(Don’t you just love the alliteration in my post title??)…..

Anyhow… I know that the 4th of July is just a couple of days away, but this Patriotic Patchwork Pillow project can be put together in less than 2 hours! (And for my Canadian friends, yes- I totally missed Canada Day yesterday, but patriotism doesn’t go out of season, right?) This project has patterns for a star AND a maple leaf. This is the perfect scrappy project!

(POST NOTE- A Canadian reader just suggested that the stripes for the Canadian version might be more appropriate going up and down, instead of horizontally. If you decide to do that, just keep in mind that the finished background is 11 1/4″ x 15″ before you do the applique.)

For the star version, I used a light robin’s egg blue for the star applique, for a little bit of a cottage look. Traditional navy would be great as well.

The pillow measures about 11 x 15″- if you added a small border, the pattern would also make a-dorable placemats, don’t you think??

Before we get started, I wanted to thank those of you who gave me suggestions for blog posts on Facebook the other day. If you don’t follow on Facebook– I had asked for suggestions, because I realized that I had NO blog posts planned for this week or next… and I was just out of ideas! My Facebook followers gave me some very solid suggestions, which I have written down and will work on for the future. If you have any suggestions for future blog posts, please let me know in the comments!!!

OK- on to the project!

Patriotic Patchwork Pillow

For this project, you will need:

5 assorted red scraps, cut in the following sizes (5 strips total):

• (1)- 1 1/2” x 16”
• (1)- 2 1/4” x 16”
• (2)- 1 3/4” x 16”
• (1)- 2” x 16”

White:

• 4 strips, 1 1/2” x 16”
• 11 1/4” x 15” (back of pillow)

Muslin or white fabric- 12” x 16”

Scrap of blue (star applique) or dark red (leaf applique)

Batting- 12” x 16”

Polyfil, thread for piecing and applique, fusible web for machine applique

Instructions:

Sew red and white strips together, alternating the colors. Press seams toward red. Trim to 15” wide (11 1/4” high).Trace star or leaf pattern onto fusible web. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to fuse to WRONG side of blue or red fabric, and then fuse to striped pillow front. (Do not stitch/applique yet.)

Make a “batting sandwich”: place muslin (12” x 16”) on table, top with batting, then place pillow front on top, RIGHT side up. Pin together.

Machine applique around edges of star. If desired, you can also straight stitch about 1/4” inside the star edges. Stitch along red/white stripes (either “in the ditch,” or about 1/8” away from seams.) See also the close-up photo at top of post.

Trim away excess muslin and batting.

Place quilted pillow front and white backing fabric (11 1/4” x 15”) RIGHT sides together. Sew together, using a 1/4” seam allowance. Be sure to leave about 7” opening at the bottom, and backstitch where you begin and end your seam. Clip corners.

Turn pillow right side out. Gently push out the corners. Press the seams flat, and turn in the raw edges of the opening and press.

Stuff with Polyfil.

Hand stitch opening closed.

Click here for a PDF of this pattern.

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