This is the second in our series of three Earth Day pillows, featuring the beautiful nature-themed fabric of Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow collection. This very clever pillow looks complex with its intricate lattice front and peek-a-boo inset. But it is so easy! I love the splash of color behind the lattice strips, and had fun imagining this same design in a number of wonderful fabric combinations. It would be beautiful in silk and brocade as a wedding pillow. Or fun and funky in brights and polka dots for a kid's room. Our instructions are for a 16" square, but you could easily adapt the sizing smaller or larger.

A big thanks to our friends at Fat Quarter Shop, who provided all the Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow fabric. Each pillow has a unique shape, and all are stuffed with organic bamboo fiber. Happy Earth Day!

Fat Quarter Shop has even put together a kit for this project so you can order exactly what you need to make a pillow just like ours.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome DC2010)

Fabric and Other Supplies

• 1 yard of 44-45" wide fabric for the pillow's front, back and lattice overlay: we used Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow in Grass Herringbone from FreeSpirit Fabrics
• ½ yard of 44-45" wide fabric for the pillow's center inset (this allows you enough fabric to fussy cut from the fabric's length or width): we used Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow in Grass Flower Fields from FreeSpirit Fabrics
• Pillow fill or a 16" x 16" pillow form: we used bamboo fiber stuffing from Fairfield
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• Scissors or rotary cutter and cutting mat
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pen or pencil
• Hand sewing needle
• Straight pins

Getting Started

1. From the main fabric (Modern Meadow in Grass Herringbone in our sample), cut:
   One 17" x 17" square for the pillow back
   Two 5" x 17" panels for the pillow front.
   Six 3" x 15" strips for the front lattice. We fussy cut these strips, centering the small herringbone stripe.
   NOTE: If you choose a directional pattern, as we did, make sure your pattern is running the same way on all your pieces.
   
2. From the inset fabric (Modern Meadow in Grass Flower Fields in our sample), cut one 9" x 17" rectangle.
   NOTE: Again, watch your design direction. We chose a fabric with a flower pattern, and made sure to cut our piece so the flowers were running vertically to show best through the lattice.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

1. Find your six 3" lattice strips.
2. Fold a strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the entire long edge, using a ½" seam allowance.
   
3. Press the seam open.
   
4. Turn the strip right side out.
5. Repeat to create the other five lattice strips.
6. Center each strip's seam, like a pair of fancy silk stockings, and press well. This gives you six finished strips, each with a front that has a centered design (in our case the middle 'leaf vein' of the herringbone) and a seamed back. 
   
7. Find your inset panel (Grass Flower Fields in our sample), and using your fabric pen and ruler, mark the center of each side. Using these marks as your reference guides, place the six strips in an even, over-under pattern to create the front lattice effect. The front sides of the strips should be facing up.
8. Measure often to make sure the strips are at equal distance to one another. When you have everything set in place, pin each strip, then machine baste around the entire piece, within the ½" seam allowance (in other words, about ¼" from the raw edge).
   
9. Trim the ends of the strips so they are flush with the inset panel on all sides.
   
10. Find the two 5" x 17" front panels. Lay one on each each side of the lattice panel, right sides together, matching the 17" raw edges. Pin in place. Stitch both sides, using a ½" seam allowance. Press the finished seams toward the side panels. This completes the front of the pillow.
    
11. Place the pillow front and pillow back (the 17" x 17" square) right sides together, matching all the raw edges. Pin in place.
12. Sew around the entire pillow, using a ½" seam allowance, but leaving an approximate 5" opening along one side.
13. Clip the corners diagonally and turn the pillow right side out through the 5" opening.
14. Insert the pillow form or fill.
15. Thread a hand needle and thread with matching thread, and slip stitch the 5" opening closed.
16. We also slip stitched our Sew4Home label to the bottom back of the pillow.
    
    

Contributors

Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation: Michele Mishler

Other machines suitable for this project include the Kenmore 18221 and the Bernina activa 240.

Comments (12)

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... Congratulations, Michelle Owens -- we are so happy you have found some inspiration here at S4H and are sharing your projects in the Blog-o-sphere! Have fun.

April 07, 2011

Michelle Owens said:

... Thank you so much for this tutorial! I had to try it out the moment I came upon and it and it turned out great! I actually just started a sewing blog and I was so happy with the results that this pillow was my first post. Here is a link to it if you are interested in seeing how mine came out: http://sewlastnight.blogspot.c...cover.html Thanks again! Michelle

April 07, 2011

iamsomewhere said:

... I have long-used the string/cord technique when making strips, straps, etc. Just ensure it is securely fastened at the short end BEFORE sewing the lengthwise seam. May want to consider trimming the lengthwise seam abit.

January 08, 2011

Kerri Kowal said:

... Just clip a big safety pin to one end and pull through... easy peasy.

July 30, 2010

BeagleMom53 said:

... Really GO GREEN~~ Could you please add a "PDF" option to your web pages. Your users can "save" projects instead of printing. Much easier to save a project in PDF format, than print 4-5 pages, only to perhaps not find them later.....AND then find that S4H no longer has the project indexed on your website. So the project is lost. No matter if you say that the projects are always available on the website, I use "PDF" files to SAVE PAPER. Please add the "PDF" option to Sew4Home and GO GREEN!! THANKS!!

April 19, 2010

Juliette said:

... so many great ideas! I knew there was hope - thanks!

April 13, 2010

sewyoucan said:

... Try using an unsharpened pencil: sew up one end of the strip and place the end with the eraser on the seam and work with it (pull the fabric down. The eraser grips the fabric nicely.

April 12, 2010

Suzy-Homemaker said:

... Funny, I just posted a tutorial on tubes and straps last week on my website...get yourself a piece of string and you'll be be amazed how easy it is. http://suzy-homemaker.com/?p=377

April 12, 2010

Juliette said:

... thanks to you both! I live overseas, so I think I'll try the chopstick option first and see how that goes!

April 12, 2010

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... Hi Juliette and slbradley1 -- a good question and answer before I even make it to my keyboard. That's what we love about our S4H community! Another option are 'loop turners' which are available online and in-store at just about any sewing notions outlet, like JoAnns or Hancock. Also, our friend Patty Young told us about her favorite tool that is a great turning aid as well as good for pushing out corners and points... a chopstick! We love that and tried it ourselves; works like a charm.

April 12, 2010

slbradley1 said:

... You will never have a problem turning anything with the Turn-it-All by Bow Whip. Search for it online. It costs about $8.00 and worth every cent.

April 12, 2010

Juliette said:

... Do you have any tips for turning these long strips right side out? I made a couple of toddler purses and had a really hard time with turning the straps right side out and I feel there must be an easy way to do this (rather than fighting with it like I did!). Thanks!

April 12, 2010

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