Quilted Snowman Pillow Cover

Instructions

Fabric Pieces

1. Cut the panel as shown. Cut at the center between the borders.
   
   
2. Download the fabric sizes cutting guide. Mark and cut fabrics according to the sizes.
   The picture below shows the fabric pieces of the pillow, with one of the snowman panels and text banners cut out from the big panel.
   
   
   Remark: The text banners on the panel are not enough to make three pillows with both top and bottom borders. Substitute one of the borders with other matching fabrics for the other two pillows.
3. Pictures below shows the other fabric and batting pieces for the front backing and the back of the pillow. You need high-loft polyester batting to make the trapunto and two cover buttons or other buttons of your choice(not in the photo).
   
   
   
   
   

Pillow Front

1. a. Sew the side panels to the main snowman panel.
   b. Sew the top and bottom text banners to it with a seam allowance of 3/8″
   c. Press with a warm iron with seam allowance to the darker fabric.
   
   
   
   
2. a. Place the high loft polyester batting on the wrong side of the center panel.
   b. Pin with quilting safety pins to secure the batting in place.
   
   
   
   
3. a. Turn to the right side of the fabric, change the presser foot to darning foot or BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator), and lower down the feed dog.
   b. Perform free motion stitch around the snowman and the birds. Stitch just slightly outside the lines of the print.
   I used white thread, but you can use beige or cream as long as it doesn’t create a contrast to the outline.
   (Tip:  the 3D raised effect on the trapunto is not so obvious if the part is small; for instance, the bird might not seem as “bumpy” compared to the bigger part of the snowman.)
   c. Bring all thread ends to the wrong side, tie double knots, and trim away the extra length, leaving about 1-2″ there.
   
   
   
4. After completing all the desired areas for the 3D trapunto effect, turn the fabric to the wrong side and trim away the excess batting that lies outside the free-motion sewing line.
   
   **You have to do this very carefully and slowly if it is your first attempt. Watch out for every snip you are making so that you won’t accidentally cut the fabric.
   
   **You may fold the fabric down and away from the batting while cutting so you can see clearly before you trim.
   
   
   
5. This is how it looks like after the extra batting was trimmed away.
   
   
   
   
6. The right side of the trapunto. You will see the 3D effect better after you have quilted the surroundings, which will press the fabric down smoothly.
   
   
   
   
7. a. Layer in the batting and cotton backing to the snowman panel.
   b. b. Smooth out any wrinkles by stroking with your palm outward, from the center to the raw edges of the snowman panel.
   c. Secure the layers with quilting safety pins.
   
   
   
   
8. a. Again, with the darning foot or BSR and the feed dog down, free-motion stitch along the same sewing lines of the borders of the trapunto.
   b. Quilt the blue sky with a small stippling stitch.
   c. Stitch in the ditch between the center snowman panel and the bird side panels, and sew along the white borders of the top and bottom banners (you can change the foot to walking foot and raise back the dog feed). Then, follow with a bigger stippling stitch with a darning foot and feed the dog down again on the side panels.
   d. Change the top thread to dark brown or dark green, and quilt a row of small pebbles stitches on the border of the center snowman panel and the top and bottom of the banners.
   
   
   
   
9. The picture below shows a completed front pillow piece of a snowman with a 3D effect of the trapunto quilting.
   a. Bring all thread ends to the back and tie double knots. Hide the thread ends and knots into the batting by using the needle.
   b. Insert the needle from the stitch endpoint and come out as far as you can. Pull until the knot gets into the batting. Pull a little before trimming the end; the thread ends will hide inside the batting afterward.
   c. Trim the front piece to 20″ square with a rotary cutter and ruler.
   
   
   
   
10. This is the back of the front pillow.
    
    Tip: Before starting your project, test your quilting on a scrap piece to check thread tension. This is especially important when using two contrasting thread colors for the top and bottom, ensuring the bottom thread doesn’t show through to the top.
    
    Another Tip: Always keep an eye on thread ends while quilting to avoid stitching them into the quilt accidentally. To manage this, bring the thread end to the top after the first needle-down and needle-up or after moving a few stitches away. Additionally, hold the thread ends toward the back of the sewing machine during the first few stitches. This practice prevents tangling underneath and ensures the thread ends don’t accidentally get sewn in.
    
    
    
    

Pillow Back

1. a. Change the presser foot back to the normal foot or walking foot.
   b. Sew the bird fabric with white backing, 1/2″ seam allowance on the bird fabric, and 1″ seam allowance on the white backing.
   
   
   
2. Open flat and press the seam allowance to the bird fabric.
   
   
   
3. Place the batting on the bird fabric and align the edge to the raw edge of the white fabric.
   
   
   
4. a. Fold the white fabric over at the batting edge.
   b. Press to make a fold crease line.
   
   
   
5. Topstitch at the edge and the seam line between the bird and white fabric.
   
   
   
6. Change foot to darning or BSR with feed dog down, free motion quilt with stippling stitch.
   
   
   
7. Trim the back pieces to 20″ wide x 10 1/2″ high each.
   
   
   
8. Sew two buttonholes at one of the back pieces, approximately 7″ in between.
   
   
   
   
   

Sewing up the Pillow Cover

1. a. Place the front piece with the right side facing up.
   b. Place the back piece (with buttonholes) facing down at the top of the pillow. Then, place another back piece at the bottom part. The back pieces overlap 1″ at the center.
   c. Sew around with 1/2″ seam allowance.
   
   
   
2. Bind the raw edges with twill tape or as per your preference.
   
   
   
3. a. Turn the right side out by folding the seam allowance at the corner in right angle then push the corner out to get a nice and neat right-angle corner. Perform this to all four corners.
   b. Insert the pillow form into the cover and fasten the button.
   
   
   
   Complete.