Hey everyone. Today we're turning one tiny pack of squares into a patchwork pillow cover you can finish in an afternoon.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric
This is the Bella Solids 2025 Mini Charm Pack, from United Notions.
It is a Moda precut.
The group name is Bella Solids.
And the stock number is 9900MCE, if you like to keep notes.
Inside the pack you get 42 assorted pieces.
Each little square measures 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches.
That is your classic Mini Charm size.
Small, even, and already cut for you.
The tags call this pack multi color.
So you are not working with just one shade.
You get a coordinated mix of Bella Solids in one tidy stack.
Fan them out, sort light to dark, or scatter them at random.
Completely up to you.
These squares were made in Korea, per the product details.
And because they are solids, there is no print to match up.
The color does all the talking.
The project: a patchwork pillow cover
We are making a simple lumbar-style pillow cover.
The finished cover measures about 14 inches wide by 12 inches tall.
Here is why the math works so nicely.
Lay the squares out 7 across and 6 down.
That is 42 squares.
Every single square in the pack gets used.
Nothing left rattling around in a scrap bin.
Sewn with a quarter-inch seam, each square finishes at 2 inches.
Seven across gives you 14 inches.
Six down gives you 12 inches.
Just like that.
This fabric suits the project for a plain, honest reason.
A pillow front is small.
Small squares belong on a small project.
On a pillow, they read as a neat, cheerful grid.
Materials
- 1 Bella Solids 2025 Mini Charm Pack — 42 pieces, 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches
- Backing fabric for an envelope back — about a half yard of a coordinating fabric from your stash
- 1 piece of thin batting or fusible fleece, about 15 inches by 13 inches
- 1 pillow form, about 12 inches by 14 inches, or stuffing if you prefer a softer fill
- Thread to match your backing fabric
- Your usual sewing machine needle — an 80/12 is a good everyday choice here
- Pins or clips, a ruler, and a marking pencil
Brief steps
First, lay out all 42 squares.
Go 7 across and 6 down.
Step back and look.
Swap any two squares that feel too close in color.
Take a quick phone photo first.
I have sewn a perfect layout completely out of order.
The photo is your map back home.
Next, sew the squares into 6 rows.
Use a quarter-inch seam allowance.
Set your stitch length to about 2.5 millimeters, roughly 10 stitches per inch.
Press the seams in one row to the left.
Press the next row to the right.
That way the seams nest together nicely.
Then join the rows, one to the next.
Pin at each seam junction.
Slow down right there, or a seam can shift on you.
Now layer your finished top over the batting.
Quilt it simply.
Stitch in the ditch along a few rows is plenty.
You can echo those lines if you want more texture.
Again, completely up to you.
Trim the quilted top to size.
For the envelope back, cut two backing pieces.
Make each one about 14.5 inches wide by 9 inches tall.
Hem one long edge on each piece.
Lay them right sides down over the front, overlapping in the middle.
Sew all the way around with a quarter-inch seam.
Clip the corners, turn it right side out, and poke the corners out gently.
Slide in your pillow form.
Super duper cute.
Practical tips
Give yourself permission to keep this simple.
It does not have to be perfect.
A seam that lands a hair off is not a failure.
It is a pillow, folks, not a piano.
You are your own worst critic here.
Nobody visiting your couch will measure your squares.
Take your time, too.
It is not a race.
One more honest tip from my own table.
Press as you go.
Mini squares show every little wrinkle.
A good press after each row makes the whole grid lie flat.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Bella Solids 2025 Mini Charm Pack at Linda's Electric Quilters.
