Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to turn one printed panel into a pretty panel pillow you can finish in an afternoon.
Here we go. Let's talk about the fabric first.
The 1776 Independence Day Fabric Panel 20 is a fabric panel from QuiltingFabricPanels.com. It is proudly printed in the United States of America. I love knowing that, folks. It feels just right for a patriotic panel like this one.
It is made with 100% premium quilting cotton. That is what we want for a pillow front. It presses flat, sews clean, and holds a nice crisp edge around the design.
This is a panel, not regular yardage. The picture is printed for you, whole and ready. No piecing tiny blocks to build the scene. Just frame it, quilt it lightly, and make your pillow.
One honest note, y'all. Colors on a browser screen may differ in tone from printed cotton fibers. When your panel arrives, look at it in good daylight. Then choose your backing and binding to match what you see in real life. Completely up to you.
The Project: A Panel Pillow
A panel pillow is simply a pillow front built around one panel. You square the panel. You add a border if you need the size. You quilt the front lightly, then sew front to back and stuff it or slip in a form.
It is perfect for a porch bench, a reading chair, or a guest bed. It also makes a really really sweet gift.
Why does this fabric suit it? A pillow shows off one picture up close, and the panel keeps it whole. No seams through the middle. We're not reinventing the wheel here. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Materials List
- One 1776 Independence Day Fabric Panel 20
- Backing fabric for the pillow, quilting cotton cut to match your finished front
- Thin batting or fusible fleece for the front, same size as the front
- A pillow form, or polyester fiberfill for stuffing
- Optional border fabric, about 1/4 yard, if you want a larger pillow
- Matching thread, 50-weight is a good everyday choice
- Rotary cutter, ruler, pins or clips, iron, and a zipper or envelope supplies if you want a removable cover
Measure your panel after you press it. Your pillow size starts from that number, plus any border.
Brief Steps
Step one: press and square. Press from the wrong side on a medium cotton setting. Square the edges with your ruler, trimming as little as you can. Take your time. A square front makes a pillow that sits straight.
Step two: add a border if needed. Cut strips 2 1/2 inches wide. Sew the sides on first, press away from the panel, then add top and bottom. Want it bigger? Add that border. Want it fast? Skip it. Both work fine.
Step three: quilt the front. Layer the front over thin batting. Use a size 80/12 needle and a stitch length of about 2.5, or about 10 stitches per inch. Stitch in the ditch around the panel, then add a little echo quilting 1/4 inch out. Keep it light so the pillow stays soft.
Step four: make the back. For an envelope back, cut two pieces, each about two-thirds the width of the front. Hem one long edge on each. Overlap them by about 4 inches. That is where the form slips in. For a stuffed pillow, cut one backing piece the same size as the front.
Step five: sew it together. Lay front and back right sides together. Clip all around. Sew with a 1/2-inch seam, leaving an opening if you are stuffing it. Clip the corners, turn it right side out, and push the corners out gently.
Step six: fill and finish. Slip in your form, or stuff firmly but not tight. Fill the corners first, then the middle. Hand stitch the opening closed and tie off securely. Just like that, you are done. Slow down at thick corners, or the needle snaps — I have done that myself.
Practical Tips From the Table
First, test your quilting on a scrap sandwich. Same batting, same thread. Look for balanced stitches with no big loops. Five minutes now saves frustration later.
Second, do not overstuff. Too tight pulls at the seams and looks lumpy.
Third, think about washing. For a porch or busy chair, an envelope back is your friend. The cover comes off and washes easy.
And here is your permission beat, folks. It does not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic. A wobbly echo line will not bother anybody. Take your time. It is not a race.
Thanks for sewing along today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 1776 Independence Day Fabric Panel 20 at Linda's Electric Quilters.
