Patchwork cushion cover with stripes

Behind the fourth calendar door of the blog Advent Calendar I have hidden cushions with stripes in shades of blue and purple for you. This is a patchwork project which you can surely finish until Christmas! I will show you 2 kinds of cushions with stripes: Once I sewed a cushion with plain stripes and once a cushion where the stripes are combined. Both are sewn according to the same principle.

I would like to show how you – even as a non-patchworker/quilter – can sew such cushions. We sew in centimeters and don’t quilt either.

Notes for experienced patchworkers

Of course you can also quilt or cut in inches. If you want to sew this striped pattern in inches and without overlock stitch:

Cutting the strips for insertion: 1″ with a seam allowance of 1/4″.
Used as cushion fabric patchwork cotton
Create a quilt sandwich – then it is not necessary to serge the seams.

Sew cushions with inserted stripes

Material for blue-purple cushions with stripes

Cushion fabric
You will need 2 x the size of your cushion plus approx. 4 cm more on each side. So for a cushion measuring 40 x 40 cm you need two 48 x 48 cm pieces of fabric
I chose a textured trouser flannel fabric for my cushions, which is a bit cozier than normal woven cotton.
Woven cotton fabric in various colors – here in light purple, dark purple and blue – patchwork cotton, bunting, etc.
a zipper in a matching color – I like to use invisible zippers – in the length matching your cushion size if you want a cushion with a zipper. However, a hotel closure or other closure of your choice is also possible. If you choose a different closure, make sure to adjust the pattern measurements to have enough fabric for your closure.
Rotary cutter & cutting mat, cutting ruler (here in centimeters – of course an inch ruler also works)

Cutting for the cushions with stripes

Cutting the cushion fabric

First, cut out the front for your cushion. Add 8 cm to both the length and width. My cushion filling measures 40 x 30 cm. I cut a piece measuring 48 x 38 cm from the cushion fabric.

The back piece will have a 2 cm seam allowance in both length and width. In my case, I cut a piece measuring 42 x 32 cm. Yes, the back piece is smaller then the front. We will cut the front to the final size after inserting the stripes later.

Cutting the assembled stripes

First, I’ll show you how to sew the cushion with the stripes joined together.

To do this, cut strips 5 cm wide from your cotton fabric. With a length of approx. 20-25 cm, you will get quite a lot of strips – maybe you want to sew more than one cushion?

For my cushion with a height of 30 cm, I cut 13 strips of 5 x 20 cm each.

For those who like to calculate: minus a seam allowance of 1 cm: 13 x 3 cm = 39 cm length of the strip to be inserted; as the strips are inserted at an angle, an additional length of approx. 6-8 cm is recommended.

Arrange the cut plain strips in a pattern of your choice, regular or irregular.

Sewing the assembled insert stripes

Then sew the strips together with a seam allowance of 1 cm.

Always beautiful in changing colors! And make sure that you always place the strips in the same position at the top.

Then iron the resulting panel with stripes.

Next, press the seam allowances apart. Neatening the seam allowances is not absolutely necessary with normal woven cotton fabric.

Cutting the individual assembled stripes

Now cut individual stripes from the sewn panel. First you straighten the panel on the bottom.

Then cut stripes 2.5 cm wide.

This creates the composite insert stripes.

I have already laid out the stripes on the cushion fabric to test the placement. I liked alternating the direction of the stripes, but the arrangement is entirely up to you.

Sewing the stripes into the cushion fabric

Now it’s time to be brave: we cut the cushion fabric with a diagonal straight cut.

Now place the first cut insert stripe flush against one edge, right sides together. Use a few pins to fix the stripe in place.

As I have a slanted edge and a fraying cushion fabric, I sew the stripe to the cushion fabric with an overlock stitch to prevent the seam allowances from fraying, as the overlock stitch sews and finishes the edge at the same time.

Attach the Overlock Presser Foot #2A
Select the Stretch Overlock Stitch No. 13 (number might vary on your machine, so check your manual for the overlock stitch).

The guide pin of the overlock foot runs along the outer edge of your fabric.

Here you can see that the edges are looped so that the cushion fabric does not fray.

Now press the stripe from the back so that the seam you have just sewn is facing the cushion fabric.

The remaining cushion fabric is then sewn onto the stripe.

Place the edge of the stripe on the slanted edge of the cushion fabric and pin it in place. Test whether the top and bottom edges of the cushion are not displaced but still form a line by unfolding them. If necessary, move the strip accordingly and test again. Only after this test do you sew this seam again with the overlock stitch.

In the following picture you can see that the top and bottom edges “run through”. You should make sure that this line does not bounce too much. However, as this is usually unavoidable, we have cut the cushion slightly larger.

The seam is also ironed towards the cushion fabric.

The next cut follows.

And continue in the same way until you like your cushion with stripes.

I prefer if the inserted stripes do not cross.

Now cut the cushion front to your cushion size – and don’t forget the seam allowances of 2 cm all around! You can also place the back side which you already cut on your front and then cut around it.

Here is a picture of the ironed left side. Ironing the seam allowances to one side makes it nice and flat. I overlocked all sides of my front and back piece.

You can then sew your cushion from it. Here you can find a video tutorial on how to sew a cushion cover with an invisible zipper using the Invisible Zipper Foot #35.

Invisible Zipper Foot #35

Sewing in invisible zippers of all sizes ✓ The zippers are virtually invisible ✓ For 5.5 mm and 9 mm machines ✓

Learn more

Sew cushions with plain inset stripes

For the cushion with the plain inset stripes, cut stripes 2.5 cm wide and approx. 10 cm longer than the height of your cushion.

The stripes are also sewn in with the Overlock Foot #2A in the same way as described above.

I ironed the seam allowances together in the direction of the stripes.

Crossings works well with the single-colored stripes. When you cross another stripe, test your alignment by unfolding your fabric before sewing to make sure the top and bottom of your crossed line is still correctly aligned.

Now cut to cushion to size again (with 2cm seam allowance) and sew together with the back to form a cushion, with a zipper or hotel closure, depending on your preference.

Have a cozy and happy Advent season with a little sewing time!