under the - Sew News

under the
Sea
BY Amanda Niederhauser
GET THE KIT
Everything you need to
make the entire project at
shopsewitall.com!
48
SEWNEWS.COM
j u n e / j u ly 2 0 1 5
Create quick and easy sea creature
pillows for trendy summertime
home décor. Add hand painting
and fun print fabrics for extra
style and flair.
SUPPLIES
Supplies listed are enough to make
one 19” square pillow.
• 5⁄8 yard of medium- or heavyweight
home-décor fabric (such as denim)
• Coordinating print fat quarter
• 18” square of double-sided fusible web
• 22”-long regular zipper
• All-purpose thread
• White and gray acrylic or fabric paint
• Small paintbrush
• 20” square pillow form
• Zipper foot
PREPARE
From the home-dec fabric, cut two
20” squares. Designate one square
as the pillow front and one as the
pillow back.
From the fat quarter, cut one 41⁄2”x20”
rectangle for the zipper panel.
Designate the remaining fat quarter as
the appliqué fabric.
Copy the Octopus, Sand dollar or
Starfish template from page 52.
Enlarge the desired template by 200%
using a photo copier, and then cut out.
Adhere the fusible-web square to
the appliqué-fabric wrong side,
following the manufacturer’s instructions. Trace the appliqué template
onto the fusible-web paper backing (1).
Cut out the appliqué. Using acrylic or
fabric paint and paintbrush, paint the
appliqué right side as desired to add
detail and dimension, using the
photos as inspiration.
1
Construct
Use 1⁄4” seam allowances.
Once the paint is dry, remove the
fusible-web paper backing from
the appliqué, and then center it
right side up over the pillow front;
SEWNEWS.COM
49
2
fuse. Topstitch the appliqué twice
1
⁄8” from the perimeter using a
straight stitch.
Position the zipper panel over the
upper-panel lower edge, aligning the
raw edges; pin.
Position the pillow back right side up
on a flat work surface. Measure 4”
from the upper edge; mark. Draw a
horizontal line at the mark; cut along
the line. Designate the small rectangle
as the pillow-back upper panel and
the large rectangle as the pillow-back
lower panel.
With right sides together, center the
right zipper tape with the upper-panel
and zipper-panel lower edge; pin, and
then stitch (2). Repeat to stitch the
left zipper tape to the lower-panel
upper edge.
Fold the zipper panel in half lengthwise with wrong sides together; press.
Install a zipper foot onto the machine.
50
SEWNEWS.COM
j u n e / j u ly 2 0 1 5
Press the upper and lower panel flat.
Open the zipper halfway. Trim the zipper
ends even with the pillow-back edges.
Position the pillow front and back
with right sides together; pin, and
then stitch the perimeter.
Turn the pillow right side out
through the zipper opening. Push
out corners. Insert the pillow form
into the pillowcase.
MAKE IT!
Find the Sea Creatures
pillow kit, including
the fabric and specialty paints needed
for this project, at
shopsewitall.com.
To achieve a perfect
pillowcase fit over the
pillow form, stuff the
corners with fiberfill.
SEWNEWS.COM
51
Sea Creature Templates
Trace desired template,
and then enlarge by 200%.
52
SEWNEWS.COM
j u n e / j u ly 2 0 1 5