Hey everyone, today we're turning a striking dragon panel into a bold pillow that finishes fast and shows off the artwork.
Here we go. Let's talk fabric first. That's the star here.
This is Dragons Emerald Reign - Panel from In The Beginning Fabrics. It's a panel, made from 100% cotton. The width of fabric is 44"/45". Our quilting cotton is lightweight. It tends to hold its shape even after being washed. That makes it perfect for quilting and for crafting structured garments, too.
The theme is dragons and fantasy. The color story in the tags is emerald and multi color, with multiple colors in the mix. I love that for a pillow. One panel gives you a big, bold focal point. You do not have to piece a complicated top to get impact. Just like that, the artwork does the work.
I reach for a panel like this for a reading chair, a teen bedroom, or a game room. It is playful, but it still sews up neat and tidy.
Why this fabric suits a panel pillow
A pillow is the perfect home for a panel. The whole design gets seen at once. Nothing gets lost in seams. And this lightweight cotton holds its shape well, so your pillow front stays smooth.
The emerald, multi-color palette suits a pillow really, really well too. A pillow is a small accent, so it can carry a bolder print than a big quilt. Center it once, add a simple border, and you are done.
My preference is one clean border and a plain envelope back. But a piped edge looks sharp too, and a zipper back is great if you wash the cover often. Completely up to you.
What you'll need
- One Dragons Emerald Reign panel, 100% cotton, 44"/45" wide
- 1/4 yard of a coordinating solid or tonal for a narrow border, if you need to build the front up to size
- 1/2 yard of coordinating cotton for the pillow back
- One 18" pillow form, or polyfill if you prefer a stuffed pillow
- A scrap of lightweight batting or fusible fleece, about 20" square, for a little body in the front
- Matching thread for piecing and topstitching
- Your usual basics: rotary cutter, ruler, pins or clips, and a size 80/12 needle
This plan finishes around 18" square, for a standard 18" form. Measure your trimmed panel first, then add borders as needed to reach 18 1/2" square.
Brief steps
First, press the panel well. Then square it up. Go slow here. Trim only what you must to get straight edges and keep the design centered. Measure from the center out, both ways.
Second, if your trimmed panel is smaller than 18 1/2" square, add border strips. Cut them 2" to 3" wide, sew them to the sides first, press, then add the top and bottom. Press everything flat.
Third, layer the front on your batting or fleece and quilt it lightly. Stitch in the ditch around the panel edge is my pick. Then echo a few shapes in the design. Try about 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Slow down over thick spots. Slow down or the needle snaps.
Fourth, make the back. For an envelope back, cut two pieces, each about 18 1/2" wide by 13" tall. Hem one long edge on each piece. Overlap those hemmed edges by about 4" on your worktable, right sides up, so the back also measures 18 1/2" square.
Fifth, place front and back right sides together. Pin or clip all the way around. Sew with a 1/4" seam, backstitch at the corners, and turn it right side out. Poke the corners out gently. Press, insert your form, and fluff.
My tips from the sewing room
Tip one: centering matters more than perfection. Step back three feet and look. If the dragon sits straight to your eye, you are good. Do not chase a sixteenth of an inch.
Tip two: test your quilting on a scrap sandwich first. Check tension and stitch length. Two minutes now saves an hour of picking out later. I have learned that the hard way, folks.
Tip three: take your time, it's not a race. If a border seam wobbles a little, leave it. You're your own worst critic. It doesn't have to be perfect. A finished pillow on the couch beats a perfect panel folded in a drawer every time.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Super duper fun, and such a quick win.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Dragons Emerald Reign - Panel at Linda's Electric Quilters.
