This lovely round pillow allows you to practice a number of techniques that will come in handy on many future projects. There’s custom piping, a covered button that creates a tufted center point, and patchwork wedges that come together to form a perfect circle. We offer a free downloadable wedge pattern below.

We originally used Joanna Figueroa’s lovely Butterscotch & Rose collection, which is a oldie but goodie that is no longer readily available. However, Joanna continues to put out wonderful collections each season and her color and pattern combinations are always beautiful; nothing ever feels stuffy or dated. Instead, she injects a modern energy into the charm of a nostalgic color palette. Like a cashmere sweater worn over your favorite jeans; it’s comfortable and stylish in one fell swoop. 

Sewing Tools You Need

• Sewing Machine and standard presser foot
• Zipper foot

Fabric and Other Supplies

• ½ yard EACH of FOUR coordinating 44″+ wide quilting weight cottons for the pillow wedges; we originally used Joanna Figueroa’s Butterscotch & Rose by Fig Tree Quilts for Moda Fabrics in Buttercream Floral Natural, Ruby Tossed Buds, Fresh Tarragon Tossed Buds and Buttercream Solid Natural
  NOTE: ½ yard should be enough to fussy cut each of your wedges. If you do not feel your fabric requires fussy cutting, you can get away with just ¼ yard.
• ¼ yard of ONE additional coordinating 44″+ wide quilting weight cotton for the piping; we originally used Joanna Figueroa’s Butterscotch & Rose by Fig Tree Quilts for Moda Fabrics in Fresh Tarragon Acorn Mosaic
  NOTE: With ¼ yard you will need to cut several strips on the bias; if you can afford a bit more (and perhaps are thinking about making more than one pillow), get ½ yard and you’ll be able to cut longer, and therefore fewer, strips.
• Small scrap of lightweight batting for the covered buttons
• 1½ yard of ½” cotton cording
• 1½” covered button kit; you’ll need two buttons, many kits come with 3 or more
• One 12″ round pillow form or one small bag of polyester fiberfil
• All purpose thread to match fabrics
• Button or carpet thread; optional, for sewing on buttons
• See-through ruler
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Fabric pen or pencil
• Straight pins
• Tape measure
• See-through ruler
• Seam gauge
• Seam ripper
• Hand sewing needle
• Curved needle; optional, for sewing on buttons

Getting Started and Pattern Download

1. Download and print our Pillow Wedge Pattern.
   IMPORTANT: This pattern is ONE 8.5″ x 11″ sheet. You must print the PDF file at 100%. DO NOT SCALE to fit the page. Print horizontally (landscape).
2. Cut out the pattern along the solid line.
3. Using the pattern as your guide, plan a fussy cut for each wedge so it has a nicely centered design.
4. Cut FOUR wedge shapes from each of the four fabrics for a total of 16 wedges.
   NOTE: Be sure to watch the grain direction of your fabric. Your pieces will have some stretch to them, so handle each one with care to retain its shape.
5. From the piping fabric, cut enough 2″ wide strips on the bias to create a finished strip at least 48″ long.
6. Arrange your layout for the pillow so you have four sets of four wedges. The front and back of the pillow are identical. We laid out our wedges so the matching fabrics were opposite one another.
   

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

1. Separate your wedges into two sets of four for the front and two sets of four for the back. In other words, two HALVES of what will be each finished circle. For each circle, you will first sew the wedges together in pairs, then sew the two pairs together, then sew the two halves together.
2. For the front of the pillow, select the first pair of wedges from your first set of four. Place them right sides together. Pin along one side.
3. Using a ½” seam allowance, sew the wedge shapes together along one side.
   NOTE: Because you are sewing wedges, you will have a point, like a little “ear” at one end of each seam.
   
4. Press the seam together and towards the darkest color.
   
5. Select the second pair of wedges from your first set of four. Place them right sides together. Pin along one side.
6. Using a ½” seam allowance, sew the wedge shapes together along one side.
7. Press the seam together and towards the darkest color. You now have two sewn pairs.
   
8. Pin these two sewn pairs together.
   
9. Using a ½” seam allowance, sew the wedge shapes together along one side to complete your half circle.
   
10. Using your second set of four, create the other half circle. Pin the two halves together along the center line.
    
11. Sew together, using a ½” seam allowance to complete the full circle shape.
    
12. Repeat to create the matching circle for the back side of the pillow.

Pinwheeling

1. You’ll notice that all the “ears” from your various seams come together in the middle of the circle, which makes pressing a challenge. So how did we get our circle to lay nice and flat? It’s a technique called pinwheeling.
2. Spread apart the center seam ‘ears’ so you can see the center seam. With a seam ripper, carefully rip out a few stitches in the center seam. Do this on both sides of the center seam.
   
3. Once you’ve ripped out those few stitches, you can press the seams towards the darker fabrics and press the pinwheel open. It will lay very flat.
   

Piping

1. If this is your first time making piping, see our piping tutorial for tips on how to make it and attach it.
2. Stitch together your 2″ bias strips as needed to create a 48″ length.
   
3. Wrap the fabric around the cord, right sides facing out. Pin close to the cording to hold it in place.
   
4. Using a Zipper foot, sew close to the cording to create your fabric covered piping.
   
   NOTE: If your sewing machine allows, move the needle all the way to the left so you can get nice and tight against the cording.
5. The flange (this is the fabric portion that is flat) on the cording should be a perfect ½” seam allowance.
6. Machine or hand baste the piping onto one side of the pillow, aligning the raw edges and easing around the circle.
   NOTE: Since you cut your strips on the bias, the piping should curve nicely, but you can also cut small slits into the flange of the piping every 1″ or so. This will help it to bend nicely around the circular shape of the pillow. Be sure not to cut into your stitching.
7. To join, cut back the piping cord to match and overlap to join.
   
8. Again, if you’re new to attaching piping, check out our tutorial for tips on joining and finishing.

Sew front and back together

1. Layer front and back right sides together. To make things interesting, we didn’t match up the front and back seams identically; instead, we rotated the back 90˚ to the front and the pinned front to back. Your piping will be sandwiched in between the layers.
   
2. Using a ½” seam allowance and your Zipper foot, sew around the pillow, leaving an opening for turning and stuffing.
   NOTE: If you sew with the side of the pillow to which the piping was original basted on top, you can use your basting as a guide to help you stay nice and close to the piping. The zipper foot will also help you keep a tight line of stitching.
3. Turn the pillow cover right side out.
4. Insert the pillow form or stuff the pillow with fiber fill through the opening.
5. Slip stitch the opening closed, hiding your stitches close to the piping.
   

Covered buttons

1. Cover buttons with coordinating fabric scraps; we used the leftover fabric from cutting out the wedges, fussy cutting to center a pretty design. Also, we always add a small scrap of lightweight batting under our fabric for a smooth, curved shape to our covered buttons.
   NOTE: If you are new to covering buttons, check out our tutorial.
2. Thread a hand sewing needle with button or carpet thread. Hand sew one covered button to the pillow front and one to the back. Pull the buttons tight so they create a nice, tufted effect. We do also have a full tufting tutorial you can review for more details.

Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation and Instructional Outline: Debbie Guild