With March Madness just around the corner, turn your Fastbreak Quilt into a pillow to enjoy while you watch your favorite team(s) compete for college basketball's top spot!
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These instructions are for making a slightly overstuffed pillow using a 20" pillow form and an envelope closure to achieve the look of the basketball "hoop" on the back. You're welcome to use a slightly smaller pillow form if you prefer that look.
Let's get to it!
Materials Needed:
Fastbreak Quilt Pattern (grab it here)
Fabric for your basketball block:
Color A: (1) Fat Quarter
Color B: (1) Fat Eighth
Color C: (1) Fat Eighth
Background: (2) 7" squares, (2) .75" x 18.5" strips and (2) .75"x 19.5" strips
* Fabrics used for the pillow in this tutorial are Pixel by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Ruby Star Society for Colors A, B and Background and Kona Cotton-Aqua for Color C.
Fabric for your backing: (2) 12.75"x 19.5" rectangles
Fabric for your rim: (1) 2"x 19.5" strip
20"x 20" batting
Basting spray or pins
3/8" Chenille It Blooming Bias in White (you can find it here)
20"x 20" pillow form
Scissors or rotary blade
Ruler with a 60 degree angle
Steps:
1. To make your pillow you'll want to start with a completed quilt block using the nine blocks that make the "basketball" in the pattern. Your basketball block should measure 18.5" square when completed.
2. Add the (2) .75" x 18.5" strips of background fabric to the outer edges, right sides together (RST) to add a .5" border (this will make sure your basketball does not get cut off when attaching the backing fabric). Then add the (2) .75" x 19.5" strips to the top and bottom edges, RST. Press seams toward the outside edge of the block.
3. Center your block on top of the 20"x 20" batting square and baste however you'd like (I used spray baste on this smaller project). Quilt the top to the batting as desired. Trim the excess batting from the edge of your block to finish at 19.5" square.
4. Prepare the backing pieces by folding and pressing 1/4" twice on one raw 19.5" edge (the long edge) to create a rolled hem. Repeat on the second backing piece. Secure using a 1/8" seam allowance on the edge of the fold.
5. Create your "net" using one backing piece and sewing strips of 3/8" Chenille-It 2 inches apart at a 60 degree angle creating a diamond cross-hatch design edge-to-edge. I marked my lines using a Hera marker before attaching the Chenille-It strips. To attach the strips, simply stitch straight down the center of the strip, that's it!
**The Chenille-It strips do not need to be perfectly lined up with the edges of your backing pieces, but be sure they start and end at least 1/4" from the edge of your backing pieces to ensure they will be covered by our 1/2" seam allowances in later steps.
6. Add your "rim"by sewing your 2" x 19.5" color strip RST to the rolled hem edge of the net backing piece using a 1/2" seam allowance. Press rim strip to the outside edge.
7. Flip your backing piece over and fold and press 1/4" on the opposite raw edge of the strip. Fold again over the backing piece and secure using a 1/8" seam.
8. Attach the backing to the quilted basketball block by placing your basketball block right side up, then place your "net" backing piece right side down lining up the raw edges to the bottom and side edges of your basketball block. Then place the additional backing piece on top of the net backing piece, aliging the raw edges with the top and side edges of your basketball block (if you put this one under the net backing piece, you won't see your "rim" once the pillow is turned right side out). Pin all layers in place and secure the top to the backing pieces by sewing a 1/2" seam around the entire square. **Be sure to back stitch a few times on the points where the backing pieces over lap to ensure enough strength to your seams when inserting the pillow form.
9. Clip the corners to reduce bulk and turn your pillow case right side out using a dull pointed tool to ensure the corners are completely turned right side out.
10. Wash and dry your pillow case to "finish" the Chenille-It, add your 20" pillow form and enjoy! Don't forget to share your finished Fastbreak Pillow by using the hashtag #fastbreakquilt on Instagram!
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