The fastest way to make a living room feel like fall? Swap the pillow covers. This patchwork pillow cover uses four fat quarters, a scrap of batting, and one afternoon. The envelope back means no zipper and no buttons — just straight seams, a little simple quilting, and a cover you can pull off and wash. Make one for your sofa, then make a few more: they are wonderful, personal holiday gifts.
What You’ll Make
One quilted patchwork pillow cover that fits a 16″ pillow form. The front is a classic sixteen-patch made from 4½″ squares in rich autumn prints, lightly quilted so it feels soft and substantial. A confident-beginner project — if you can sew a straight seam, you can make this.
Materials
7 of the 8 materials below (88%) are available at Linda’s — links included. The last one is easy to find anywhere.
- Confetti Cotton Autumn Fat Quarter Bundle, 12 Pcs. — pick four warm fall prints for the patchwork front and envelope back. One bundle makes several covers. Get it at Linda’s.
- 270 Creme Moda Grunge - Fat Quarter — a calm neutral to mix into the sixteen-patch so the fall prints pop. Get it at Linda’s.
- Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 Batting Package — a piece behind the front panel gives the cover its soft quilted body. Get it at Linda’s.
- 2024 White Aurifil Cotton 50wt Large Spool — for piecing, quilting, and seams that disappear into light fabrics. Get it at Linda’s.
- Olfa Deluxe 45mm Rotary Cutter — for cutting all those squares quickly and accurately. Get it at Linda’s.
- Quilting Pins Fine by Clover — to pin rows and layers before sewing. Get it at Linda’s.
- Riley Blake Designs Quilty Clips — great for holding the finished edges together without pin holes. Get it at Linda’s.
- A 16″ pillow form — available at most craft stores, big-box stores, or your local quilt shop. An old throw pillow you already own works too.
Steps
- Cut the squares. From your four autumn prints, cut twelve squares 4½″ each. From the creme fat quarter, cut four more 4½″ squares. You need 16 squares total.
- Plan the layout. Arrange the squares in four rows of four, spreading the creme squares out like a checkerboard accent. Move pieces around until the colors feel balanced, then take a quick photo so you remember the plan.
- Sew the rows. Sew each row of four squares together with a ¼″ seam. Press the seams of odd rows to the left and even rows to the right — this helps the seams nest neatly in the next step.
- Join the rows. Pin two rows right sides together, nesting the seams, and sew. Repeat until all four rows are joined into one patchwork top, about 16½″ square. Press well.
- Quilt the front. Cut a piece of batting about 18″ square. Lay the patchwork top on it, pin or clip around the edges, and stitch in the ditch along the seams, or sew simple diagonal lines corner to corner. Trim the batting even with the top.
- Cut the back panels. From two remaining bundle prints, cut two rectangles 16½″ wide by 11″ tall. On one long edge of each panel, fold ¼″ to the wrong side twice, press, and stitch to hem it.
- Assemble the envelope. Lay the quilted front right side up. Place the back panels on top, right sides down, hemmed edges overlapping in the middle by about 5″. Pin or clip all the way around.
- Sew and turn. Sew around all four sides with a ¼″ seam, backstitching at the corners. Clip the corners diagonally, turn the cover right side out through the envelope opening, and poke the corners out gently. Press, slip in the pillow form, and fluff.
Tips
Chain-piece the squares — sew them one after another without cutting the thread between them — and the rows come together in minutes. Pressing seams in opposite directions is the real secret to patchwork corners that meet perfectly. For a holiday version, swap the autumn bundle for Christmas prints and use the same pattern; a set of two makes a thoughtful handmade gift. To wash, slip the cover off, machine wash cold and gentle, and lay flat or tumble dry low.
Where to Get Everything
Seven of the eight materials — the Confetti Cotton Autumn fat quarter bundle, the creme Moda Grunge fat quarter, the Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 batting package, the White Aurifil thread, the Olfa rotary cutter, the Clover quilting pins, and the Riley Blake quilty clips — are all at Linda’s, linked above: 88% of the list from one shop. The 16″ pillow form is easy to find at most craft stores or your local quilt shop — or simply recover a tired throw pillow you already have. Happy sewing!
