HOLIDAY BRIGHTS
Create a Dresden circle with fresh greens and pretty pinks for a festive cushion with a modern twist
Get refreshed with Kristyne Czepuryk’ colour-burst cushion in pattern-pumped dresden blades with an appealing circular centre
IF YOU’RE AFTER SOMETHING MORE SUBDUED, TRY A MIX OF SOFT GREYS WITH A POP OF PINK
YOU WILL NEED
■ Dresden blade fabrics: twenty
(20) 4in x 6in rectangles
■ Dresden centre fabric:
5in square
■ Cushion front fabric: 16in square
■ Cushion back fabric: one (1) fat quarter
■ Binding fabric: ¼yd
■ Batting: 16in x 32in
■ Zip: 15in
FINISHED SIZE
■ 15½in square
NOTES
■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted.
■ RST = right sides together.
■ WOF = width of fabric.
■ For templates, see p85.
FABRICS USED
■ Print fabrics are from the First Romance collection by Kristyne Czepuryk for Moda Fabrics.
■ Solid fabric is Natural from the Essex Linen collection by Robert Kaufman.
CUTTING OUT
1 From each of the Dresden Blade fabric rectangles, using the template, cut one (1) blade.
2 From the Dresden centre fabric cut one (1) 4in diameter circle.
3 From the batting cut:
■ One (1) 3½in diameter circle.
■ One (1) 11in diameter circle.
■ One (1) 16in square.
4 From the cushion back fabric cut one (1) 7in x 15½in rectangle and one (1) 10in x 15½in rectangle.
5 From the binding fabric cut two (2)
2½in x WOF strips.
MAKING THE DRESDEN CIRCLE
6 Fold one of the Dresden blade fabric pieces in half lengthwise, RST. Sew along the top short edge, using a ¼in seam and clip the folded corner (Fig 1). Turn the
blade right side out, pressing the top into a point, with the seam pressed open (Fig 2). Repeat with the remaining twenty (20) blade fabric pieces.
7
Take two (2) blades and put them RST. Sew along one long edge, beginning ¼in down from the top (Fig 3). Sew a few reinforcing stitches at the start of the seam to secure. Press the seam to one side.
8
Repeat step 7 to sew the remaining blades together in pairs (Fig 4). Then sew the pairs together to complete the Dresden circle (Fig 5).
QUILTING THE CUSHION FRONT
9
Fold the cushion front fabric in half in both directions and crease to mark the centre of the fabric. Unfold and centre the 11in batting circle on top. Centre the Dresden circle on top of the batting, using the crease marks to align the circle. Pin in place, securing the fabric circle and batting to the cushion front.
10
Quilt a circle, 1/8in from the inside points of the Dresden circle. The quilting allows the blade points to lift up, creating the three-dimensional effect.
11
Layer the 3½in batting circle and 4in fabric circle on top of the cushion front. Pin in place.
12
Hand appliqué the circle in place, turning the raw edge underneath the batting circle as you work.
13
Place the cushion front on top of the
16in square of batting and quilt around the centre circle to complete the threedimensional effect. Trim the cushion front to
15½in square to complete.
FINISHING THE CUSHION
14
Place the zip RST along one long edge of the 7in x 15½in cushion back rectangle. Sew in place using a zipper foot. Press the fabric away from the zip, and topstitch along the fold.
15
Place the unsewn edge of the zip along one long edge of the 10in x 15½in cushion back rectangle, RST. Sew, press and topstitch as before.
16
Trim the zippered panel to 15½in square. Then place the cushion front on top, wrong sides together. Baste around the outer edges.
17
Sew the two binding strips together, using a diagonal seam. Press the seam open, then press the strip in half lengthwise. Sew to the front of the cushion, folding a mitre at each corner. Fold over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place to finish.