SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
- Sewing machine
- Regular sewing foot & zipper foot
- Fabric
- 3/16" cording
- Polyfil®
- 16" & 18" pillow forms
- Matching thread
- Hand sewing needle
- Pins
- Fabric scissors
- Cutting mat & rotary cutter
- Quilting ruler
DIRECTIONS:
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Use pineapple and watermelon shaped patterns to cut out fabric. For the 16" envelope back pillow cut one 17"x 17" square and two 17"x 12" rectangles. For the 18" envelope back pillow cut one 19"x 19" square and two 19"x 13" rectangles. For the lumbar pillow cut two 12"x 28" rectangles. All patterns and dimensions have 1/2" seam allowance included.
For the pineapple and watermelon pillows, place front and back pieces right sides together, pinning as needed. Following 1/2" seam allowance, stitch together, leaving about a 2" to 3" gap at bottom of pillows. Clip and cut around corners and curves.
Stuff the pineapple and watermelon pillows with Polyfil. Use a dowel rod or something similar to help push Polyfil into corners. Hand stitch the opening closed.
Cut out 2" bias strips to incase cording. Stitch pieces together to get lengths needed, 16" pillow needs 73" of bias, 18" pillow needs 80" of bias and lumbar pillow needs 85" of bias.
Start about 2" from top of bias strips. Sew cording inside bias strips by placing cording inside strips, making sure edges of fabric stay in line, and using a zipper foot to stitch right up against the cording.
For each square and lumbar pillow, start near the middle of one side and stitch cording to the right side of the front piece of fabric, still using the zipper foot. For the corners, clip into the seam allowance of the cording which allows it to move easily around the corners. Once almost near the start, cut the cording if needed so that it lines up with the beginning already stitched down. Tuck the edge of that 2" piece of bias that does not have cording in it, and place the end of the cording inside. Finish stitching the cording to the front of the pillow.
For the lumbar pillow, place the back piece right side against the right side of the corded front and pin together. Still using the zipper foot, stitch together along that same 1/2" seam allowance, sewing through all the layers, back, cording, and front. Leave a 2" to 3" gap.
Turn the lumbar pillow right side out and stuff with Polyfil. Hand stitch the opening closed.
Take the back pieces of the square pillows and finish the edges where the envelope opening will be. If your fabric can be ironed, use it to fold down one long edge on each piece about 3/8". Tuck under another 3/8" and iron to create a finished edge. Stitch close to the folded edge. If your fabric cannot be ironed, use pins if needed to fold under the edges.
Once the envelope edges are finished, place the back pieces right sides together against the front corded pieces. The back pieces will overlap a few inches, just make sure the outer edges are aligned with the front edges. Pin in place.
Stitch using the zipper foot, all the way around the pillow following that same 1/2" seam allowance. A gap is not needed since this is an envelope back pillow. Flip right sides out through the envelope back and stuff with matching sized pillow forms.