Red, White, and Blue {Floor Cushions}

This project is the first one that I loved as soon as I dreamed it in my mind.  I loved it as I made all the tops.  I loved it as I was quilting it.  I loved it while I was constructing it.  I loved it when they were all finished. 

RARELY ever happens to me.  I usually hit a bump in the road at some point!  I envisioned these quilted bean bag floor cushions to complement the Stars and Stripes Quilt  I made for the boys' game room last year.  

Want to hear the BEST part?  

Entirely made of scraps and stash!!

(NOTE:  I am TOTALLY aware that I took this photo of an upside down Texas flag!  I apologize all you Texans.  I was concentrated more on lighting than the actual cushion!!)

The first cushion was in honor of our home the last 11 years.  I thought it was perfect considering the large quilt is the US quilt!

I used heavy home dec fabrics and denim from old projects.  Because the piecing was actually rather simple and boring, I tried to have fun on my longarm with the quilting.  On the red, I played with my 90 degree angle ruler and made various sized chevrons.  I wanted to play with movement.

On the white, I just free motion quilted squiggly lines.

 Meandering in the blue stripe and tiny echoes on the raw appliqué denim star.  I didn't pick up the needle and just kept spiraling into the center. 

Diamond Quilting on the denim sides.  

Do you just love the white and red ticking as the binding as much as I do?

All three cushions are constructed the same. The bottoms are heavy home dec material or denim with a zipper a few inches away from one side. I decided to treat the entire cushion like a quilt.  I quilted all the parts and washed them before sewing the sides to the top and bottom. I decided to do a binding instead of piping so I didn't have to turn a lot of bulk, inside-out.  Inside, I made an entire lining in the same size to hold the bean bags with some old sheets.  That way, I can wash the cushion shell.  Boys are dirty, after all!

The second cushion was leftover strips from other projects and stash.  I pieced a few of the strips and then cut 60 degree angles to make the triangles.  I added the gray to break up all the red, white and blue.

It seemed to beg for the solid red binding for some pop.  The cushion sides were a home dec fabric that just didn't work out for my bedroom window treatments.  Waste not, want not. 

The third cushion?  Last, but certainly not least. Actually?  My FAVORITE! This five point star was so fun to make.  I was very random with my scraps and stash and I just love how it turned out!  I love the straight line star quilting. It crinkled so beautifully!

Another home dec red stripe fabric for the sides and a solid blue binding. I did not want to take away from the top!

Perfect, right?

Starstrip Block {Tutorial}

It's my turn again for Imagine @ Do. Good Stitches Bee!

 This is large block based off of a jelly roll block, however, I've adapted it to use up some of those strips and leftover jelly rolls you have in your scrap stash!

However, if you don't have a stash that you can pull from, you can easily cut some strips off from any of your WOF pieces or fat quarter pieces!

STARSTRIP BLOCK TUTORIAL

FINISHED SIZE: 16.5"

Supplies:

Strips/jelly roll cuts at least 36" long. However, 18" long pieces would work also.

Center star fabric measuring 6.5" x 8"

Ruler with 30 degree measurement or Template A 

Template B (both downloadable templates HERE)

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Gather enough strips to stack up to 8.5 inches after piecing with 1/4" seam allowance.   

Stack and piece so that you have a rectangle that is at least 8.5" high by 36" 

or TWO rectangles measuring 8.5" by 18".  You can stack higher and trim the height back if you are one of those quilters that like a little breathing room.

 

Cut four 8.5 x 8.5 blocks from the rectangle (s).

Cut a 6.5" x 8" rectangle from low volume stash.  I chose one with dark and light blues in it.

 

Cut into four triangles that measure approx 3.75" wide and 6.5" high.

Using your ruler or triangle template A.

.pdf HERE

 Cut a 30 degree angle to create the first triangle, then 90 degree cut to cut the second. Another 30 degree cut for the third, and then a 90 degree to complete the set of 4. 

You will have a bit of strip leftover. 

Cut the bottom right block using the 30 degree ruler.  Line up the 30 degree mark along the bottom and have it cross at the 3.5" point from the bottom left.  

You can also use the template triangle B (.pdf here) as a guide.

Line up your low volume triangle along the cut edge. 

Be sure you have some overhang on both ends.

Piece and press and trim any excess so the block is 8.5" square.

Repeat three more times.  The corner will always be the right bottom.

Flip and arrange using the photo above to get the "star" in the middle.  

I think this will be a lot of fun! 

 I have a few mock ups of what this could potentially look like if you do ROYGBIV colors.

 

or use a ton of low volume and have the centers as colors! 

  Full scrappy could be a lot of fun too!

A LARGE block at 16.5" that can make up a full quilt pretty quickly!