Day 4: Home for the Holidays Blog Hop

Welcome to the fourth day of our Home for the Holidays blog hop! 

This week, our focus will be on throw pillows--a fun and often overlooked way to add some holiday joy to your home! Next week we'll have a variety of small sewing decor projects, so be sure to stop by each day!

We think you'll enjoy the tutorials this week--including possibly new-to-you techniques. One of the great things about pillows is that by creating envelope-style or zipper pillows (we'll show you both methods), you can switch them out with your regular throw pillow covers for a quick and easy holiday decoration (and they don't require much storage space the rest of the year!).

Today's tutorial, the O Christmas Tree pillow, uses a variety of green prints from Season's Greetings, plus improv piecing techniques to create a modern-looking tree. Assemble the pillow top with reverse applique, and then quilt it and voila, your pillow is complete!

Materials
1/4 yard (or fat quarter) each of 4 green prints
1/2 yard of cream tree print
15" square of muslin
15" square fusible web
15" square fusible batting
12" zipper in coordinating color
Fabric marking pen
14" square pillow insert

Cutting
Green prints:
Cut a strip from each ranging in width from 2" to 4"

Cream tree print:
One 15" square and one 14-1/2" square

Make the Pillow
Download the tree template here.
Step 1: Fold the 15" muslin square in half and mark the center line. Cut out the half tree template, position it on the center line and trace. Flip template over and trace to complete the tree shape.

Note: Our muslin isn't quite 15" square--do as we say, not as we did! :)

Step 2: Trim two strips to slightly longer than width of tree shape bottom. Position one strip covering the bottom of the tree on a slight angle, right side up, and place a second strip on top, right side down. Pin and then stitch in place using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Step 3: Flip strip open and press. 

Step 4: Continue adding strips in the same manner. Angle the strips to created added interest. If your strips overlap a lot, fold the muslin foundation back and trim excess strip only (not foundation). You can also trim strip widths before adding to the tree. 

Step 5: Continue adding strips and pressing them open, trimming when needed. Strips only need to cover the tree outline, not the entire muslin square, so trim strip lengths as you work your way up. 

The finished pieced tree:

Step 6: Find the center of the 15" fusible web square and mark it. Trace the tree shape onto the fusible web. 

Step 7: Following manufacturer's directions, fuse to the wrong side of a 15" cream tree square. Cut out the tree shape, reserving the square with the negative shape and discarding the center tree shape. 

Step 8: Fuse the cream tree square onto the pieced green foundation piece. 

Step 9: Applique tree edges with a decorative stitch if you like. Fuse the 15" square of fusible web to the back of the pillow front. Quilt pillow front as desired (we used a 1" wide crosshatch). 

Step 10: Trim pillow top to measure 14-1/2" square. Use the remaining 14-1/2" cream tree square and 12" zipper to finish the pillow. Refer to the Present Pillow tutorial for steps. Stuff with pillow insert and enjoy!

For a chance to win a bundle of Season's Greetings prints, leave a comment letting us know that you follow the blog (if you don't already, sign up in the sidebar at right using the email or blog reader option). In your comment, also let us know: live tree or artificial? Giveaway is open through Friday, December 18th at 11:59 pm EST.

See the entire Season's Greetings collection here.

Check out each day of our Home for the Holidays Hop!

Day 1: The Ho Ho Ho Pillow

Day 2: The Present Pillow

Day 3: Snowflake Pillow

Day 5: Peace on Earth Table Runner

Day 6: Snowflake Table Topper
Day 7: Let It Snow Applique Quilt
Day 8: Cinnamon Scented Coasters