Piece a Bold Maximalist Quilted Cushion Cover

Summer invites bold color and playful pattern into every corner of the home. This quilted cushion cover combines nine-patch piecing, custom machine stitching, and a reversible backing in one eye-catching project. Follow along as this post pieces, stitches, and quilts the cushion cover from start to finish.

materials

fabric

• 36 – 2½” [6.4cm] print squares
• background fabric in a solid color
• 1 – 22” x 12” [55.9 x 30.5cm] piece
• 1 – 7” [17.8cm] square
• backing fabric for the front panel
• 1 – 17½” [44.5cm] square
• backing panels
• 1 – 17½” x 15½” [44.5 x 39.4cm] top panel
• 1 – 17½” x 7” [44.5 x 17.8cm] bottom panel
• batting, 17½” [44.5cm] square

threads

• 6 different colors to match the prints and contrast with the solid fabric
• piecing thread
• lightweight tear-away stabilizer

Piece the nine-patch blocks

Start with quick piecing. Arrange the print squares into four nine-patch blocks. Skip a formal pattern and scatter light and dark prints evenly across each block instead. Keep matching prints apart so every block reads as scrappy and fresh.

Sew the squares into rows using a ¼ inch guide foot for an accurate seam allowance. Then join the rows into complete nine-patch blocks. Press the seams in alternating directions from row to row so they nest together and each block lies flat.

Stitch a custom background

Next, dress up plain background fabric with decorative machine stitching. Swap in a standard needle plate first, then wind a few bobbins in different thread colors before starting. Pin a lightweight tear-away stabilizer under the background fabric to support the dense stitching.

Choose bright thread colors that pop against the solid background, then browse the built-in stitch menu for patterns that fit the theme. Line up the fabric edge at the needle, lock the needle position, and let the machine stitch each row while guiding the fabric by hand. Change thread colors and stitch patterns row by row until color fills the fabric.

Once a good length of stitched fabric is ready, shift focus to a smaller center block. A guide foot with marked lines keeps the rows evenly spaced while the color sequence continues. For a focal point, load a large floral motif using a built-in stitch-programming feature and stitch it onto the center block. This step calls for a foot designed for wide stitches, since it differs from the foot used for the regular rows. A few extra vine and leaf stitches around the motif add texture and help the center block match the energy of the rest of the piece. Continue stitching until enough decorated fabric is ready to cut into triangles.

Cut and set the triangles

Once the stitching is finished, cut the background fabric into the shapes needed to frame the nine-patch blocks. Cut the more heavily stitched section into one 9¾” [24.8cm] square, then slice it diagonally in both directions for four setting triangles. From the remaining fabric, cut two 5⅛” [13cm] squares and slice each once on the diagonal for four corner triangles, positioning the cuts so the stitching runs in different directions across each piece.

Lay out the four nine-patch blocks on point with the center block and triangles surrounding them. Peel away the stabilizer before sewing. Embroidery scissors help lift an edge to start the tear without cutting into the stitches.

Sew the setting triangles to opposite sides of each nine-patch first, keeping the extra seam allowance at the top edge. Join the rows together and press the seams toward the nine-patch fabric. Add the corner triangles last, using the leftover seam allowance to help center each tip against its nine-patch. Trim the finished top to a 17½” [44.5cm] square.

Quilt the cushion top

Layer the pieced top with batting and a 17½” [44.5cm] square of backing fabric, then pin the layers together. Stitch in the ditch around each nine-patch with green thread and a clear stitch-in-the-ditch foot, which nudges the fabric aside and back to hide the stitching line and keeps the layers gliding smoothly under the needle.

Switch to red thread and a standard foot to add a diagonal grid across each nine-patch. A simple hand-quilting-style stitch adds subtle texture without overwhelming the piecing. Vary the placement slightly from block to block for visual interest. Trim the quilted top back to a 17½” [44.5cm] square if it has shifted during quilting.

Finish the backing

For the backing, cut the top panel to 17½” x 12½” [44.5 x 31.8cm] and sew a row of 2½” [6.4cm] squares along one edge. Add a 2½” x 1” [6.4 x 2.5cm] strip of solid fabric to each end of the row so it spans the full width. Sew a 2½” [6.4cm] strip of solid fabric to the opposite side of the row, then hem that edge.

This pieced strip adds a decorative accent and makes the cushion cover easy to flip and use on either side. Hem the second backing panel, then overlap both panels behind the quilted top and stitch around the outer edge to finish the cushion cover.

This maximalist cushion cover proves that more truly can be more. Bold prints, custom stitching, and a reversible back come together in one cozy accent for a sunny reading nook.

Original five-part series by Sarah Vanderburgh on QUILTsocial.com. Photos by Sarah Vanderburgh.