*Cross Stitch Design shown is not
by Linen Flowers
If you have a small finished cross
stitch square and would like to finish it some
other way besides a frame, consider a Log
Cabin Pillow. These make really nice wedding
gifts (be sure to write for display only on
the card, as well as hand washing
instructions in cold water).
I wanted to make my pillow cover
removable, just in case it needed
hand-washing, so I sewed it with a flap on
the back side.
Here's how to do it.
1. Quilt the Log Cabin square around the
cross stitch.
To do this, decide on 4 complimentary,
all cotton fabrics that blend with your
cross stitch. Iron these pieces. For the
pillow above, I chose a bright pink, soft
green, green and pink print, and a white
muslin from my stash. Keep in mind one of
your colors will be used for the pillow
back, so have plenty of that color on hand.
You will need a 16" pillow form for the
inside.
Choose a Seminole Stripper (quilt
template), that is 1 1/2" wide. Use a rotary
fabric cutter on a mat to cut.
Begin by cutting 4 different
colored strips a little longer and wider
than your cross stitch piece. As your pieces
get longer, you will want to fold the fabric
and place the beginning of the template on
your fold. (Always save the leftovers that
you trim off for future Log Cabin projects).
In the pillow shown above, I cut 4 pieces
at a time and sewed them on. This way I knew
the length of my next row and didn't waste
fabric. I could also lay them out in
opposite colors.
When you sew a Log Cabin, you begin with
a square in the middle (your cross stitch
piece, whether square or rectangular). Start
on the right side of your piece, and lay one
strip's raw edge on the raw edge of the xst,
with the rest of the strip to the inside,
laying on the xst. (Be sure that right sides
of xst and fabric face each other).
Sew this seam with a 1/4" hem. Turn over,
and trim off fabric evenly. Turn right side
up, and finger press seam to flatten. Lay
next strip on the bottom, raw edges
together, right sides together, and strip
laying on xst. Sew again with 1/4" hem, turn
over, trim, turn over, and finger press.
Work in this fashion until 5 strips are
sewn on each side of the cross stitch. (This
could be more or less, depending on the size
of your xst). Always sew the Log Cabin in
this technique: right side, bottom, left
side, then top, then start over.
Then I cut my border, using a quilt
template that was 4 x 14". I cut one of each
color fabric. I repeated the Log Cabin
technique in the order listed.
2. Cut 2 back pieces the same size as
your Log Cabin Square. (You will have some
left over on your cuts, but save it for your
next project).
Sew a 1/2" hem on the same side of each
back piece. Now, place one on top of the
other, with seams vertical and parallel.
Right side of seams should be facing up.
Overlap each other by 7", and pin the top
and bottom on the overlap. Sew hem across
top and bottom to secure overlap. (Overlap
will be where you can remove pillow.)
3. Sew Log Cabin Square and Back Piece
together.
First, find center of back piece, on
seam, and place a pin. Now, center this pin
over center of xst, and lay both pieces
right sides together. Pin all around. This
is a hard point to describe, because you
will need to lay the pillow over your center
to determine how large to make the
pillowcase. I pinned my hem at about a 1"
hem to be on the safe side. Sew a hem all
around. Do not trim raw edges until you have
turned right side out and checked for a good
fit. (It's easier to take out a hem than to
redo your pillow).
I could have gone with a 1 1/2" hem, but
decided to make the pillow a little looser,
rather than tight.
Trim raw edges to 1/2" from hem, clip all
threads, and turn right side out. Insert
pillow and use a pin to pull out the corners
of your pillow.
You should have a beautiful Log Cabin
pillow to give or keep!
