Quarter Log Cabin Pillows in Dwellings by Benartex {tutorial}

August hop image

Happy Monday! Today I’m excited to be sharing a fresh, quilted pillow tutorial on the Benartex blog, Sew in Love {with Fabric}, today! I’m excited to be one of the first to use Benartex’s new Contempo lines of fabric, called Dwellings. The prints have such great colors and the scale is perfect for a cross between home decor and quilting. So, I made some {fat} Quarter Log Cabin Pillow Covers. They have an invisible zipper on the back, too, for easy removal and washing because everything in my house needs to get a Deep Cleaning at least once a week!

Pillow Covers 1

So, head over to the Benartex blog for the tutorial or keep reading:
The tutorial I’m going to share is for a Quarter Log Cabin Pillow Cover, which will include an invisible zipper for easy washing, and can be made in two sizes {or easily adjusted to any size you’d like}.

To make two covers, one 20″ square and one 18″ square, you will need {if only making one, you will need 6 fat quarters):

  • 1 fat quarter each:
    • Baby Bloom Khaki
    • Confetti Aqua
    • Beaded Stripe Aqua
    • Baby Box Trot Ivory/Aqua
  • 1/2 yard each:
    • Bloom Aqua
    • Wavy Pencil Stripe Green
  • 1/3 yard prewashed cotton flannel {like you’d use for pajamas}
  • 20″ or longer invisible zipper

Optional:

  • Invisible zipper foot
  • Serger

Note: Patchwork seam allowances are 1/4″ and pillow seam allowances are 1/2″. Measurements for 20″ pillow are in parenthesis. From fat quarters cut:

  • Baby Bloom Khaki – 8″ (10″) square
  • Confetti Aqua – 4 1/2″ x 8″ (4 1/2″ x 10″) rectangle
  • Beaded Stripe Aqua – 4 1/2″ x 12″ (4 1/2″ x 14) rectangle
  • Baby Box Trot Ivory/Aqua – 7″ x 12″ (7″ x 14″) rectangle

From half yards cut:

  • Bloom Aqua – Two 12″ x 18″ (12″ x 20″)
  • Wavy Pencil Stripe Green – Two 7″ x 18″ (7″ x 20″) rectangles
Pillow Covers 2
Beginning with the center square, sew the rectangles around two sides of the square as shown. Place pieced square on top of a square of flannel slightly larger than the square. Pin and quilt in place. Set aside. Now we’re going to make the back. First, serge one 18″ (20″) edge of each of the back pieces.

Note: If you don’t have a serger, a zig zag stitch works just fine.

Scrappy Trip & Star-002
Next, take your invisible zipper and press the zipper open. This will make it much easier to sew right next to the teeth, even if you’re using an invisible zipper foot. It was very difficult to get a picture of what this should look like (notice where my finger is on the taupe color part), but if you examine the zipper you’ll see what I mean.

Note: I intentionally left my backing fabrics a little larger than the front of the pillow so I wouldn’t have to line up seams!

Pillow Covers 4
Then, sew your zipper to the right side of one of your backing fabrics and repeat for the other side. Zip the backing together and place it right sides together with the front of the pillow.

Pillow Covers 5

Leave a small portion of the zipper open and pin the ends next to each other. Stitch around the pillow with a 1/2″ seam allowance, back stitching twice at the zipper ends {note: you can see here that my backing is a little uneven in size, but it is easy to trim}.

Pillow Covers 6

Serge the edge {or zig zag and trim}

Pillow Covers 7
Carefully open the zipper from the wrong side and turn the pillow right side out.
Pillow Covers 8
And there you have some fun pillow covers that are just as pretty from the back (shown above) as the front.

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61 Comments

  1. How fun! I signed up with the Benartex blog with Bloglovin’. I love all the colorways, but I think Townhouse is my favorite. Thanks for the opportunity to win.

    Reply

  2. I already follow them through Bloglovin’. I think the Beachhouse colorway is my favorite with the corals and the teals! And, I loved your tutorial 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  3. I’m following Bentarex through Bloglovin….BeachHouse is my favorite colorway in the Dwellings fabric line. I’ve recently started loving colors mixed with grays, this line is wonderful..Love it!!

    Reply

  4. I follow them through Bloglovin. Lovely tutotial! I think I’d prefer the Guest House, though I think this line could very easily be “mixed and matched”…

    Reply

  6. wow, what a great way to start the week! i already follow and love thei r fabric. babscorbitt at gmail dot com

    Reply

  7. I am following the Benartex blog via Bloglovin. My favorite colorway is Guest House, although they each have their own charms.

    Reply

  8. I follow Benartex on Bloglovin’. Love the tutorial – thank you. I love teal and aqua so Guest House and Beach House are my favourite colourways.

    Reply

  9. I am already a faithful follower thru emails. Just really love your tutorial. You made this so easy to follow. Can’t wait to make one for myself. But wait – maybe I could take a chance and become a lucky winner. So, which one? I like the Box Trot Ivory/Aqua. Thank you for giving all of us, your followers, the chance to win.

    Sandi Timmons

    Reply

  13. I like them all, I can’t pick a favorite! If I HAD to, it would be Guest House! I follow them by email.

    Reply

  18. Hi Jennie, your pillows are darling! I am a big fan of the invisible zipper for pillows too! They are so easy to install. I am following Benartex through Bloglovin and I love the Beachhouse look – not an easy choice. XOXO

    Reply

  19. I’m Following with Bloglovin and the Guest House Colorway is my favorite! Love those pillows! Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply

  21. I follow Benartex through email and Blogloving. Don’t want to miss it! As for my favorite, I love Townhouse. It’s the perfect color for a masculine quilt. Great pillow!

    Reply

  22. I signed up to follow them by e-mail. My favorite is Beach House. Loved those colors. Thank you for the chance.

    Reply

  26. I follow Benartex, Sew In Love with Fabric, by email. I love all the Ivory and Aqua fabrics especially the Box Trot. Great idea for pillows, thanks.

    Reply

  29. What a great looking pillow. I’m having a really hard time choosing which colorway I like most. I really love Guesthouse, but then the added coral color in Beachhouse is really great as well. I’m going to go with Guesthouse right now, only because the coral color would not fit into my color schemes anywhere in my house.

    I follow both your blog and the Benartex blogs, both via email as well as Bloglovin’

    Reply

  30. I’m already following the Benartex blog with Bloglovin’. I like all the colorways, but Guest House is my favorite. Thanks for the tutorial & the chance to win.

    Reply

  32. I follow Sew in Love via email. My favorite colorway of Dwellings would have to be Guest House, but Beach House is a close second. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply

  36. I love your tutorial, especially the fabric in the salmon color way. I am a regular follower of the benartex blog, the Facebook page, and have gotten the Mr B preview packs for the last 5 years.

    Reply
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  39. I follow them on Bloglovin and also get the email. Beach House is my favorite, I like the subtle pops of color. Thanks.

    Reply

  42. Those pillows are awesome!! Love the fabric combination – wow!! I follow Benartex via Bloglovin’ – thanks!!

    Reply

    1. I also want to add that I love the Beach House colourway!!
      Aaaaannnnnddd…. I signed up to receive newsletters from Benartex.
      Thanks!!

      Reply

  48. I follow via email and bloglovin, just so I don’t miss anything 🙂
    And my favorite colorway is the salmon. Although it was very difficult to choose! And thank you for clearing up some of the questions on the pillow tutorial on Sew in Love. I’m anxious to try installing an invisible zipper!

    Reply

  49. I follow by email and FB. I love the Beach House colorway. I would love to make the pillows exactly as you did! Thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply

  53. I love beach house. It wouod make a beautiful charity quilt. Blessings Barbara. babscorbitt@ gmail dot com

    Reply

  54. I signed up for their emails. The colors are all great but I think I like Town House best. Thanks for the great tutorial!

    Reply

  55. I like the ivory/aqua colorway of Dwellings. I follow via Bloglovin. Thank you doe the chance to win and for the great tutorial.

    Reply

  57. Love Town House! Great pillows, thanks@ I’ve been a follower of Benartex blog for awhile–love it!

    Reply
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