HCB: Christmas Plus Pillow Tutorial

This marks the halfway point for the Holiday Craft Bash!

Today, I'm going to share a tutorial for an 18" plus pillow! I recently made one for my friend Rhonda, and decided to make another in reds and greens (and a pop of black!)!

List of materials:

-Sixteen 2.5" strips of different fabrics (at least 15" long; you can use less different fabrics if desired)
-1/2 yard fabric for back
-FQ of light solid (white or off-white) for lining
-20" or 22" zipper
Double-sided fusible tape, similar to Steam-A-Seam 2

Directions:

FRONT

1) Cut 2.5" squares from your strips. Cut five squares from fifteen of the fabrics, and cut six from the last one.
This will give you a total of 81 squares, for a 9 x 9 grid.

2) Find a clean space (this is a job in itself in my sewing room!) that won't be disturbed (by kitties , for instance) and layout your grid.
I like to start in the middle and make one plus, then add additional pluses around it.
You'll need to finish at the outer perimeter, with partial pluses. This takes some time to arrange.
Consider value and color as you do this!
3)Starting with the first row, sew your pieces together with a quarter-inch seam.

I like to sew pairs together, and then blocks.
Be careful not to misplace your pieces!

4)Continue sewing your pieces together, until you have a finished top!
5)Cut an 18.5 x 18.5" piece from your white or off-white solid.

6)With wrong sides together, topstitch (1/8" seam) the edge of the pillow top/white fabric. This is to protect/hide all of those seams!

BACK
6)Cut one 20" x 19" piece from the half yard of fabric, and one 4" x 19" strip from a coordinating fabric (or you can use the same fabric as your 20 x 19" piece).

I'm going to direct you to another tutorial for the pillow back. This is my favorite pillow enclosure, and the tutorial is very well written.

Covered zipper tutorial by Creative Little Daisy

Install your zipper using this tutorial, and then come back! I'll wait.
You should now have a pillow back with a zipper!

7)Finally, with zipper at least halfway open, pin your pillow front and back together (with right sides facing each other).

8)Sew, with 1/2" seam allowance around the perimeter.
Flip inside out, and you're done!

Some HELPFUL TIPS:
*For plus piecing, I prefer to sew my seams open, because it helps me match them better.
*Precise cutting makes for precise piecing!

*I prefer to sew my pieces into blocks, and try to only make one or two long seams. This helps me stay accurate, too. (i.e.-don't sew squares into strips, but "clumps").

As always, make sure you add any finished projects to the Holiday Craft Bash flickr group for a chance at the prizes!