10 simple steps to making removable cushion covers

Yesterday on QUILTsocial I finished the paper-pieced star block for the second cushion cover front. Now we need to sew backs on our cushion covers, but first I’d like to make one more cushion front using the Omnigrid Triangle Ruler for Half Square Triangles. This ruler can be used to make any sized Half Square Triangle (HST) up to 8″ square.

Making the cushion front

To make our last cushion cover, we’ll make HSTs using all 5 fabrics. Cut strips of Fabric Creations fabric 6″ wide so the finished HST units are 5½” square (remember, when we use the Omnigrid Triangle Ruler for Half Square Triangles, we cut the fabric strips ½” wider than the size of our finished HST) . Cut the grey fabric 6″ x WOF and cut each in half to make four 6″ x 19″ strips. Cut one 6″ x 19″ strip from each of the four teal and grey fabrics from the Fabric Creations Trendy Neutral collection.

Cut fabric strips 6″ wide.

TIP To save time when cutting with the Omnigrid Triangle Ruler for Half Square Triangles, place the two fabric strips that will make up the HST together before cutting – right sides together and lined up evenly – and then use your ruler. After you’ve cut the triangles, your units are ready to sew together!

1. Place one grey strip right sides together with the floral teal and grey fabric.

Place two 6″ strips of fabrics right sides together.

2. Cut four triangle sections from the strip. Remember to line up the dotted line on the top of the Omnigrid Triangle Ruler with one edge of the fabric strip and the line indicating the Finished Size of the block with the other edge of the strip – use the line that indicates 5½” finished blocks. Flip to cut the next triangle set. Repeat with the other three teal and grey fabrics, matching each up with a strip of grey fabric and cutting four sections from each set.

Cut four HST triangle sets from each pair of fabrics.

Here are some of my 16 HST pairs ready to sew:

HST pairs ready to sew

2. Sew the HST units together just like we did in Monday’s post – Two easy ways to keep quilt rulers from slipping. Press seams towards the grey fabric and arrange into four rows of four HST units. Sew the units together in rows and sew the rows together to make the front of the third cushion cover.

Arrange HSTs into four rows of four squares each and sew.

Making the cushion backs

1. Choose one fabric for the back of each of the cushion covers. We’ll make a split, overlapped back so that the Fairfield Crafter’s Choice Pillow Forms can be removed from the covers. This way, the cushion covers can be removed to wash, or just to change the look of the cushion. I wanted the sections to overlap by about 4″, so I cut two 15″ x 21″ pieces of one of the Fairfield Creations Trendy Neutrals

Cut two rectangles 15″ x 21″

2. Fold over one long edge of each fabric rectangle ½” using the Clover Hot Hemmer to measure the width. Fold the edge over again another ½” and press again.

Fold over ½” and press

3. Topstitch along the double folded edge.

Topstitch along the folded edge

4. Repeat with the other 15″ x 21″ rectangle. If necessary, trim the front of the cushion to 21″ square, then lay it right side up on the table. Place one of the backing rectangles on top, right side down so the folded edge is across the middle of the cover and the raw edges are lined up with the raw edges of the cushion cover front.

Place one part of the cushion cover back right sides together with the front of the cushion cover.

5. Place the second rectangle on top, overlapping the folded edges of the rectangles and lining up the raw edges with the raw edges of the cushion cover front.

Place the second part of the backing on top, overlapping the folded edges.

6. Clip the layers together with Unique Quilting Clever Clips, or use straight pins. Make sure to secure the spots where the folded edges of the rectangles overlap each other and meet the edge of the cover front.

Clip the layers together

7. Sew all around the edge using a ⅜” seam allowance. There’s no need to leave an opening for turning because we’ve made the split back.

Sew around the edge using a ⅜” seam.

8. Clip the corners, turn the cushion cover right side out and use a hot iron to press the outside edges.

Press the outside edge of the cushion cover.

9. Slide the Fairfield Crafters Choice 20″ pillow form inside one side of the cushion cover, then the other side, and pull both pieces of the backing tight over the back of the pillow form. The two sides should overlap to cover the entire pillow.

Slide the pillow form into the cushion cover.

10. Repeat this process with the other two cushion cover fronts.

Here are my finished cushions. They look great on the furniture on my back deck and they’re the perfect size for relaxing on. Now my back deck oasis/office is looking ever better with the addition of my three new cushions!

The completed cushions

I really enjoyed testing out all the products this week! Since you can use it to make any size HST units up to 8″, the Omnigrid Triangle Ruler for Half Square Triangles is so versatile. I used it this week to make two very different cushion covers and really, the possibilities with HSTs are truly endless.

The UNIQUE Clear Grip I tried out on my old Omnigrid ruler is awesome and I’ll definitely put it on the back of all my rotary cutting and machine quilting rulers!

The Clover Hot Hemmer and my Oliso Pro TG1600 Smart Iron made turning and pressing the edges of the cushion backs accurate and easy. The floral fabric and grey fabric from Fabric Creations Fabric Palette and Trendy Neutral fabric collections, and the 20″ Fairfield Crafter’s Choice pillow forms made amazing cushions for my back deck and the StitchnSew EZ-Print Quilt Block Sheets have made me into a paper piecing convert! Never thought I’d say that – LOL.

Thanks for hanging out with me this week. I hope you enjoyed learning about all these great products and are inspired to make something new for your home. See you next time!

This is part 5 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 4: 6 simple steps to sewing paper-pieced blocks

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