Back that Modern Pillow Simply

Last  week we posted that machine satin stitched applique can be a tool for the you and your modern quilt.  Here are the promised easy steps to making a pillow back simply.  It only takes a few minutes to add a back to your pillow front.  Think of the great gifts you can make.

First you need two rectangles of fabric.  They can be two different fabrics as shown here, or they can be the same fabric.  One dimension will be the width of your pillow. In our case that is 12 1/2".  The other dimension is one half of the height of the pillow plus 3 1/2" to 4".  We used 4".  So half of 12 1/2" = 6 1/4".  Add 4" and that is 10 1/4".  So each of our rectangles measures 10 1/4" by 12 1/2".

Next, press 1/4" down to the wrong side along the width of the pillow. (The 12 1/2" side.)

Fold that over and press again.  You now have a folded edge with no raw edges exposed.  Repeat on the other rectangle.

Stitch through the folded edge on each rectangle. 

Place the two rectangles with the stitched edges next to one another.

It is now time to overlap the two rectangles.  They will not show equally on the back.  Plan which fabric you want on the larger top portion of your back and which you want on the smaller lower portion.  Overlap them as you want them to appear in the final pillow.  The rectangle on the top portion is placed over the fabric designated for the lower portion.  Both fabrics are right sides up.

When the above is turned over it will look like the photo below.  Pin this unit to fit the pillow top, right sides together.

Here is what it will look like from the other side of the pinned stack of fabrics.  In all photos the top of the pillow is at the top of the image.

Stitch all the way around the pillow using a 1/4" seam.  Press.  Trim the corners as shown below.

Turn right side out through the overlap and push the corners out with a point turner or the eraser end of a pencil.  Stuff with a pillow form.  Our pillow form is somewhat oversized giving our pillow a plump profile.    

 Front side of the Modern Pillow

Back side of the Modern Pillow

Next week we are going to keep with the theme of backsides....hmmmm....

Till then.