Tips for Newbies
Before starting work, textiles containing cotton must be soaked in hot water, rinsed in cold water, starched, and ironed. When a person first decides to do something with his own hands, he begins to get lost. Here are some tips to help beginners master the patchwork technique:
- segments can be made from the same type of textile or different;
- depending on the style, fragments may differ greatly or be identical;
- a pattern is absolutely necessary to create a patchwork-style pillow;
- don't forget allowances;
- the flaps should be prepared according to the template;
- Before starting work, it is better to rinse all fabrics in warm water and iron.
Patchwork pillows must be sewn carefully so that the seams are invisible. Craftswomen recommend ironing the craft after each machine treatment.
Pillow made using the Russian square technique (MK)
To create a pillow in the Russian Square patchwork style, you must complete the following steps, which are presented in the step-by-step instructions:
1. Initially, patterns are prepared. The product consists of a square located in the center of the product. It will be followed by 5 stripes around the perimeter, consisting of four triangles obtained from a square cut diagonally. The central square has dimensions of 6.5x6.5 cm. The squares for the triangles used in each floor have sides of 7 cm, 9 cm, 11 cm respectively.
2. First, sew the central pink square with blue and white triangles. To do this, fold the flaps right sides together, combining the parts in the following way: the side of the square and the base of the triangle. After this the line is laid. All four triangles are sewn in this way.
3. Next, the elements are straightened and steamed using an iron. The result will be a new square, which at this stage needs to be leveled. To give the element the correct shape, trim off all excess and tidy up the edges of the seams.
4. At the next stage, new triangles, larger in size, are sewn to the resulting square. All actions described above are performed. Each time you will get new squares with a larger perimeter. Having completed all the stages, you will get a patchwork pillow element from various patches measuring 32x32 cm.
As a result, you get a pillowcase that needs to be ironed well. To give the patchwork pillow a more stylish look, the front part must be quilted.
On video: how to sew a quilted pillow in patchwork style.
What are patchwork pillows?
Essentially, these are covers made from several pieces of textile of different colors, dressed on a pillowcase stuffed with filling. In some cases, these are ordinary sofa pillows, the front side of which is made in patchwork style.
To make things beautiful, you should draw diagrams, follow tips, techniques and have everything you need nearby. You can also embroider blankets, pillowcases, toys, and clothes using the patchwork technique. The patchwork style appealed to thrifty housewives.
Allowances for cotton fabrics are 0.5-0.6 cm if pillows from scraps are sewn by hand. When machine sewing, they are equal to the width of the foot.
How to properly patchwork pillows: master class
Any master class on sewing a patchwork pillow with your own hands is designed to comply with several points:
Before starting work, it is important to carefully prepare your workplace and stock up on all the necessary materials.
Patchwork stages:
- If it has been decided to use a master class with embroidery for decoration, floss, scissors, a needle, etc. must be present. The embroidery is applied to the fabric, and then used to create a pillowcase or pillow.
- You need to leave 2-2.5 cm on each side of the design. The next step is to cut out the shreds. You will need strips the width of which is equal to the embroidery and the height of 2.7 cm. Be sure to leave 0.6 cm on each side for the seam. After sewing the flap, you need to iron it well with an iron.
- The next strip should be from a different fabric. It is measured by the overall size of the resulting flap and ironed well. The sizes of the remaining strips are measured in the same way and cut from other types of fabric.
- For such a pillow with embroidery, you will need four types of fabric, which must be alternated with each other until the front side is ready. All that remains is to sew the bottom part to it, fill it with filler and make a hidden seam.
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Before starting work, you need to prepare your workplace well and stock up on all the necessary materials and tools.
This master class is just one of many possible options for creating decorative pillows.
Master class on sewing a pillow using patchwork technique (video)
How to make it yourself
The first photo shows the creation of a diagram, which we transfer to a sheet of paper of the appropriate size. To do this, you can use a special transparent sheet with printed squares.
Now we cut the fabric into pieces of different sizes. Preferred shapes are square and rectangle.
On each segment you need to process the edges so that they do not unravel. It is better to do this with a sewing machine. Each modern model has a function that allows you to carefully fix the edge of the fabric.
Place the two pieces of paper with right sides facing each other and sew them together.
Everything that sticks out beyond the stencil must be cut off, forming a smooth edge of the future pillowcase.
When all the patches are sewn, we proceed to framing. To do this, bend the edge about a centimeter and secure it with pins. When sewing with a machine, do not forget to pull out the pins. We do the same with all sides of the product.
We place the pillow on our pillowcase closer to one of the sides. Cover with the right edge and then the left. The fabric should overlap slightly. We fix it with pins and pull out the product.
Turn it inside out. You should sew from the wrong side not the place where it is marked with pins, but the top and bottom edges.
That's it, the patchwork pillowcase is ready, all you have to do is put it on.
These are the cute patchwork pillows you can get if you follow the recommendations.
Here's a close-up photo of the product.
DIY patchwork technique
To make crafts, you can watch tips in master classes, this is especially important for beginners. For experienced craftswomen, it is not difficult to make a unique thing, relying on experience and skills. Their pillowcases turn out beautiful and very organic, even without schematic sketches.
Regardless of the chosen manufacturing technique, you will need a diagram for the correct placement of the patches. It is also worth considering in advance the shape of the product, size, edging, if any. Before starting work, you should prepare the following equipment:
- flaps;
- a reliable sewing machine;
- filler;
- threads with a needle;
- sharp scissors;
- iron with steam function;
- additional accessories.
Step-by-step guide suitable for any patchwork technique:
- Determine the type of future product, draw an appropriate diagram. It is worth watching master classes and photographs on the topic. After this, you can begin making templates.
- Fabric preparation – pre-washing, ironing. Light textiles must be weighted with non-woven fabric.
- Transfer the pattern to the fabric and cut it out.
- Fold in pairs, sew, ironing each seam.
Patchwork style is a variety of techniques. Perfect for beginners:
- Classic style - 16 identical squares of 2-5 different colors. The fragments are sewn together in strips of 4 pieces, not forgetting to leave 1 cm for allowances. Then the blanks are sewn together. The back part is made plain, and a zipper can be sewn into one of the sides.
- Square within a square - fragments of different sizes are sewn sequentially, at an angle of 90 degrees. Two different fabrics of contrasting colors are used.
- American square - the central figure is surrounded by triangles in a spiral, differing in size, but with the same width.
- Russian square - a central figure is selected, and stripes or triangular fragments are sewn around it.
You can make a patchwork style pillow with your own hands using the following technique:
- Diamond - a detailed diagram consists of several different-shaped quadrangles and the same pentagons, designed for 6 templates;
- The mill is a successful combination of triangles and square fragments of different sizes;
- A star is a pattern of equilateral triangles.
Cross-stitch
Original pillowcases are made with a central plot. You can find fabric with a print, or you can embroider it. This is especially true for the design of small cross-stitched compositions that are too small for frames. Things with animals look cute in children's rooms. Patchwork cross stitch is suitable for beginners and craftsmen.
Variants of popular schemes
The creation of drawings according to different schemes differs slightly, the basis is always geometry - the correct combination of elements. There are two main schemes of work in this technique:
- square method - when the fabric is cut into identical squares of different colors, it is better for beginners to use the “chessboard” technique, alternating contrasting colors in the appropriate order;
- strip method. The panel is created from prepared strips of fabric, which are sewn together according to the chosen pattern.
The stripes can be assembled in different orders:
- parallel to each other;
- spirally, called the “log cabin” method;
- stripes that seem to move towards each other;
- triangles from which squares are created can also be used to assemble a star;
- using hexagons, you can create a honeycomb;
- “watercolor”, here the arrangement of colors plays a role. Move from a light tone to a darker one.
Ideas for patchwork pillows of different designs
Not everyone can come up with new designs, but beginners should first learn how to create neat things based on ready-made designs. Among the popular design ideas, there are very original patchwork pillow designs. For example:
- classic version;
- from jeans;
- round shape;
- star;
- seat cushion.
Classic patchwork pillow
Items created in a traditional style fit perfectly into any design. The main requirement is that one of the fabrics on the product matches the color of the furniture. To make pillowcases, you can use leftovers from curtains, sofa upholstery, tulle, and contrasting fabrics. The main elements of the style are rectangular stripes and squares.
Denim pillow
The technique is completely identical to the classic style, only denim is used instead of fabric. It can be taken from old things or bought. A pillow made from denim scraps looks great if the edges of each fragment are loosened. They need to be sewn in stripes or sequentially.
Round patchwork pillow
If square shapes have become familiar and the method of their manufacture is clear, then there are more problems with round products. You can’t make them according to the classical scheme, and most others are not suitable. An excellent option is the “Dresden plate” or “chrysanthemum petals”.
Star
Star-shaped pillows are made from triangles. There may be a square flap or two triangular flaps in the center. The shape is perfect for embroidery design. They are made in sets of 3 to 7 pieces; you can supplement the composition with a product in the shape of a month.
Pillow - seat
These things differ from others in the amount of filler. If for sofa products you need a lot of it to give it a convex shape, then a small amount goes into the seats so that you can sit comfortably. For things of this type, it is preferable to use dark, non-staining fabrics, denim is possible.
What materials can be used for patchwork pillows
You can put together a patchwork collection of sofa cushions to create a complete living room interior. Covers in this style can decorate chairs; the use of equipment is not limited. Some housewives love the resulting style so much that they create an imitation of knitted fabrics by crocheting them; knitted items are coming back into fashion.
However, classically this technique is performed from fabrics. Most often, cotton material is chosen for this purpose (chintz, twill, poplin, satin). The density of the weave may also vary, but it is preferable to focus on opaque types of materials.
If you decide to make a voluminous or textured pillow, then it is better to choose fabrics with mixed fibers, or a synthetic type of material (polyester, acrylic). Some people stick to very thick fabrics such as denim and leather.
Note! But you need to take into account that they are more difficult to work with, so the drawing will need to be made simpler, usually in squares.
Patchwork pillows 110 photos
A selection of interesting photographs will allow you to find out what products may be available. There are both small crafts and large, pouf-like things. Products sewn using the patchwork technique are distinguished by their simplicity, originality, and creativity.
You can quickly make a patchwork pillowcase with your own hands, because there are a lot of simple patterns that do not require special actions. Therefore, if you have machine sewing skills, and you have fabric pieces and a bunch of old things lying around in your closet, be sure to try to create an original item from these “raw materials”.
Author: Galina Kanashchuk
Peculiarities
Patchwork pillow sewing was invented a long time ago; people resorted to it due to a shortage of material; at that time, any scrap was valuable. And they were sewn together in a chaotic manner, rarely paying attention to the combination and integrity of the composition. Contemporary art involves a skillful combination of different shapes, fabrics, sizes of pieces of material, as well as taking into account the compatibility of colors with each other.
A decorative product can fit into different styles. It is possible to purchase ready-made pillows and blankets. A wide range of textile products using similar techniques are on sale.
Specialized stores also sell ready-made scraps that fit in size and just need to be sewn together correctly. Therefore, if you don’t want to prepare the fabric, you can still create a patchwork pillow with your own hands.
