Saturday, March 17, 2012

Mitered Stripe Pillow Tutorial

I know some of you aren't feeling the spring weather yet, but here in California we have had some really nice spring days.  Spring always brings out a certain excitement within me.  It means warmer days are ahead.  So I've been sprucing up the garden and preparing for the long warm days I enjoy so much.  One of the things I'm re-doing is my outdoor pillows and cushions.  I usually change them out every year because I get bored and restless with them.  Last years colors were browns and greens, this years colors are whites and blues.

I popped in a local thrift store the other day and found 3 of these fabric samples for 25 cents each.  Heck with the fabric only costing .75 cents I can switch my pillows out often.
I knew instantly that I would use these striped fabric samples to make a mitered pillow.  I'm sure you guys have all seen pictures of these in magazines and catalogs.  So here's a tutorial for mitered stripe pillows.

First you have to decide on the size you want your pillow.  I decided to make my pillow 20"x20"

I made my pattern from some brown craft paper, you might want to use wax paper or parchment paper.  Any paper that you can see through.  Simply tape a few sheets together.
On your pattern paper using a ruler, draw a square the finished size of your pillow.  Now add 1/2" seam allowance around your pillow.  Next draw 2 lines diagonally from corner to corner.  This should give you 4 triangles.  We're going to focus on just one of these triangles to use as our pattern.

Once you have your 4 triangles like the diagram above, add 1/2" seam allowance to the outside edge of your triangle pattern.  Cut this triangle out along the red cutting line, it is the only pattern piece you will need.  You can discard the rest of the drawing.
Lay your pattern piece on your striped fabric until you have the stripes you want featured.  Keep in mind that your seams will take up 1/2" and plan your stripes accordingly.
Since I could see through my paper, it made lining up the stripes straight really easy.  If you need to, trace the stripes of your fabric onto your pattern to help unsure you cut all 4 triangles out with the stripes landing in the exact same place on your pattern piece.  Cut 4 triangles.
 Once you have all 4 triangles cut out, lay one on top of the other lining the stripes up exactly.
I place pins right at the stripes to keep the fabric from shifting on me as I stitch it.
Stitch carefully keeping the stripes aligned.
Repeat this step with the other 2 triangles.  While I'm still at the sewing machine, I always open out my fabric to check and make sure the stripes stayed lined up.
Now you should have 2 large triangles.  Press the seams open and pin these two triangles together matching the stripes again.
Stitch carefully making sure everything lines up nicely.  Mine did not line up perfectly the first time as the picture below shows.
So I took out a few inches of stitching and gave it a second try.  When you have all the stripes lined up, press this seam open as well.
Your pillow front is ready for you to finish constructing the rest of the pillow.  You can find instructions for finishing the pillow here.
Here's what mine turned out like.
I decided to add a covered button to the middle of mine.
 Pin It Pin It

31 comments:

  1. love that! blue and stripes are 2 of my favorite things!

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    Replies
    1. I love stripes too and I've been getting summer fever around here and blue stripes is a staple of summer!
      Glad you liked it!
      Jules

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  2. Thank you so much for showing us how to make a mitered pillow. They are so expensive in the store. You really ARE thrifty to make one from fabric samples. Your tutorial was very easy to understand. I saw your post over at "Nifty Thrifty Tuesday".

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    Replies
    1. Hi Miss Kitty,
      So glad you liked the striped mitered pillows! Pillows can be very expensive in stores and so I try to give as many tutorials as I can so people can make them themselves.
      It was just by chance I saw those fabric samples in my local thrift store and I happen to have stripes on my mind that day...funny how that happens sometimes!
      Thanks, Jules

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  3. That turned out great-I like it!

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  4. Great pillow and fabric!! Stopping by from Sumo's Sweet Stuff linky party.

    Here is what I shared this week: http://craftybrooklynarmywife.blogspot.ca/2012/03/vinyl-amp-cover.html

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  5. What a great tutorial!!!! Beautiful pillows!

    Thank you so very much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer... From Dream To Reality!!

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  6. I found your blog through a blog hop, and am a new follower. Great tutorial, and beautiful pillow!

    Chrystal
    www.adornonashoestring.com

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    Replies
    1. Chrystal, Thanks for following! Is there anything you would like to see a tutorial on...I take requests!
      Jules

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    2. Love the tutorial. Could you please show me how to do this mitered pillow with a stripe fabric around the edge and a solid fabric square in the middle.?
      Thank you sew much !♡

      Delete
  7. I have always wanted to make a mitered pillow, and love yours. Blue and stripes are two things that should go together. Your tutorial, as usual, is very good. I am a sewer at heart, so I appreciate the work that went in to it. I have bought a few fabric samples for myself, but never for .25 cents. I need to go shopping with you! Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration at Sunday's Best. PS - I just have to feature this on my FB page.

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    Replies
    1. Cathy, So glad you liked the tutorial and I hope you do make a striped mitered pillow...I'd love to see pics of your finished pillow!
      Thanks for featuring my pillow on your facebook page, I really appreciate it!!
      Jules

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  8. Love it! Have been on a search for pillow ideas and found this one. Can't wait to give it a tray.

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  9. Wow! You made this look so easy!!Thanks for sharing at Things I've Done Thursday!

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  10. This is so cool. I've not seen a mitered pillow before. Pinned. Thanks for sharing at Terrific Tuesdays.
    Rachel
    adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rachel, So glad you liked it and thanks for pinning it!
      Jules

      Delete
  11. Love the pillow!

    Thanks so much for linking up to my Tuesday party at Jillify It! Hope to see you again on Tuesday!

    Jill
    www.jillifyit.com

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  12. love this pillow, great tutorial--I just pinned it!! :)

    Shannon@SewSweetCottage

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  13. Ummm, wow! These are fabulous! Have I already asked you if you sell your pillows?
    Melody
    One Chatty Chic

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  14. Thanks for the clear tutorial. Just bought soft outdoor fabric for curtains for my college-age son and will make pillows now too! Fabric was half-off so $4 a yard, 60" wide. Can't wait to get started.

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