (page 5) and Embroidery Stitches (page 9) as needed.
Tree and Owls
1.Remove the paper backing from the tree and iron the tree onto the background. The tree will fit edge to edge on the background piece. Machine stitch the tree in place with matching thread and a small zigzag or blanket stitch.
2.Pin the owls together, overlapping the wings ½˝ over the body. Stitch by hand with perle cotton thread and a whipstitch.
3.Needle-turn the eyes onto the bodies.
4.Whipstitch the wings and noses onto the owls.
5.Position the owls on the tree and whipstitch in place.
Lovebirds and Wire
1.Press the bias tape in place on the pillow top, so the bias tape will be sewn into the seam allowance on each side of the pillow. Machine stitch the tape in place, stitching close to the edge on either side of the tape.
2.Pin the birds in place on the tape and stitch by hand with black perle cotton thread and a whipstitch.
Make the Pillow Front
1.Trim the pillow top according to the project instructions (owls: 19½˝ × 19˝; lovebirds: 21˝ × 17½˝), if necessary.
2.Press the fusible batting to the back side of the pillow front, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Press lightly, as you don’t want to flatten the felt shapes.
3.Place the muslin piece against the batting side of the front, and staystitch around the outside edges. This helps stabilize the appliqué and neaten the back of the pillow top.
Make the Pillow Back
Insert the Zipper
1.Use machine zigzag or overlock to neaten the long edges of the pieces where the zipper will be inserted. Then press under a 1˝ seam allowance on each piece for the zipper. (For the owls pillow, the zipper will be inserted on the 19½˝ length. For the lovebirds pillow, the zipper will be inserted on the 21˝ length.)
2.Pin the zipper to one side of the pillow back so the folded edge is resting close to the zipper teeth. The zipper should be centered within the width of the piece.
3.With a zipper foot on the sewing machine, stitch close to the folded edge through the zipper tape. Start with the zipper open and stitch for approximately 4˝. Stop with the needle down. Lift the presser foot and close the zipper. Then lower the presser foot and continue stitching to the end of the zipper tape.
4.Place the other side of the pillow back over the zipper, overlapping the folded edges approximately ⅛˝. Pin along the folded edges.
5.Mark each end of the zipper with a pin perpendicular to the folded edge, making sure the pins clear both ends of the zipper. Pin along the zipper about ½˝ from the folded edge, making sure to pin through the zipper tape as shown.
6.Take out the first row of pins, leaving the pins that are attached to the zipper tape.
7.Open the zipper and using the zipper foot on the sewing machine, stitch along the edge until you reach the first perpendicular pin. Stop with the needle down, remove the pin, pivot, and stitch across the end of the zipper. With the needle down, pivot again and follow the pins to stitch the length of the zipper. Remove the pins as you stitch and close the zipper before you get to the end. When you reach the second perpendicular pin, pivot again with the needle down and stitch across the end of the zipper. Then pivot again and stitch along the fold.
Finish the Pillow
1.Close the zipper almost, but not quite all the way, and place the pillow front and back right sides together. Trim the back to match the size of the pillow front.
2.Pin the pillow front and back together as shown. With the pillow front on top, mark a point with chalk or pencil approximately 1˝ diagonally in from each corner. Pin around the pillow, keeping the edges together. Keep a ¼˝ seam allowance at the sides, but gradually taper the pins in to the points marked on each corner. This will eliminate the dog ears on the completed pillow.
3.Stitch around the edge, pivoting at each corner with the needle down.
4.Finish the raw edges with a zigzag or overlock stitch.
5.Open the zipper all the way, and turn the pillow through to the right side, folding in the corner seam allowances. Don’t trim the corner seam allowances, as this would weaken the points. Leaving the corner seam allowances will also help to give the corner some substance.
6.Insert the pillow form, removing the pillow stuffing as needed to fit the pillow you have made.