MATCHSTICK QUILTED CUSHION
YOU WILL NEED
■ Black and white fabric: three (3) Mini Charm Packs or one hundred and four (104) 2½in squares
■ Backing fabric: one (1) fat quarter
■ Felt: 10in square
■ Batting: 32in square
■ Binding fabric: one (1) fat eighth
■ Fusible web: 10in square
■ One (1) copy of the template
FINISHED SIZE
■ 16in square
NOTES
■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise stated.
■ Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed.
■ WOF = width of fabric.
■ RST = right sides together.
■ WST = wrong sides together.
FABRICS USED
Fabrics are from the Pixel collection by Rashida Coleman-Hale and the Achroma collection, both by Ruby Star Society.
CUTTING OUT
From the backing fabric cut: 1
■ One (1) 16½in x 10½in.
2 From the binding cut:
■ Two (2) 2½in x 16½in.
PIECING THE CUSHION FRONT
3 Lay out sixty four 2½in squares in eight rows of eight, starting with the lighter fabrics at the top and the darker fabrics at the bottom (Fig A).
4 Sew the squares into rows and then sew the rows together to complete the cushion front.
5 Place the cushion front on top of an 18in square piece of batting and baste.
6 Referring to the Technique Focus tutorial, mark out the beginning quilting lines across the cushion front. Paula marked her lines ¾in apart.
7 Quilt along the marked lines using a neutral thread – Paula used a light grey (Fig B). Quilt the second lines in between the last set of quilted lines, using the same neutral thread and using your presser foot as a guide (Fig C).
8 Quilt the final lines between the lines from step 7. For the final quilted lines, Paula has changed the thread to a pink (Fig D).
ADDING THE FELT
9 Trace the template onto the paper side of the fusible web – note that the wording will be in reverse. Cut roughly around the letters.
10 Carefully press the fusible web onto the wrong side of the felt using a pressing cloth (Fig E). Once pressed in place, cut along the lines.
11 Peel back the paper on each of the letters and place the felt on top of the cushion front, making sure to centre it (Fig F).
12 Carefully press in place, centring on the quilt top, being careful not to burn the felt. Once stuck down, use a blanket or zig-zag stitch to sew around the edges of each letter (Fig G).
PREPARING THE BACK
13 Lay out five rows of eight 2½in squares. Paula chose to alternate the grey and black squares in order to create a striped design (Fig H). Sew in rows, then sew the rows together.
14 Baste the pieced squares onto a piece of batting approx 18in x 12½in. Then quilt the backing piece: Paula quilted ¼in lines in light pink.
15 Take the 16½in x 10½in backing fabric rectangle and baste to a piece of batting approx 18in x 12½in. Quilt as desired to finish – Paula used diagonal lines. Trim excess batting from both backing pieces.
16 Take the two binding strips and fold in half lengthways. Apply the binding to the bottom side of the patchwork backing piece and the top of the plain fabric backing piece.
FINISHING THE CUSHION
17 Place your backing pieces on the cushion top RST with the bound edges overlapping and all raw edges aligned. Make sure the top backing piece is laid down first.
18 Pin in place and sew around the outer edge of the cushion.
19 Turn the cushion cover right sides out and press to finish.