Scrap & Stash Elimination Project: Travel Pillow Tutorial

I ended up with 4 extra 6 1/2 inch blocks after making a X block quilt for Sarah. So to eliminate Stash and Scraps I made her a matching pillow case for a travel pillow. My sewing instructions are an adaptaion of my friends Liz's Pillow Case Directions.

Supplies:

Extra Quilt blocks
2- 2 1/2 x 32 inch strips for framing block, you will need wider stripes if using 9 or 10 inch block
1- 2 x 32 inch accent strip
1- 9 x 32 inch cuff
2- 16 1/2 inch squares, 1 to line your block and 1 is the back of your case.
1 Travel Pillow, can be purchased at Walmart or Joann's

1. Sew blocks together to make 12 1/2 inch block, or start with a 12 1/2 inch block. If you have a smaller block 10 or 9 inch make a bigger frame in step 2.

2. Cut 2 2 1/2 inch wide stripes to frame out you block. If using a 10 inch cut them 3 1/2 inch wide and for a 9 inch cute them 4 1/2 wide. Frame out your block. Any method you choose. Finished size should be 16 1/2 inch, raw edge.

3. Cut 1 16 1/2 inch piece fabric to back your block. This is to cover up all of your seams. I lightly quilted my block. I ditched the frame and quilted a flower in the center pinwheel to match the quilt. This is the back of the lining.

4. Cut another 16 1/2 inch piece of fabric to be the back of your pillow. Now you are going to french seam the front to the back. With Wrong Sides Together you are going to sew 1/4 inch seam down one side. Press seam open. Fold Pillow Case Right Sides Together and sew the same seam at 3/8 inch. This enclosed your seam and you have no hanging threads.

5. Measure the top edge of your pillow case, it should be 31 3/4 inch. Now cut your accent piece 31 3/4 x 2 inches and cut your cuff 31 3/4 x 9. Press both pieces in half. Now open your cuff ONLY and place right side up. Matching raw edges pin accent piece to cuff.

6. With Right sides together pin top edge of pillow case to the raw edge of the accent and cuff. Roll the pillow case up onto the cuff.

Fold over remaining edge of cuff and pin. Your pillow case in now on the inside of the cuff tube. This is okay. Sew a 1/4 inch seam down the edge of your cuff. It is a good idea to back stitch at each end of the tube.

7. Flip the case out of the cuff tube. I use kitchen tongs for this. I place the tongs in the center of the tube and gather down the tube. I then clamp about 2 inches in the tongs and gently pull them out. It makes the flipping easy. Or use a kid with skinny arms to reach though and pull it out. Once flipped I pressed my pillow case.

One more french seam and we are done!

8. With Wrong Sides Together sew a 1/4 inch seam across the bottom and up the open side. I then trip all my long threads. Also you need to clip the two bottom corners.