Start by gathering your scraps. I chose to focus on black and orange for a Halloween pillow, but you can make this pillow fit any theme by choosing a different color scheme. Most of my scraps had a Halloween or fall print, but I also added some orange cracker fabric and black swirls because I loved the color and contrast.
I used scraps that extended the whole 42-44″ width of the fabric.
Arrange your scraps in the order you prefer. We want to have a finished length of 10 1/2 inches, and you’ll “lose” 1/2 inch in each seam you sew. Before sewing my strips added up to about 14 1/2 inches.
Stitch your strips together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Press your seams in one direction.
Check to make sure you now have a piece that is at least 10 1/2 inches x 42 inches.
Trim off the selvage edge and cut into 10 1/2 inch square blocks. You should have just enough fabric for 4 blocks.
You can play around with your four blocks and see which arrangement you like best. Depending on which way you turn your squares you will end up with a different look. I chose to go with the third arrangement.
Stitch your blocks together with a 1/4 seam allowance and press the seams to the side.
Cut two backing pieces 10 3/4 inches x 20 1/2 inches
Cut black fusible fleece pieces to line your pillow front as well as both of the backing pieces. (One 20 1/2 x 20 1/2 square and two 20 1/2 x 10 3/4 inch pieces.
You will also need one zipper at least 20 inches long.
Iron the fusible fleece onto the BACK of your pillow front and backing fabrics. The rougher feeling side of the fusible fleece goes TOWARD your fabric when you iron. (Note: Fusible fleece is made from polyester, so you do NOT want to use the highest heat setting on your iron. On my iron, I use the second highest setting.)
Use coordinating thread to quilt your pillow top. I chose to quilt mine by sewing 1/4 inch to the side of about 1/2 of the seams in my pillow top, but you can have fun being creative with your quilting.
Sew your two backing pieces together, with RIGHT SIDES together and a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Stitch the first and last 1/2 inch with regular stitches and back-stitch. Stitch the rest of the seam with a long stitch length, because we will be removing these stitches after we put our zipper in.
Pin your zipper to the back of your backing seam and pin well. Stitch on your zipper using a zipper foot and sewing as close to the zipper as you can without interfering with your zipper.
Use your seam ripper to open the seam back up and unzip your zipper about 1/2 way.
Layer the front and back of your pillow together with RIGHT SIDES together. Pin. Stitch with 1/2 inch seam allowance. Clip your corners.
Turn right side out and add your pillow.
And you’re done!
Enjoy!
