This Simple 9-Square Patchwork Cushion Cover is the perfect introduction to patchwork. Its basic nature and quick production time give you a taste of what patchwork is as well as allowing you to develop the basic skills needed to pursue this particular craft. Even if you are already familiar with the patchwork technique, this project is a great way to personalise your bedroom or even just use some scrap fabric.

Step 1: Collect Materials and Equipment

MATERIALS:

3 x Fabric Colours

White Thread

EQUIPMENT:

Rotary Mat

Rotary Cutter

Ruler (rotary or regular)

Fabric Scissors

Pins

*** If you do not have the rotary equipment, regular fabric scissors and a scratch-proof surface are also fine to work with however you will need to take extra care when taking measurements in order to produce accurately sized squares

Step 2: Make the Patchwork Square

Collect the two colours of fabric that you wish to use for the patchwork.

Iron each piece of fabric so that there are no creases.

Step 3:

Collect your ironed fabric, rotary mat, rotary cutter and ruler.

Step 4:

Collect the rotary mat and one colour of fabric.

Place the fabric piece on top of the rotary mat, positioning it so that you are able to cut a strip of fabric that is 3 1/2 inches wide. Do this by lining the edge of the fabric up with a line that allows the fabric to cover three and a half squares.

*** I chose to use squares that were 3x3 inches however you can change the size of these if you wish. If you do change the size, you just need to ensure that you add 1/2 an inch to the size that you want your final squares to be to allow for seam allowance

Step 5:

Place the ruler on top of the fabric, positioning it along the 3 1/2 inch line on the side of your dominant hand.

Cut the fabric along the ruler, pulling the rotary cutter towards yourself, to produce a strip of fabric.

Step 6:

Place the strip of fabric that you produced into the corner of the rotary mat, as shown in the photos above.

Step 7:

Place the ruler along a line that will produce a 3 1/2 inch square. Do this by placing the ruler on the left side of the fabric so that the remaining fabric on the right covers three and a half squares on the mat.

Using the rotary cutter, cut along the ruler on the side of your dominant hand, pulling the rotary cutter towards yourself.

Step 8:

Repeat Steps 4-7 to produce five squares that measure 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.

Step 9:

Repeat Steps 4-7 with your second fabric, however this time only producing four squares.

Step 10:

Collect the squares of both colours and arrange them in the 9-square pattern, as shown in the photo above.

Step 11:

Separate the top line of squares from the rest of the pattern.

Set one of the squares aside, and leave two to work with.

Step 12:

Place one square on top of the other with the right sides facing in.

Step 13:

Pin along one edge.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the line of pins using a straight stitch.

Step 14:

Open out the squares and flip so that the right-sides are down.

Gently pull apart the two sides of the seam and iron flat as shown in the photo above.

It is easier to do this by moving up along the seam with the iron, as opposed to placing the iron on top of the whole seam; as it ensures that you can continue to guide the seam apart to kept it as flat as possible.

Step 15:

Flip the squares so that they are once again right-side up.

Collect the square that you set aside earlier.

Step 16:

Place the single square on top of one of the other squares, right-sides facing in.

Be sure that the square that you place it on top of is the square that will be in the centre of the patchwork line.

Step 17:

Pin along the outside edge as shown above.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the line of pins using straight-stitch.

Step 18:

Open out the squares and flip so that the right sides are down.

Gently pull apart the two sides of the seam and iron flat as shown in the photo above.

It is easier to do this by moving up along the seam with the iron, as opposed to placing the iron on top of the whole seam, as it ensures that you can continue to guide the seam apart to kept it as flat as possible.

Step 19:

Repeats Steps 11-18 with the other two lines of patchwork.

Step 20:

Set aside one of the patchwork lines and leave the top two to work with.

Place one line on top of the other, right-sides facing in.

Be sure that the seams of each patchwork line are aligned as accurately together as possible, as this will ensure that the squares will be aligned in the overall patchwork square.

Step 21:

Pin into place along one of the long edges.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the line of pins using straight-stitch.

Step 22:

Open out the lines with right-sides down.

Gently pull apart the two sides of the seam and iron flat as shown in the photo above.

It is easier to do this by moving up along the seam with the iron, as opposed to placing the iron on top of the whole seam, as it ensures that you can continue to guide the seam apart to kept it as flat as possible.

Step 23:

Collect the third line of patchwork.

Place it on top of the line that you wish to be in the centre of the patchwork square, right-sides facing in.

Again ensure that the seams are accurately aligned.

Step 24:

Pin into place along the outside edge.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the line of pins using straight-stitch.

Step 25:

Open out the lines with right-sides down.

Gently pull apart the two sides of the seam and iron flat as shown in the photo above.

It is easier to do this by moving up along the seam with the iron, as opposed to placing the iron on top of the whole seam, as it ensures that you can continue to guide the seam apart to kept it as flat as possible.

Step 26: Add the Border (optional)

Collect your third colour of fabric, rotary mat, rotary cutter, and ruler.

Step 27:

Iron out the fabric so that there are no longer any creases.

Measure the exact size of your patchwork square to ensure that the border pieces are the correct length.

Step 28:

Lay the ironed fabric out on the rotary mat, positioning it so that you are able to cut strips of fabric that are 2 inches wide.

Do this by lining the edge of the fabric along the line that marks 2 inches on the mat and allows it to cover two squares width-wise.

Place your ruler along the 2-inch line and cut a strip of fabric by pulling the rotary ruler towards you along the side of the ruler.

From these 2-inch wide strips, use the same techniques to measure and cut four strips of fabric that are 11-inches long.

*** Again, I chose to make my border 1 1/2 inches wide therefore I cut fabric strips that were 2 inches wide. If you chose to change the width of the border, simply add 1/2 an inch to the final size of your border to include seam allowance

Step 29:

Collect the patchwork square and the four border fabric strips.

Arrange the border strips around the patchwork square, as shown above.

Step 30:

Take the top border strip and place it along the top of the patchwork square, right-sides facing inwards.

Ensure that the left corner of both pieces are aligned with each other.

Step 31:

Pin the border strip into place along the outside edge.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the line of pins using straight-stitch.

Step 32:

Open out the border with right-sides down.

Gently pull apart the two sides of the seam and iron flat as shown in the photo above.

It is easier to do this by moving up along the seam with the iron, as opposed to placing the iron on top of the whole seam, as it ensures that you can continue to guide the seam apart to kept it as flat as possible.

Step 33:

Collect the second border strip and place it on the right side of the patchwork square as shown above.

Place it on top of the patchwork square, ensuring that it overlaps with the other border piece as well. The border piece that is already attached needs to remain folded out.

Step 34:

Pin into place along the outside edge.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the line of pins using straight-stitch.

Step 35:

Open out the border with right-sides down.

Gently pull apart the two sides of the seam and iron flat as shown in the photo above.

It is easier to do this by moving up along the seam with the iron, as opposed to placing the iron on top of the whole seam, as it ensures that you can continue to guide the seam apart to kept it as flat as possible.

Step 36:

Collect the third border strip and place it on the bottom side of the patchwork square.

Ensure that it also overlaps the previously attached border strip at the corner.

Step 37:

Pin into place along the outside edge.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the line of pins using straight-stitch.

Step 38:

Open out the border with right-sides down.

Gently pull apart the two sides of the seam and iron flat as shown in the photo above.

It is easier to do this by moving up along the seam with the iron, as opposed to placing the iron on top of the whole seam, as it ensures that you can continue to guide the seam apart to kept it as flat as possible.

Step 39:

Place the final border strip along the empty edge of the patchwork square.

Line the corner of this strip up with the corner of the patchwork square that does not have excess border strip on the edge.

Step 40:

Unpick the border strip with excess fabric slightly from the patchwork square, as shown above.

Step 41:

Pin along the outside edge to hold the border strip in place.

On the sewing machine, stitch along the pin line, however only until the end of the patchwork square.

Step 42:

Unfold this final border piece and place it underneath the excess fabric of the adjacent border piece. The area that was unpicked earlier should allow this to happen.

Secure in place with a pin as shown above.