Project Time – 4-5 hours
Click Here to Download the Pattern
Read through the post before you get started. I give some tips for personalizing along the way which you might find useful!
Cut the following:
- background fabric 28 x 38”
- batting should be just larger than background fabric
- feature fabric (same as lettering fabric) cut enough 4.5” x WOF (width of fabric) strips to create 200” once sewn together. For 44” fabric, cut (5) 4.5” x 44” or for 56” fabric, cut (4) 4.5 x 56” strips to make ruffle
Step 1:The template is on four pages so that anyone can print it from home. Simply fold or cut the paper and align the lettering and tape to get the words to come together. It will say “Merry & Bright” backwards. I promise that is on purpose!
Trace out the Merry & Bright template onto the smooth side of the WonderUnder adhesive paper using a pencil. If you haven’t used this for appliqué before, this may seem strange, but I promise things will be right side out and forward when we are finished!
Cut out around the lettering when finished- but you do not have to cut along the lines yet. See my photo below:
Next, fuse your interfacing to your lettering fabric. Then, fuse the WonderUnder template to the back of the interfacing using your iron, pressing carefully over each section for about 5-8 seconds. DO NOT REMOVE THE PAPER BACKING YET.
You should have three layers: fabric > interfacing > WonderUnder
When you are certain they are well fused together, cut the lettering along the lines you marked out in pencil. Do not remove the paper from the lettered fabric yet. Set aside.
Step 2: Next, prepare the pillow background. Layer your fabric atop a piece of batting just larger than the background. Quilt as desired.
Cut into two pieces that are each 13x36” One will be the pillow front, and the other will be the pillow back. Alternatively, you can quilt to separate pieces if you would like a different front and back.
Step 3: place your fabric lettering onto one side of the pillow front. If you find that the lettering blends with your background (likely, if you use two busy prints like I did), you may want to first fuse your lettering to felt to help it to “pop” from the background.
If you find you need to do this, simply remove the paper backing from the lettering and carefully fuse to the felt using the wool setting on your iron.
If you do not need the felt, go ahead and remove the paper backing and fuse the lettering to the pillow background.
For either option, you will now use presser foot F for your machine, and select an appliqué stitch to adhere the lettering to either the felt or the background. You will want to use a thread that coordinates with the lettering, and line the right edge of the lettering along the slit in the presser foot.
Sew slowly and carefully, lifting the foot and pivoting as often as needed. This step will take some time, so settle in and enjoy the process.
Don’t forget to appliqué inside the letters like the “e” and “g”.
If you appliquéd directly to the background fabric, skip ahead to Step 4.
If you appliquéd to felt, cut out the felt around the letters. You may find an Xacto knife helpful here. I eyeballed it, and cut about 1/4” away from the letters. Place the letters onto the fabric background and either use glue or pins to keep in place. Using your walking foot and a thread that coordinates with the felt, stitch the felt down to the background using a straight stitch.
Step 4: It’s time to prepare the ruffle. If you don’t have a ruffler attachment, you can gather fabric by hand to achieve a similar result. Sew your strips into one long strip and press in half lengthwise. Attach the ruffler according to the directions included with the foot. I have set mine to ruffle every 6 stitches at 6mm. Ruffle the whole long strip on the narrower .8cm setting with the raw edges to the right (see picture).
Pin completed ruffle to the pillow front like so, and stitch the two ends together. Finally, use a 3/8” seam allowance to stitch the ruffle to the pillow front. (Optional: finish raw edges using a serger)
Step 5: Install invisible zipper to the left side of the pillow front and the right side of the pillow back using a zipper foot.
Step 6: Open zipper halfway, and sew around remaining three sides with a 1/2” seam allowance using a walking foot.
Flip pillow right side out and stuff with pillowform.
