1. Set up Your Machine for Embroidery

Michelle Griffith of Michelle's Designs Presents

Through the Garden

Pinwheel Pillow

Supplies

GO!® Critters (55030) / ¼" foot
GO!® Circle-2”, 3”, 5” (55012) / Cording/welting foot
GO!® Value Die (55018) / Zipper foot
GO!® Strip Cutter - 1 ½" (55024) / 24" ruler
GO!® Strip Cutter - 1 ¾" (55083) / Seam gauge
GO!® Strip Cutter - 4 ½" (55054) / Straight pins
GO!® Mat 5” x 10” (55110) / Rotary cutter
GO!® Mat 6” x 12” (55112) / Cutting mat
GO!® Mat 10" x 24" (55113) / Fabric scissors
Michelle's Designs Through the Garden CD #3753 / Embroidery scissors
Sticky back stabilizer / Sewing thread and bobbins
Lightweight tear-away stabilizer / Embroidery thread (listed in color chart on CD) and bobbins
Temporary spray adhesive / Hot fix crystals - about 20 size 10ss
Disappearing marking pen / Hot fix applicator wand
Standard sewing foot / 4 buttons 3/4"
Embroidery foot / 14" Ziplon Designer Accents (available from American & Efird)
Gathering foot

Cut Fabric

For the front of the pillow:
Butterfly: / One piece 6" x 6" (use Critters die)
Center: / One piece 10 ½" x 10 ½"
Sides: / Four pieces 9 ½" x 4 ½" (use 4 ½" strip cutter die)
Ruffles: / Two pieces WOF x 4 ½" (use 4 ½" strip cutter die)
Center front Band: / One piece WOF x 1 ½" (use 1 ½" strip cutter die)
Pinwheel corners: / Thirty-two triangles, 16 of one fabric and 16 of a second fabric (use triangles on value die)
Note: For cutting the back, read this information: The back of the pillow doubles as a functional pocket that features a decorative zipper that has a large pull and wide zipper tape. You will be cutting nine pieces for the back: one upper back piece and lining, and one lower back piece and lining. The zipper will be attached to these pieces. There are also two pieces of sashing and lining, which will be sewn on the left-hand and right-hand sides of the back, where the zipper pull and stop are located. The ninth piece is one large piece that will be used to line the entire back of the pillow and pocket.
For the back of the pillow, with zippered pocket cut the following:
Upper back piece: / One piece of fabric and one piece of lining 15" x 6"
Lower back piece: / One piece of fabric and one piece of lining 15" x 11 ½"
Back sashing: / Two pieces of fabric and two pieces of lining 1 ¾" x 16 ½" (use the 1 ¾" strip cutter die)
Back lining: / One piece of fabric 16 ½" x 16 ½"
For around the pillow edge:
Piping; / Two pieces WOF x 1 ¾"

Embroidery:

1. Set up your machine for embroidery.

2. Select the design called "Butterfly" from the Through the Garden CD #3753. You will find the design under the Accessory Bag project. Transfer design into your machine.

3. Hoop the Sticky Back Stabilizer on a hoop that will accommodate a 6.88" high x 4.58" wide design. Attach hoop onto the machine.

4. Starch the 10 ½" x 10 ½" square piece very well.

5. Draw a vertical and horizontal line down the fabric. Center the fabric on the hoop with the needle in the intersection of the two marked lines.

6. Place one piece of lightweight tear-away under the hoop.

7. Embroider the design by following the directions on the color sequence chart provided on the CD.

8. When finished, remove the hoop from the machine and the stabilizer from the fabric. Press on wrong side.

9. Cut embroidered piece down to 9 ½" x 9 ½".

Ruffles:

1. Set up your machine for sewing.

2. Attach a gathering foot onto your machine.

3. Select a straight stitch, with center needle position. Adjust the stitch length to 6mm.

4. Cut each piece for the ruffle in half; you will have four pieces, each about 21" long.

5. Place the edge of one piece of the ruffle fabric along the edge of the gathering foot and sew down the length of the fabric. Note: It is helpful to place your finger behind the foot when starting to sew to get the gathering process started. Adjust the stitch length and tension if needed to get the desired fullness of the ruffle. The finished length should be about 11".

6. Repeat for the other three pieces of ruffle fabric.

7. Attach a standard sewing foot onto your machine.

8. Sew one piece of ruffle along one long edge of each of the four 9 ½" x 4 ½" side pieces within the ½" seam allowance, matching raw edges. Trim off any excess ruffle.

Center Front Bands:

1. Attach a standard sewing foot.

2. Fold the 1 ½" x WOF piece of fabric in half lengthwise, wrong sides
together, matching the raw edges. Press.

3. Cut into four 9 ½" pieces.

4. Sew a band over each ruffle within the ½" seam allowance, matching
raw edges.

5. Carefully trim the seam allowance of the ruffles to eliminate bulk.

Cornerstones (1/4" seam allowance and 2.0 mm stitch length):

1. Sew the 32 triangles together to make four cornerstones, as illustrated.
Press all seams open.

Front Construction (1/2" seam allowance and 2.0 mm stitch length):

1. Sew two cornerstones to the short ends of two of the 9 ½" x 4 ½" strips that have a ruffle and a band attached. Press the seams.

2. Sew the two 9 ½" x 4 ½" strips without the cornerstones to the sides of the front piece. Press the seams.

3. Sew the strips with the cornerstones attached to the top and bottom. Press the seams. The pillow front should be 16 ½" square.

4. To taper the corners on the front so that they will not be “dog eared,” measure ½” from each side at the corners and mark. Measure 4” from the corners down each side.

5. Now connect the side marks with the marks at the ½” mark, as shown.

6. Cut along these lines. Your pillow front should have the following shape:

Zippered Pocket:

1. To prepare for constructing the back, match the upper and lower back pieces with their linings. Lightly spray the wrong side of the linings with temporary spray adhesive. Place them on the wrong sides of the upper and lower pieces and smooth out.

2. Serge or overcast one 15" edge of both the top and bottom center back pieces that now have your lining. Press these edges ½" to the wrong side.

3. Attach a zipper foot.

4. With the zipper closed and facing up, lay the folded edge of the bottom center piece along the zipper teeth and pin into place.

5. Using a straight 2.5 mm stitch, sew along the entire length of the zipper about 1/8” away from the zipper teeth.

6. Repeat the process for the other half of the zipper with the top center piece.

7. The completed piece should measure 15" wide x 16 ½" high. Trim if necessary.

Back Construction (1/2" seam allowance):

1. Match the two back sashing pieces with their linings. Lightly spray the wrong side of the lining pieces with temporary spray adhesive. Place them on the wrong sides of the sashing pieces and smooth out.

2. Attach a standard sewing foot.

3. Sew the sashing pieces to the center back, one on the side with the zipper pull and one on the side with the zipper stop.

4. Press the seams towards the sashing.

5. Place this piece with the zipper on top of the 16 ½" x 16 ½" back lining piece with the wrong side of the zippered piece to the right side of the lining piece.

6. Baste along the top and bottom edges.

7. The complete the pocket, stitch in the ditch, which is the seam between the back of the pillow and the sashing.

8. Lay the shaped front on the back, right sides together. Cut the back corners to match the front ones.

Edge Piping:

1. Attach a cording/welting foot onto your machine.

2. Tape the ends of the cording with tape to prevent fraying.

3. Sew the two pieces of piping fabric together along one short end; cut down to 70" long.

4. Wrap the fabric over the cording, matching the raw edges.

5. With the cording in to the groove of the foot, select a straight stitch and center needle position. Move the needle position so that you are sewing next to the cording to create the piping.

6. Trim the seam allowance to ½" wide.

7. Sew the piping around the front with a ½" seam allowance, matching raw edges and slightly rounding the corners.

Embellishments:

1. Sew buttons in the centers of the pinwheels.

2. Add crystals wherever you like.

Finish (1/2" seam allowance):

1. Place the front and back right sides together.

2. Sew around all four edges, leaving about 6" open for turning.

3. Turn and press.

4. Stuff.

5. Sew opening closed.

Michelle’s Designs, LLC (760) 720-4335