French Mattress Cushions

Do you love those cushy box cushions with the hand stitched details? I sure do! So, when I was brainstorming what sort of projects to make for my upcoming Art Gallery Fabrics Willow Look Book I came up with a nursery playroom theme and what better project to add to a playroom than French Mattress Cushions.

My original thought was to make cushions from one print from the Willow collection but I love patchwork and playing with prints too much to choose only one print. The 20’’ square cushions were the perfect size for some simple patchwork squares!

With so many AGF solids and blenders that coordinate with Willow, it was easy to pull 16 fat quarters to work with. Sixteen fat quarters was the perfect amount to make two 20’’ square box cushions. I used the Sew 4 Home French Mattress Edge Cushions tutorial for the pillow construction and edge stitching technique after I stitched together my patchwork pieces.

Patchwork Pieces

To create the cushion top, bottom, and side panels from patchwork for 2 pillows, I used 16 fat quarters.

From EACH of the fat quarters, cut: (3) 5-1/2’’ x 21’’ strips then cut strips into (6) 5-1/2’’ squares for a total of 96 squares

1. Sew four 5-1/2’’ squares together to make a row. I didn’t worry about print direction because the pillow will be viewed from all angles.

2. In the same manner as Step 1, make a total of 24 rows.

3. Sew 4 rows together to make a front/back panel. Make a total of 4 panels, reserving the remaining rows for the side panels.

4. Stitch cushions together as per the instructions in the Sew 4 Home tutorial.

You can create your cushion insert from foam and batting as per the tutorial or you can recover an existing cushion.

I used Wonder Clips to help pinch the edges together for the hand sewing of the edge details and used some beautiful antique linen thread as my heavy-duty thread.

I decided not to tuft the top and bottom of the cushion because the patchwork had enough interest all on it’s own but you can tuft with thread and or buttons as well for an even more custom look.

Other ideas for making French mattress cushions would be to create custom sizes for a window seat or bench, adding a carrying handle, or ties for a chair seat cushion. You could also get real fancy and quilt the cotton patchwork or whole cloth panels before assembling the cushion.

Be watching for the Art Gallery Fabrics Willow Look Book to be released around May 17th-20th. I’ll have a follow up blog post featuring the other projects I made and haven’t shared yet—it’s been so hard keeping a lid on the projects but we all need to wait just a little bit longer. If you’re on Instagram, be sure to follow me @sharonhollanddesigns as I post daily inspiration with fabric, sewing, and quilting news and announcements.

I am an Amazon Associate site and earn from qualifying purchases on the products I’ve linked below. The helpful products selected are the same or similar to materials used to make the project(s) in this blog post or related items I think you may enjoy.

Pom-Pom Throw

I’ve some real exciting news about a new substrate at Art Gallery Fabrics—FLANNEL! And it’s not just any flannel, it’s AGF flannel so you know it’s going to be the best on the market, made with the highest standards. Art Gallery Fabrics flannel is 100% cotton, 43’’ - 44’’-wide, and DOUBLE BRUSHED, meaning it’s super soft on both sides and ideal to get you warm in the colder months. Also OEKO-TEX certified, so you can rest assured that it’s created without compromising the planet.

For the AGF Flannel debut, my Kismet Fleuron Haven print was chosen as one of the introductory fabrics. The colors of this print on flannel are as brilliant and crisp as they are on the quilting cotton substrate.

Pom-Pom Throw

As part of the upcoming AGF Flannel Look Book I made a new free project! This Pom-Pom Throw has all the yummy tactile goodness of super-soft flannel and extra large pom-poms! Best thing is it’s reversible! I used Fleuron print and Pink Clay solid flannels for my throw.

Download the free pattern from my Free Projects page!

This is the perfect beginner project and the throw is tied with the pom-poms so no quilting even required. I added Hobbs Tuscany 100% Cotton batting between the layers but it’s not even necessary to do that and there’s no binding either.

You can make your own pom-poms with a fork as your pom-pom tool and it’s something you can even get the kids involved making. The free pattern comes with instructions but I’ve a fun video tutorial on my @sharonhollanddesigns Instagram Reels that shows you just how easy it is to make your own.

Be watching for the AGF Flannel Look Book release and be prepared to be inspired with all sorts of flannel sewing ideas! I need to make myself some flannel Fleuron P.J.’s!

I am an Amazon Associate site and earn from qualifying purchases on the products I’ve linked below. The helpful products selected are the same or similar to materials used to make the project(s) in this blog post or related items I think you may enjoy.

Sweet Home Quilt Along - Week 4

Sweet Home Quilt Along - Week 4

Welcome to the fourth week of the Sweet Home Quilt along hosted by (me) Sharon Holland, Maureen Cracknell, and Jennifer Jones. It’s been fun to connect with the Sweet Home quilt makers on our Instagram community and here on our blogs. The quilts being made are so adorable—see what I mean when you search the #SweetHomeQAL hashtag on Instagram.

If you’re just joining us you’ll probably want to pop over to the Sweet Home Quilt Along - Week 1 post to get caught up. You can purchase the Sweet Home quilt pattern from my SHOP here.

If you’ve been following along since the start then you should be ready to begin sewing the Corner Squares and adding sashing to the blocks to assemble into a quilt top.

The quilt along will run six weeks total and we’ll cover a different aspect of piecing or finishing for that week. Some of you are working ahead and that’s wonderful—it’ll give you more time for the quilting and finishing portion. This quilt along is very relaxed. If you feel like completing the top in a week—go for it! But, if you’re a beginner and want more instruction along the way—we have that too in the form of LIVE and recorded Instagram tutorials over on my IGTV channel on Instagram. I’ve recorded step by step tutorials for you to access on my @sharonhollanddesigns IGTV channel on Instagram and so far the Sweet Home Quilt series covers fabric selection, Log Cabin block, and Bungalow block construction. I didn’t add any new videos this week because the Corner Squares are assembled in the same manner as previous sections of the house blocks.

Corner Squares and Sashing

The Corner Squares assemble fast and are stitched just like the Log Cabin centers and the window sections of the Bungalow blocks with two short pieces placed on opposite sides of a center square and then adding two longer pieces on the remaining sides.

I encourage you to chain piece the Corner Squares, adding one side at a time to all pieces without clipping the thread until that task is finished. If you want to wait and clip the threads once both opposite sides are attached that also works great to keep all your pieces from getting misplaced.

Once the Corner Squares are done you’re ready to start assembling the quilt top!

Pattern Typo

In the cutting instructions for the background I had you cut out X number of 14’’ long (vertical) sashing strips. This is correct and if you did that in the original cutting you’ll probably miss the typo in Assembly like I and hundreds of other have up until now.

Steps 2 and 3 in Assembly tell you to use 14-1/2’’ long vertical sashing and that’s the typo. By default I added in the 1/2’’ we normally associate with unfinished block sizes. This should read 14’’ and the strips you cut earlier will fit like a charm to your blocks that will finish out at 9’’ x 13-1/3’’ when all sewn into a top.

I’ve corrected the PDF so you may or may not have the 2.0 version. If you have the original version you may want to make a note in your PDF print out of the change for the next time you make this quilt.

When adding the sashing, I work in horizontal rows like illustrated in the patterns and press my seams toward the sashing on all rows. This will make assembly easy as the seams will nest in place as you match and pin seams in the rows.

Note to keep all your Corner Squares oriented with the small pieces running up and down and the long sides on the sides to keep a consistency of block orientation throughout the quilt.

Next week we’ll be blogging about turning your top into a quilt with batting, backing, quilting, and a binding finish.

I’m enjoying seeing your postings to Instagram and following along on your progress—you’re all are doing amazing and beautiful work on your Sweet Home quilts—there’s even some finished quilts showing up!

Don’t forget that this Friday will be a new Friday Giveaway with fabulous prizes from our sponsors. Be following along on Instagram as all the giveaways will be held on that platform and winners will be randomly drawn the following Monday from the #SweetHomeQAL hashtag pool. The quilt along members that post their progress photos to public account on Instagram and use the hashtag #SweetHomeQAL will automatically be entered into every Sweet Home Quilt Along drawing! It’s that easy to enter, so enter often to up your chances!

And, while you’re on Instagram, take a look at the #SweetHomeQAL hashtag on Instagram and see what the other QAL Makers are using in their quilts—it’s an amazing resource not only to see fabrics but to make new friends!

I am an Amazon Associate site and earn from qualifying purchases on the products I’ve linked below. The helpful products selected are the same or similar to materials used to make the project(s) in this blog post or related items I think you may enjoy.

Trimming HST and Flying Geese Units

Trimming HST and Flying Geese Units

As a pattern designer I strive to make my patterns as easy as possible for all level of quilters to follow and for each maker to finish their quilt with true to size blocks and sharp points on units like Half-Square Triangle units (HST) and Flying Geese Units. Tips and tutorials make for better patchwork and in a recent discussion with my quilt testers group I realized many newer quilters are unsure of how to trim up units like Half-Square Trangkes and Flying Geese.

You’ll find many tutorials on this blog about how to make these different sort of units but I’ve not addresses directly on how to trim these units down to size if you don’t have specialty rulers like my favored Bloc_Loc Rulers. This seemed the perfect time to add this lesson as I’ve a new quilt pattern coming out in October that utilizes several different types of units.

Before we get into trimming of these two unit types you can review unit construction on these earlier blog posts:

• Half-Square Triangle units (two at a time)

• Eight at a Time Half-Square Triangle units

• Quarter-Square Triangle units

• Triple-Square Triangle units

• No-Waste Flying Geese

• Quick Corner Units (construction similar to flippy-corner Flying Geese)

Trimming HST units

Half-Square Triangles are the easiest units to trim to size and can be done without any specialty rulers. I’m using a left over HST unit from making Sweet Home roofs as an example in this tutorial.

Stitch two triangles together using a 1/4” seam allowance or make HST units according to a pattern instructions. Press unit open.

For this example I’m using a 6-1/2” square Creative Grids ruler that has a 45° diagonal line marking as well as the normal grid line markings. A square ruler works best for HST units.

In the above left image, use the ruler to size up the HST to see what usable size can be made by lining up the 45° marking with the seam line and making sure there’s at least a 1/4” seam allowance on all side. As you see, a 4’’ square or smaller can be made from this HST unit.

With the ruler in position, trim the top and right sides of the HST with a rotary cutter as seen in the above right image. Reverse these instructions if you’re left handed.

If working on a rotating mat, rotate everything 180° without disturbing the HST. If on a stationary mat, turn the HST so the trimmed sides are opposite of their starting point.

Slide the ruler down so the diagonal marking still aligns to the seam line and the 4” markings line up with the newly trimmed edges. Trim the two remaining sides to square the HST.

The image above uses the same method to trim a HST unit to 5” square using a regular 6-1/2” square ruler and a 6-1/2” square Bloc_Loc ruler.

Trimming Flying Geese Units

Flying Geese units take just a little more care when trimming and squaring to size. A regular square ruler is still the best tool for this job if you don’t have a specialty Flying Geese ruler for trimming.

I happen to have a square ruler the same width as what’s needed for my Flying Geese unit but a larger ruler would be just as useful but require a few more passes to cut since you could only cut up to two sides at once with a larger ruler.

Determine the cut size of your Flying Geese unit. In this case I need to trim my unit to 3-1/2” x 6-1/2”. Subtract 1/4” from the height of the unit. Example: 3-1/2” minus 1/4” is 3-1/4”. This is well marked on my ruler as it’s the center of this 6-1/2” ruler. Place the measurement mark (in this case 3-1/4”) on the point of the Goose. The point of the Goose is used as the reference point and will help establish the 1/4” seam allowance. Note how the 45° marking on the ruler lines up with one seam line on the unit and there’s enough fabric on all sides of the Flying Geese unit for trimming.

Trim both the sides and bottom edge of the unit as shown. If your ruler is larger, trim bottom and one side of unit.

Rotate the unit or mat so the Goose now points down. Align the 3-1/2” mark (or the cut size needed) with the trimmed bottom edge of the unit (now located at the top).

Trim the Goose point edge and remaining side, if necessary so all outside edges have been trimmed as needed to size which includes the 1/4’’ seam allowance.

Above shows the no-measure needed trimming of a Flying Geese unit using a Bloc-Loc Ruler.

There are other rulers on the market that are considered specialty rulers and cover more than one size of unit. I’ve only used the Bloc_Loc rulers but have heard good things about the Wing Clipper ruler from other quilters. Here are some examples available on Amazon using affiliate links:

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Having all your units true to size will make patchwork assembly a breeze and no more fudging or wrestling your pieces into place. There’ll be no more clipped points, or wonky blocks. Taking time to trim and square up units is all part of the patchwork process and since you’ve already put in so much time and money into your beautiful quilt It’s well worth the extra effort to assure it’s made as well and as near perfect as it can be!

Happy trimmings!