Simple Patchwork Christmas Pillow

 -This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Fabric used in this project provided by Missouri Star Quilt Company.-  

Today I am excited to be participating in the Christmas in July Make Along with Underground Crafter. The make along runs the whole month of July, so we are already into week 4, and each week has a different theme of handmade holiday projects, including knitting, crochet, and sewing projects. The theme for each week are:

Week 1 (July 1-7): Babies, Kids, and Teens
Week 2 (July 8-14): Women
Week 3 (July 15-21): Gifts for Anyone
Week 4 (July 22-28): Home
Week 5 (July 29-31): Pets

In addition to all of the Christmas crafts, you can also enter to win 12 awesome prizes. Visit Underground Crafter to find out more information, the participating bloggers, the schedule, the projects that have been shared, and all of the details about how you can join the make along and enter to win prizes. The deadline to enter the giveaway is Sunday, August 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

Since we are currently in week 4 today's project is a home project. I have really been liking making holiday pillows lately. It is such an easy way to change up decor in my living room to match the season. So as I was deciding on a project to make for the make along I decided to make a Christmas pillow. 

I kept this one really easy and it is just simple patchwork squares, in fact the only reason it is a Christmas pillow is because the fabric I used was Christmas fabric. So really you could make this pillow in any holiday or seasonal fabric to match any holiday, or just in the colors of the room you want to use it in for all year round. But it was kind of fun to pull out some Christmas fabrics early and start thinking about what I want to do for Christmas this year. 

I used a fat quarter bundle from the Scandi 23 line that I got last Christmas from Missouri Star Quilt Company. I don't think that exact bundle is available anymore but you could use any Christmas fabric you like. I liked the simplicity of the red and white fabrics and the Scandinavian inspired designs. The bundle included red and white prints and gray and white prints, and I pulled out only the red and white for my pillow. 

I made an 18" pillow using 3" finished squares, so 36 squares total laid out in a 6x6 square to make the pillow top. I put the squares in a random pattern, just trying to spread out the prints as much as possible. Once they were sewn together I layered the pieced top with a layer of thin cotton batting and a piece of backing fabric and quilted it. I decided on diagonal lines, or x's, through the squares, keeping it really simple. Then I sewed the pillow back to the front by sewing on two overlapping pieces making an envelope style pillow back. 

It worked up really fast and I love the look of a patchwork pillow on my couch so I would be really easy to make one up like this for not only Christmas, but for every holiday. 

Don't forget to head over to Underground Crafter to check out all the other fun Christmas in July projects that have been, or will be, shared as part of this make along. And be sure to also check out all of the pretty Christmas fabrics at Missouri Star Quilt Company and save 20% off of your purchase of $50 or more with the link above. 

How to Make a Simple Patchwork Christmas Pillow

Finished Size 18" square

You will need:

• 6 (or more) fat quarters in Christmas fabrics (Sample made in Scandi 23)
• 5/8 yard fabric for lining and back (I used a solid white)
• 20" square of thin batting
• 18" pillow insert
• rotary cutter
• ruler
• mat
• sewing machine
• thread 
• pins or clips
• basting spray

Instructions:

*Note- all seam allowances are 1/4"

Cut the following pieces:

For the pillow front-

• 6 - 3.5" squares of each of the 6 fat quarters (or a total of 36 squares if you are using a different number of fabrics)
• 20"x20" square of batting
• 20"x20" square of lining/backing fabric

For the pillow back -

• 2- 12"x 18.5" rectangles

Layout the squares for your pillow front in the desired pattern. I made mine random, not following any pattern, just trying to be sure that the prints were all spread out. 

Once you have your top laid out sew the pieces together using 1/4" seams. 

When you have the top pieced together you are ready to quilt the top. 

Layer the quilt block for quilting as follows:

20" square lining fabric 

batting

quilt block right side up

Use basting spray, or your preferred basting method, to baste the layers together 

Quilt as desired. I chose diagonal lines creating an x on each block. 

Sew a narrow hem along one long side of each of the back panels

Place the two back pieces right side down on the pillow front so that the raw edges line up with the pillow front and the hemmed edges overlap in the center (the panel you lay down first will be the one that overlaps the other when turned right side out). 

Sew all the way around the pillow edge with a 1/4" seam allowance, then sew around the raw edge with a zigzag stitch for a nicer finish.

Clip the corners then turn the pillow cover right side out. 

Add the pillow insert into the pillow cover through the slit in the back.