Charming Plus Pillow Cover Tutorial – Easy Scrap Project for Quilt Blocks

Charming Plus Pillow Cover Tutorial

The tutorial to make these blocks can be found over at Sew Mama Sew.  Beyond excited to finally share my secret sewing and this gorgeous quilt.  Lots of contrast and bold colors.  Click on the photo below for the tutorial.

Charming plus quilt tutorial

There were blocks of leftover from this quilt and I wanted something that could go with the quilt as well.  A pillow cover is a great way to use the rest of the fabric and have a coordinating piece.

Materials Needed:

  • 9 leftover blocks (can be random or not)
  • Scrap piece of batting 18″ x 22″
  • Any fat quarter or scrap of fabric 18″ x 22″
  • 1/4 yard of remaining fabrics
  • Thread
  • Scissors
  • Rotary cutter and cutting mat
  • Safety and straight pins

Layout of Blocks:

For the pillow I opted to use the aqua, yellow and teal remaining blocks as pictured below.

charming plus pillow cover tutorial

Piece the blocks together.  Press bottom and top row towards the middle block.  Press center row away from the center block.  This will help the rows nest into each other.

Piece the rows together and press all the seams in one direction.

Layer your scrap fat quarter, add the batting, and then the top.  Trim the top as needed.  Pin paste the quilt sandwich prior to quilting.  I prefer doing this so the pillow top doesn’t fray with use and washing.

charming plus pillow cover tutorial [1]

charming plus pillow cover tutorial

Quilt as desired.  I chose a pattern with simple lines as you can see the back of my pillow top.

Charming Plus Pillow Cover Tutorial

The backing of the pillow was made in an envelope style pillow cover.  Cut the 1/4 yard in half at the fold of the fabric.  You will now have two 9″x22″ sections.  Starting on one side, finger role the edge over and press as you move along.  Do not burn your finger, it does not feel good.

charming plus pillow cover tutorial

Fold over and press again as pictured below.

charming plus pillow cover tutorial

Topstitch the hem on both pieces.

charming plus pillow cover tutorial 8[1]

As you arrange these strips for the back, they should overlap each other by at least one inch.  You can do more if you have wider fabric.  Lay these fabrics right side up.

Charming Plus Pillow Cover Tutorial

Lay the quilted pillow top face down onto the overlapping strips.  Pin everything together.  I put a couple of extra pins at the overlap so I know to backstitch in that area while sewing.

Sewing a 1/4 inch seam all the way around the pillow.

Charming Plus Pillow Cover Tutorial

Backstitch in the corners and the overlap as noted above.  After going around the entire square with your seam, trim off any excess fabric from the backing.  Flip the pillow cover right side out and push corners out.

Charming Plus Pillow Cover Tutorial

Insert pillow and enjoy.

The arrows going towards each other is by accident. Not because I'm great at planning.
The arrows going towards each other is by accident. Not because I’m great at planning.

Charming Plus Pillow Cover Tutorial

If you happen to make a project with the tutorial share with the hashtag #charmingplusquilt.