MELISSA MASON
TERRA PILLOW
18” THROW PILLOW PATTERN
Quilt ALL the Things
modern quilt design
This pillow cover goes along with my Terra Quilt Pattern, which plays with
the shapes and angles of gorgeous succulent plants and cacti. With this
pattern you can highlight the striking leaves and beautiful blooms that
make the original pattern so popular.
- Melissa
Materials Needed:
This pattern is scrap friendly. You can use as many or as few colors as you’d like.
Fabric for plant Large scraps or 1/8 yd other supplies:
cuts of each desired
color blank newsprint for printing
fabric glue pen
Background 1/4 yd pins
Backing for 20” square coordinating thread
pillow top
Batting for 20” square
pillow top
Fabric for 3/4 yd
envelope
backing
A Few Notes on printing Templates:
Print the template pages. You can do this on your home
printer. A few things to note before printing:
-Set your margins to .25”
-Print actual size, not “fit to page.” Measure the 1”
square on each page to ensure correct printing.
-I recommend printing on blank newsprint as it’s
thinner, cheaper, and makes for easy removal later.
Prepare your templates. Templates that have a red line
through them have multiple parts. Overlap the lines and
circles on the pieces and tape or glue to join.
The Terra Quilt Pattern can be
found at
www.quiltallthethings.com/shop
2
Layout
F
5
2
3
3
5 6 2
4
1 1
1
B 9 7 5 1 2 3
6 2
4 C 8 4
7 12 4 3
6 6 11
10 5
2 A 7
8 5 4 4
9 5 1
3 6
2 3
10 1 7 6
8
7
1 8 9 9
11
10 8
G 3 5
2 D
7 4 6 E
Remember- Paper Piecing patterns show the reverse (Mirror) of
the final image.
3
Cut Guide
Layout
Cut the following:
Preparing Fabric for Paper Piecing:
From background fabric:
You can cut fabric pieces as you go with your paper piecing
(2) 1.5” x 18.5” templates, but if you want to save time, I recommend cutting
(2) 1.5” x 16” up front.
Fabric for envelope backing: You want to cut enough fabric to cover the numbered
segment completely plus at least
(2) 18.5” x 14”:
a 1/4” seam allowance (I usually 5
cut much larger just to save
See printing notes on page headaches). 3
4 2
2 and print out templates on 1
following pages. Cut them out How to do it- place your fabric over
the numbered segment to eyeball
and see sidebar to prepare how big it needs to be. If you need
fabric that will be used to sew to, use a disappearing fabric pen
these pieces. to draw the shape you want to cut.
Alternately, just cut rectangles
large enough to cover.
Paper Piecing
You’ll be sewing your fabric onto the unmarked side of
the FPP template. The printed side of the paper will be
the back of your finished quilt top. Shorten your stitch
length to about 1.5, this will make removing the paper
easier later on.
1) Each template has a number on each segment.
Place the desired fabric onto the #1 spot on your FPP
Fig. 1 Cover the whole
template (the blank side). Hold it up to the light to space and baste down
be sure the fabric is covering the space. You’ll want
at least 1/4” overlap around the edges. You can glue
baste this in place if you’d like. (Fig. 1)
2) Place the #2 fabric right sides together with #1, with
at least 1/4” overlapping the line between the #1 and
#2 spot on the paper. You can quickly fold the #2 fabric
back along the seam line to be sure that the shape is
going to fully cover its spot. (Fig. 2) Fig. 2 Fold the paper back to give
you a guide to where the seam will
be.
4
3) With those right sides together, (you can pin d) With these pinned down, glue baste
or glue baste in place) turn the paper so the inside the seam allowance in those spots
marked side is up. Sew along the marked line, and intermittently along the rest of the edge.
backstitching at each end. Alternately, push pins through the fabric
perpendicular to the edge to be sewn to secure
4) Flip the paper back over and fold the #2 for stitching. (Fig. 5)
fabric so that it’s covering its spot and iron. Trim
the seam allowance to reduce bulk. (Fig. 3) e) Stitch along the seam allowance line.
Fold the paper inside the seam allowance back
5) Repeat steps 2-4 with each section of the and forth to perforate and gently remove it.
template you’re working on, following the Press seams open or to darker side. Turn over
numbered sequence. and press flat. (Fig. 6)
6) When all your fabrics are attached and ironed, f) Continue assembling in the order
lay your template paper side up on your cutting indicated. Repeat to assemble all your
mat. With your ruler and rotary cutter, trim segments.
around the template,
7) Repeat these steps with each template for the
block you’re working on.
8) When all the segments are finished, it’s time
to sew them together to create the full plant
block.
9) Set your stitch length back to normal, about Fig. 4 Pin through the seams
2.5. with fabrics right sides
together.
10) Each segment has a letter on it. Segments
will be sewn to each other in letter order,
starting with A.
11) To assemble:
a) Place pieces right sides together. Lay
them down on your ironing board or pressing
mat, something soft that you can poke a pin into.
b) Poke a pin vertically into the very edge Fig. 5 Glue or pin baste while
of the seam allowance on each corner of the top seams are pinned down.
piece. If two fabrics come together at that point,
peek at the fabric side to make sure it’s right in
between the two fabrics. (Fig. 4)
c) Continue to push the pin through to the
bottom fabric, checking that it is poking through
right at that corner mark of the bottom piece as
well. 5
Assembly
Assemble the Pillow Front
Sew one 1.5” x 16” strip to the top and one to the
bottom of the paper pieced block. Press.
Sew a 1.5” x 18.5” strip to each side of the block.
Press.
You should now have an 18.5” square. If you find
that your square needs trimming, go ahead and
square it.
Quilt Your Pillow Top
Now that you’ve completed your pieced top,
it’s time to quilt it like you would a normal sized
quilt. Add the Envelope Backing
Lay out your 20” pieces of batting and backing. On one of your backing panels of 14” x 18.5”, use
Baste using your preferred method. your fingers or a ruler to fold up one of the long
(18.5”) edges about 1/4” and then fold up 1/4”
Quilt as desired. again. Press down. Topstitch in place.
Repeat for second backing panel.
Lay your quilted pillow front right side up.
Lay one backing panel on it, wrong side up,
matching the long side raw edge to the left side
of the pillow front. Pin in place. Lay the second
backing panel on top, wrong side up, matching
the long side raw edge to the right side of the
pillow front. Pin in place.
Stitch 1/4” all the way around the pinned square,
backstitching at the beginning and end. If you
want, you may serge or zigzag stitch the raw
edges of the pillow top to further secure.
Flip right side out and press. Stuff with 18” pillow
insert and enjoy!
6
Templates
12 A 7
11 10 2
4 1
B 5 3 8
6
9
9
8
7
6
5
1
4
2
3
1”
7
3
1
5
2
D
4
7
6
C
8
6
4
5
3 7
2 9
1 8
10
8
1
7 E
2
3
4 5
6
9
F
5
3
6 2
4
1
10
7 6
8
9
10
11
G
11
G
7
12
G
2
3
4
13
