Hexi Pillow Cushion Tutorial

Hello everyone!! Today I have a cute Hexi Pillow Cushion tutorial to share with all of you. The fun part is the fabric! It has Santa Claus on it {smile}!

Yes, Christmas in June! It’s time to get ready for all things Christmas.

Let’s take a look at my Hexi Pillow Cushion:

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Finish product

Are you tickled pink like me?  Look at that button. It’s made of fabric too. I had fun making this pillow, but the button is my favorite.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Finish product

Wait, I have another goody for you. One of these pillows is waterproof and stain-resistant. I created these pillows for my niece when she goes outside. She loves sitting on the front step, and my mother always tells her not to sit on the cold concrete, so I made her a pillow for that purpose.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: finished product

Before I share how I made the pillow waterproof and stain-resistant, let’s learn about this fabric collection.

Fabric Collection:

This fabric collection is called Warm Wishes by Simple Simon and Company for Riley Blake Designs. There are 21 prints full of snowmen, wrapped presents, candy canes, and more. It’s full of love and warmth that you get from family around the holiday.

Warm Wishes Fabric Collection

Here’s how to create the Hexi Pillow Cushion:

Materials

Note: Some of the links below contain affiliate links.

Warm Wishes Fabric
Creative Grid 60 Degree Triangle 8-1/2 in Quilt Ruler
Hobbs Poly-Down Batting
Sewing Machine
Thread
Cutting Mat
Rotary Cutter
HeatnBond Liquid Vinyl
Foam Brush
Dritz Cover Button Kit
Scissors
Poly-Fill Beads
HeatnBond Pressing Paper

Step One: Cutting fabric

Cut 2 triangles from 3 different fabric prints.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Cutting the triangles

Step Two: Sew the triangles

Sew the first three triangles together, pressing the seam allowance to the dark fabric.

Repeat with the next three triangles.

Sew the two pieces together.

Step Three: Cut the batting

Place the hexi piece on top of a piece of batting and cut 2inch past the hexi piece on all four sides.

Step Four: Stitching the two pieces together

Stitch in the ditch for every triangle.

Stitch 1/4 inch from the center stitch on both sides.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: stitching the two pieces together

Hexi Pillow Cushion: stitching the two pieces together

Step Five: Trim the excess batting

Trim the excess batting from the entire piece.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: trimming the excess batting

Serge or zig-zag the edge for easy turning.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: trimming the excess batting

Step Six: Cut the back piece

Cut the back piece by laying the front panel on top.

Step 7: Sew the front and back together

With right sides together, sew using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave a 4-inch hole so you can add the poly-fill beads.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Stitch the front and back together

Step 8: Turn and Fill with Poly-Fill Beads

Turn the fabric inside out and use a point turner to push out the corners.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: HeatNBond Liquid Vinyl

Fill the fabric with the poly-fill beads. Do not fill it up completely because you need to sew the edges and add the button.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Turn and fill with Poly-Fill Beads

Use your judgment on how much to add.

Step 9: Close the pillow

Stitch the pillow closed by hand or machine depending on the amount of filling you have inside the pillow.

Step 10: Adding the button

Use Dritz Cover Button Kit to make a fabric button.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Fabric Button Hexi Pillow Cushion: Fabric Button

Thread a long needle, push it in the center of the pillow from the back, and bring it out of the front.

Push the needle through the button notch and then back down the center of the pillow, pulling it from the back.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Adding a button

Pull the thread tight, tie a knot, and cut the threads, leaving an inch of thread.

Yay, you did it!

Hexi Pillow Cushion: finished product

Do you want to make your pillow waterproof and stain-resistant?

Here are the extra steps:

After step 6, protect your workstation with pressing paper.

Use a foam brush and apply a thin coat of HeatnBond Liquid Vinyl on the front and back pieces.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: Waterproof and Stain Resistant

Let it dry for 30-45 minutes.

Once the pieces dry, cover them with pressing paper and press on medium heat and no steam.

Hexi Pillow Cushion: HeatNBond Liquid Vinyl

Apply a second coat and repeat the steps above.

Once the second coat dries, start back at step 7 till the end.

Now you can sit outside on the concrete or grass with your new pillow.

Supplies used:

 

Warm Wishes Fabric Collection Bernina 570QE HeatnBond VinylPressing Paper

How to Create a Denim Pillow Sham with English Paper Piecing Hexagons

Hello everyone! I’m here today to show you how to create a denim pillow sham with English Paper Piecing Hexagons. Yes, I’m trying new things. The weather calls for it, LOL.

Springtime has arrived, and I couldn’t be happier. I love the smell of flowers, the birds chirping, and the warmer weather. Better weather calls for new skills and fun stuff.  Don’t you agree? So when Auriful asked their Artisans to create a project using English Paper Piecing (EPP), I was eager to learn.

So, let’s jump into English Paper Piecing.

English Paper Piecing is a hand quilting method that allows quilters to sew intricate and complex shapes with acrylic and paper templates. EPP involves using these templates to stabilize fabric before sewn together to form blocks, sewn together to make quilts, or whatever your heart desires.

It is most effective for shapes that do not have long straight sides and will require numerous set-in corners, such as hexagons.

Let’s take a look at my Denim Pillow Sham with English Paper Piecing Hexagons:

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Finish Product

 

I love this!! It was therapeutic to create. Sewing by hand relaxed me so much. It went by fast too.

Creating those hexagons would be hard if the English Paper Piecing method was not used. The edges of these hexagons are nice and clean because they are neatly folded underneath.

Interesting right? Want to learn more? Great, I’m going to show you.

Here’s how you create this Denim Pillow sham with English Paper Piecing Hexagons:

Materials:

Aurifil Monofilament Thread
1-1/4 inch Hexagons Acrylic Template
1-1/4 inch Hexagons Small Pack Paper Pieces
Sewline Glue Pen & Refill
Fabric -Tilda Chambray
Clover Gold Eye Applique Needles, No. 9
Best Press Spray Starch
Iron
Denim fabric
Quilting Ruler 3 Inches
Small Cutting Mat
Rotary Cutter
16 inch Pillow Form

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Materials

Let’s get to work:

Step One: Cutting the Hexagons

Cut 3-inch squares out of the different fabrics you choose. I cut 15.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Cutting out the Hexagons

I do this to make it easier to stack my fabric in smaller pieces than dealing with the entire fat quarter or yardage.

Then I stack the squares on top of each other and cut the hexagons out using the acrylic ruler.

 

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Cutting out the Hexagons

 

Step two: Glueing the hexagon paper template

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Glueing the hexagon paper templates

Now, place the paper hexagon template on the wrong side of the fabric and glue the sides down.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Glueing the hexagon paper templates

Do not let the glue touch the edge of the paper. You do not want glue on your needle.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Glueing the hexagon paper templates

Turn the edges over so that they stick on the glue.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Glueing the hexagon paper templates

Step three: Stitch them together

The fun begins now! Decide on the pattern you want to create.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Stitch them together

Start with two pieces and whipstitch two sides together using a small needle and Aurifil Monofilament thread. That way, you don’t see my stitches.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Stitch them together

Continue doing that until you have all of your pieces stitch together.

Once you’re done, take the paper out of each hexagon. They will come out with ease and stay in shape.

If you want, you can starch and iron them.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Stitch them together

This took me about 30 minutes to do with stopping to rethread my needle. Easy and very therapeutic to do.

Now it’s time to attach this piece to the denim fabric.

Step Four: Cut the denim fabric

The pillow form is 16 inches so cut the pillow front to 16 inches by 16 inches.

Cut two back panels to 16 inches by 10 inches. This will create the opening in the back.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Cut the denim fabric

Step Five: Attach hexagon to the denim fabric

You can sew this panel on the fabric, but I decided to use my sewing machine to complete the task.

Place the hexagon panel on the front of the denim front piece and pin.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons:Attach hexagon to the denim fabric

Add the Monofilament thread as the top thread in your sewing machine.

If your machine comes with an applique foot, use that. I’m using the #20C foot that comes with my BERNINA 570 QE sewing machine.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Attach hexagon to the denim fabric

Blanket stitch the entire piece.

Step Six: Sew the pillow sham

With the panel in place, it’s time to sew the pieces together.

For the back pieces, turn the 10-inch side over 1/2 and sew in place. Repeat for the second piece.

Place the front panel right-side up first.

Then place one of the back panels right sides down, matching the raw edges.

Now place the second-panel right-side down, matching the raw edges.

Both sewn edges should be in the middle and on top of each other.

Sew the entire pillow sham closed using a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

If your hexagons hangover, trim them off. Trim the corners to reduce bulk.

You can zig-zag the edges if you want but not needed since no one will see it.

Turn the pillow sham inside out and push out the corners.

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Sew the pillow sham

Insert your pillow form, and you’re done!

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Sew the pillow sham

Beautiful right!

English Paper Piecing Hexagons: Finish Product

Now it’s time to make the matching pillow. The best thing about this pillow sham is it’s WASHABLE!!!

It’s your turn now to give this project a try. Will you? I would love to hear all about it.

Supplies used:

     

 

Thank you so much for stopping by!