Little House on the Prairie® Patchwork Pillow Cover

Make a Patchwork Pillow Cover with Little House on the Prairie® Fabrics (no pattern needed)

Little House on the Prairie® Andover Fabrics are perfect for these patchwork pillow covers. Here’s how to make your own Little House on the Prairie masterpiece.

Little House on the Prairie books are a catalyst to homesteading. Don’t you love Little House on the Prairie Books? I read them when I was 7 years old. Then when Sarah was 5, I read them aloud to her. Our favourites were The Long Winter and Farmer Boy. Do you have a favourite Little House Book?

As you know, I collect vintage linens and I’m always looking for a way to showcase the handwork from generations past. I had a serendipity moment at the end of October. First, I was invited to participate in Little House on the Prairie® Andover Fabrics Collection kickoff. I received 5 fat quarters in the mail and was given the challenge to make something. Then, last week at Ikea, I came across the FJADRAR feather pillow inserts for $7CND each. I brought home 2 because I thought they’d be the perfect foil for working with the pretty calicos and prints inspired by my favourite books. Challenge accepted.

(Affiliate) You can find Little House on the Prairie fabrics and quilt kits at Craftsy.

This pillow cover pattern is one of a set of two.

See the other pillow cover pattern here.

What’s a Fat Quarter?

A fat quarter is a piece of cotton yardage that’s been cut in quarters. It’s called a fat quarter because instead of being cut at ¼ yard, it’s cut at the ½ yard mark and then cut vertically along the fold line. The average fat quarter is 21 x 18 inches.

The Challenge from Andover Fabrics’ Little House on the Prairie® Collection

1. Showcase one piece of vintage linen
2. Use patchwork to highlight the best in the Andover Fabrics’ Little House on the Prairie® Collection.
3. Make a cozy throw cushion cover that fits the 20 x 20 pillow form from Ikea.
4. Do it in 3 hours or less.

The Little House on the Prairie® Pillow tutorial (no pattern needed)

Materials:

A vintage piece of linen with an embroidered cabin picture was the special feature of this pillow top. The pillow top is fabulous without this personal touch, but if you have a gorgeous vintage linen piece, you can use it here.

5 fat quarters – one “Little House on the Prairie” motif, 1 light, 1 dark, and 2 medium. These were torn along the grain line into 2 ½ inch strips. You’ll need 13 strips for this project. I tore mine along the 18-inch edge, making the strips 21 inches long. For this project, some of the strips are 18 inches long and some are 21inches long.

3 of colour A “Little House on the Prairie” motif – each strip is 18 inches long and 2.5 inches wide

3 of colour B Dark — 2 strips 18 inches long and 2.5 inches wide and 1 strip 21 inches long x 2.5 inches wide.

3 of colour C Medium– each strip is 18 inches long and 2.5 inches wide

3 of colour D Medium — 2 strips 18 inches long and 2.5 inches wide and 1 strip 21 inches long x 2.5 inches wide.

1 of colour E Light — strip is 18 inches long and 2.5 inches wide

Since I wanted to stitch up two pillows, I used a backing fabric for the back of this pillow, to stretch the patchwork fabric. You’ll want one 22 x 26 piece of unbleached cotton muslin or cotton ticking. Cut it into 1 piece 22 inches wide by 18 inches deep and a second piece 22 inches wide by 8 inches deep.

Notions:

3 ¾ inch mother of pearl buttons

White thread

1 20 x 20 pillow insert (I used an Ikea FJADRAR feather pillow insert)

 

Directions:

Prepare the Backing:

Take the 22 by 18-inch piece of backing fabric. Fold down the top edge on the wrong side by 2 inches. Press the edge. Fold it again along the top edge so that you have a 1-inch hem, turned under. Press in place. Pin this edge. Stitch the hem closed 5/8 inch from the edge, to finish the edge. Press the stitched edge. Set aside.

Take the second backing piece (22 inches x 8 inches). Fold down the top edge on the wrong side by 2 inches. Press the edge. Fold it again along the top edge so that you have a 1-inch hem, turned under. Press in place. Pin this edge. Stitch the hem closed, 5/8 inch from the edge, to finish the edge. Press the stitched edge.

 

Make 3 – 1 ¼ inch buttonholes on the hem edge. 1 of them in the centre of the backing, 1 inch up from the hem, and 1 on either side about 4 inches from the side edge, also 1 inch up from the hem edge. Set aside.

Take one strip of the “Little House on the Prairie” Motif. Trim 1 inch from the end so that your strip is 2 ½ by 17 inches. Fold over the left-hand side of the strip ½ inch and press it under.   Since this strip has words on it, be sure that you always work with the words in an upright position on your fabric. The top of the strip should be pointing toward the hemmed edge of your backing fabric.

Pin this strip, right side down, on the right side of the 22 x 18 backing piece, 5 inches from the right-hand edge. Match the bottom edge of the strip with the bottom edge of your backing fabric. There will be a 2-inch overhang at the top.

Stitch the strip to the backing fabric, 1/8^th inch from the edge, along the edge furthest from the seam edge. Leave the top unstitched for now.

Open the strip so that the right side is facing up. Press the seam that was just stitched.

Now pin down the folded under the edge, with the right side up. Pin the strip in place on the backing, still leaving the top open for now. Topstitch the strip, 1/8^th inch from the edge of the strip so that there is a ribbon with the “Little House on the Prairie Motif” on the backing. Press.

Finish the top of the backing

Fold over the Little House on the Prairie ribbon, and fold it under again to make a secure hem. Stitch this in place 1 inch from the edge of the top, being sure that you secure the hem. Press in place.   Set aside.

Prepare the Patchwork Top

Make a flat pillow top. Sew with right sides together, using a ¼ inch seam allowance, 10 — 2 ½ inch x 18-inch strips along their long edge in the following order:

Right to Left:

C, A, D, C, E, B, A, C, D, B

Since Fabric A is the Little House on the Prairie Motif fabric, be sure the words on this strip are facing upright. Press seams open after each strip is stitched in place.

Take the 2 strips that are 21 inches x 2 ½ inches. Pin them in place at the top and the bottom of your strip quilt pillow top, perpendicular to the other strips, to frame the pillow. Stitch in place using 1/8^th inch seams. Press the seams open.

Take your vintage embroidery piece and center it on the top of your strip pillow top. Choose the position and pin it into place. Stitch it in place using a top stitch, to secure it onto the patchwork pillow top. Press.

 

Attach the back to the front of the pillow

With right sides together pin the backing in place on the right side of the pillow front. Ensure that the top layer of the backing is pinned in place first, with the bottom layer overlapping by 1 inch in the place where the top backing and the bottom backing meet. Stitch around all 4 sides of the pillow.

Use a zig-zag stitch to reinforce the seam around all 4 sides. Press.

Finishing

Buttonholes:

In the backing, cut the buttonholes to fit your vintage mother of pearl buttons. Stitch on your buttons, using a double thread for security.

Insert your pillow insert. Wiggle the corners of the pillow insert it into the corners of your pillow. The down pillows will fluff up as they infuse with air, and fill out the pillow cover. Button the pillow cover closed.  Your Little House on the Prairie masterpiece is done.

To find the Little House on the Prairie® Andover Fabrics Collection at a store near you, check here.  Go to the official Little House on the Prairie site here.

You can find Little House on the Prairie fabrics and quilt kits online at Craftsy here. (affiliate)

Admire your work. Grab The Long Winter and a cuddly preschooler. Snuggle down and enjoy your handiwork.

 

A Giveaway

And enter the Giveaway.   You could win a fabulous collection of quilting fabrics, Little House on the Prairie Books, and more. The entire prize is worth $383 US.

Here’s what one lucky winner will take home:

• A fat quarter bundle of all three Little House on the Prairie^® fabric collections
• A limited-edition tote bag made of Little House on the Prairie^® fabric
• The Deluxe Remastered “Little House on the Prairie” Complete Collection DVD Set
• “The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder” DVD
• The Quilting with Laura book
• The World of Little House book

*The Giveaway ends December 14, 2015, at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Values are based on Suggested Retail Price. Open to U.S. Residents only, 18 years and over. Void where prohibited by law.

 

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