Super Star Pillow Tutorial!!

YaY...its summertime!!

Are you ready for a tutorial?

If so...

I'm going to

 show you how I made my 

"Super Star Pillow" 

18" x 18"

I love using the good old

 "red white and blue" 

to decorate for summer...

and I especially love stars:)

These are easy peasy

 little blocks to make...

so let's get started!

I chose these 9 prints...

3 reds for the stars and 

6 blues for the squares.

The top 6 prints 

in this stack are from my 

Bee Basics 

and the bottom 3

 are from my 

Bee Backings and Borders 

For the circles and the outside border

 on the pillow I used 

this print from my 

Bee Backgrounds Fabric

I also used the D-4 Circle and

 the D-14 Star from the 

Bee Happy Sew Simple Shapes

They are due into

 the warehouse anytime now...

and I'll let you know

 as soon as they arrive!

I also used this 

Sew-In Interfacing 

Sew-In Interfacing:

Cut 9 - 3 1/2" squares for the stars

Cut 9 - 5" squares for the circles

Trace around each shape

 onto the interfacing.

This is your stitching line.

I like to use a 

mechanical pencil 

for a nice thin line:)

Okay...lets make a star! 

From each red fabric...

cut 3 - 3 1/2" squares.

Grab one and place an

 interfacing square on top

 (both with right sides up)

and stitch directly 

onto your stitched line.

Over sew a little where you 

start and stop 

to secure your stitches.

Trim an approximate

 1/4" seam allowance. 

You can clip off the points

 but not too close:)

You will need to clip each

 "cleavage"

 with just ONE clip.

Remember to clip right 

 "to the thread but not through the thread"

This is important because

 if you leave this step out...

your little red star 

will not lay flat!

Cut an X for turning

 in the interfacing only.

Turn right side out.

It looks wonky until you shape it...

 and thats when this essential 

Point to Point Turner 

becomes important and necessary:)

Gently push the points out

 using the pointy end:)

YaY!!

Now press from the front. 

One cute little red star

 all ready for appliqué!

Repeat the same steps

 and make eight more:)

The next step is to 

make them into circles:)

Cut 9 - 5" squares from 

the background fabric.

They will turn into circles

 after you appliqué the stars!

Center the stars and pin.

Appliqué by hand or by machine...

choose your favorite method or whichever strikes your mood:)

When your applique is completed...

press from the back.

Now place a traced circle interfacing 

on top and make sure that 

the star is in the center...

and pin into place.

Stitch directly onto your

 traced line like this.

Trim the seam allowance...

then cut an X in the interfacing only.

Turn...and shape!

Give it a quick press after shaping.

Repeat the steps until you have 9!

Cut 9 - 5 1/2" squares 

from the blue fabrics.

You can cut them 6" square and 

trim down to 5 1/2" square 

after appliqué if you want:)

Pin the star/circle exactly onto the 

center of the square and appliqué.

YaY!

I love this little block!

It should measure 5 1/2" at this point:)

Make 8 more!

Sew them together into

 3 rows of 3:)

Cut 2 - 2" x 15 1/2" strips 

and sew to the sides

Cut 2 - 2" x 18 1/2" strips 

and sew to the top and bottom.

Quilt and bind!!!

I used an 18" x 18" pillow form.

This would make a 

super cute 

mini quilt or runner too...

but I wanted another pillow 

for my sofa this summer.

Thanks for tuning in to another

 "decorating for summer" tutorial.

In the next episode...

I'll show you how to make my

 "Movie Night" snuggle quilt!!!

xx

Lori