We have designed this project to work with the 6.5 inch quilt block tutorials found in our Quilting Maker's Workbook.
The Maker's Workbook is a quilting journal to help you keep track of your quilting projects and design new ones! There are ten 6.5 inch block tutorials contained within the book, this cushion tutorial uses 9 of them.
You could also use any 6.5 inch blocks you have, or use 6.5 inch squares of fabric for an even easier cushion.
You will need
- A selection of co-coordinating fat quarters, fat eighths or large scraps. We used the Art Gallery Fabrics Summering edition fat quarter bundle. Find UK stockists of this bundle here. You also need at least 1 scrap which can be fussy cut.
- 1 metre of background and backing fabric. We used Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids in Mediterraneo.
- A 22 inch cushion pad.
If you have slightly larger or smaller cushion pad you can adjust the size of the sashing and borders to make it fit. You want the finished cushion cover to be the same size as the cushion pad for a good fit. Just make sure you take in account the seam allowances when doing your calculations.
Useful to have - I use sewing clips when I'm sewing and find them incredibly handy. We have a set of rainbow ones here.
Seam Allowance - 1/4 an inch
Step 1
Make 9 of the 6.5 inch block designs found in the Quilting Maker's Workbook. We left out the rail fence block but made all the others. Please note if you decide to make the rail fence block there is a slight error in the cutting sizes, your strips should be 1.5 x 3.5 inches.
Step 2
Trim all your blocks to 6.5 inches square, then play around with the layout until you find one you like. I laid mine out on top of the backing fabric to ensure the backing worked with the blocks.
Step 3
Trim the selvedges off your background fabric then cut 4 strips from it, 1.5 inches x width of the fabric. These will be used for your sashing and borders.
Sub cut those strips into:
6 x 6.5 inch strips (sashing between blocks)
2 x 20.5 inch strips (sashing between columns)
4 x 22.5 inch strips (borders)
Step 4
Join your columns of 3 blocks by sewing the 6.5 inch strips to the top and bottom of the centre block, then join the top and bottom block on the other side of the sashing strips. Use a quarter of an inch seam allowance.
Use the 20.5 inch strips to join your 3 columns together as shown in the picture above.
Then use the remaining strips to attach your border. Sew a 22.5 inch strip to either side of the panel, trim any excess and then sew the 2 remaining strips across the top and the bottom.
Step 5
If you don't plan to quilt it skip this step. If you'd like to quilt your cushion front cut a piece of wadding around an inch larger than your cushion front panel on all sides.
Baste your cushion front to the wadding. I use 505 temporary glue spray but you can use pins, stitch basting or other basting sprays.
Quilt as desired. I followed the geometric elements of the blocks with coordinating threads to quilt my cushion but you could do an all over design in one colour if you want something quicker.
Stitch around the very edge of the cushion front, within the 1/4 inch seam allowance (so ideally around 1/8 of an inch from the edge). Trim away any excess wadding.
Step 6
From your remaining backing fabric cut 2 pieces 15 x 22.5 inches.
Using your iron press in one of the 22.5 inch edges by approximately 1/4 an inch. I tend to eyeball it rather than measure but you can measure if you prefer. Fold it over and do the same again. Repeat with one of the long edges on your other piece of fabric. Stitch along the inside edge to secure.
Step 7
Lay your cushion front panel down flat with the right side facing upwards. Position one of the backing pieces on top - wrong side up so the right side is touching the right side of the cushion front. Line it up so the sides and bottom align with the front panel, and the hemmed edge is in the middle. Use your sewing clips or pins to hold it in place.
Take the other backing piece and lay it the same way but aligned with the top and side edges of the front panel. It should overlap the bottom piece by a few inches. Pin or clip into place.
Sew right around the edge using a quarter of an inch seam allowance.
Step 8
If your sewing machine has an overedge foot (like the one shown above) switch over to that and the overedge stitch. Alternatively you can use a tight zigzag stitch, or an overlocker. Sew around the edge again to protect the raw edges, this means they are much less likely to fray when you wash the cushion cover in the future.
Turn the cushion cover through, poking out the corners. Stuff with your cushion pad using the opening in the back.
Now enjoy your new cushion!
You can buy your Quilting Maker's Workbook here to get the block tutorials.