



We’re talking about re-purposing old clothes, this time with quilting. Quilting is a time honored craft, invented by crafty sewers using odds and ends of fabric to make something useful. Quilting can be a bit intimidating and expensive, but you don’t have to start with a king-size quilt using 30 yards of brand new fabric. We’re making a first quilting project, applique pillows. Applique is kind of like quilting light- fabric shapes are sewn on top of other fabric instead of pieced together. It is a lot more forgiving and approachable than piecing together panels but can look just as good. The design for the quilt is all up to you. Take your remnants or whatever clothing or item you want to re-purpose and see how much fabric you have to deal with; just avoid stains, tears, or places where the fabric is worn thin. You can keep it simple with fabric from one garment, or mix up patterns and colors.

Materials Needed:

1 pillow form

approx 1 1/2 yards of fabric such as broadcloth or calico

fabric remnants or old clothing

quilting thread

Step-by-step:

1. Using your pillow form as a pattern, cut two squares of fabric into squares about two inches larger on all sides than the form (i.e. with a 12” pillow form you have a square that is 14” on each side.) Larger pillows need more space for seam allowance, smaller pillows need less.

2. Trace shapes such as hearts, flowers, stars, etc. on to your fabric with tailor’s chalk, cut them out, and pin them to the fabric square meant to be the front of the pillow.

3.Using a needle and quilting thread, whip stitch the outside edges of each applique to the backing fabric. Be careful to stitch down all the raw edges- any uncovered edge could rip off or fray.

4.Once your applique is done, put the right sides of the fabric together and sew three sides. Turn it right side out (it should look like a pillowcase,) stuff the pillow form inside it, turn the raw edges in and whip stitch them shut.

So there you have it. Quilting is a great way not just to use up fabric but truly make a sewing project your own. This project only takes about an hour, and when you’re finished you have a custom quilted pillow- and a crash course in applique 101!

-By Becky Kauffman

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