Blue Jeans Gradient Quilted Pillow Sham

Add a gorgeous, oversized decorative pillow to your living room or bedroom with this pattern from Janice Bailor. Made using upcycled denim, this quilted pillow sham finishes at a 26-inch square, and features strips of linen and denim to create its chic, modern design. Completed with an envelope back closure, this large pillow pattern would make a stylish floor pillow or a charming accent to your sunroom or front porch.

Skill Level: Easy

Finished Dimensions: 26 in. square Euro sham

Seam Allowances: 1/4 inch patchwork

Abbreviations:

• “RST” means Right Sides of fabric together
• “in.” means Inches

Materials:

• (1) 1/2 yard linen fabric
• (1) 1/2 yard cotton batting
• (1) 1/2 yard muslin backing fabric
• (1) 1 1/2 yard or equivalent cuts of denim material in a light, medium and dark tones

Special Notions:

• Walking foot
• Denim/jeans weight (100/16) needle
• Rotary cutter, mat and acrylic ruler

Cutting Instructions:

1. Press all fabrics to remove any creasing or wrinkles.
   1. If using recycled jeans, cut the legs open and trim to large rectangles.
2. Neaten and trim up the cut edges along the WOF (Width of Fabric) with a rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat as required to create an even edge.
3. From the newly trimmed edge, use the cutting mat grid and acrylic ruler to cut:
   1. From the Linen fabric:
      1. (4) 2 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strips
      2. (16) 1 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strips
      3. (2) 2 1/2 in. by 8 1/2 in. strips
      4. (9) 1 1/2 in. by 8 1/2 in. strips
   2. Using the Gradient Sham Layout, Fig. 1, as a guide, cut the following Denim fabric strips:
      1. (3) 2 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strips medium tone
      2. (3) 2 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strips dark tone
      3. (8) 1 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strips medium tone
      4. (7) 1 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strips light tone
      5. (1) 1 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strip dark tone
      6. (2) 2 1/2 in. by 8 1/2in. strips medium tone
      7. (1) 2 1/2 in. by 8 1/2 in. strip dark tone
      8. (4) 1 1/2 in. by 8 1/2 in. strips medium tone
      9. (2) 1 1/2 in. by 8 1/2 in  strips light tone
      10. (1) 1 1/2 in. by 8 1/2 in. strip dark tone
   3. From the remaining Denim fabric, cut (2) 20 1/2 in. by 26 1/2 in. rectangles for the envelope closure and set aside.

Piecing Instructions:

CREATING THE PIECED DENIM STRIP UNITS:

1. Using the 2 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. and 1 1/2 in. by 9 1/2 in. strips in both denim and linen, lay all fabrics out for Row 1 in order, following the Gradient Sham Row Layout as a reference. Figures 1 and 3.
   
   

   Figure 1

   

   Figure 3

2. Place the right sides of the fabrics together for each set of linen and denim strips, lining up the raw edges. Sew the two strips together using a 1/4 in. seam along the right edge. Figure 2.
   
   

   Figure 2

3. Open the sewn pair and press the sewn seams open with a hot iron. Sew all of the pair units together into a long alternating strip RST using a 1/4 in. seam to create Row 1 of the Pieced Denim Strip Unit. See Figure 3 above.
4. Open Row 1 of the Pieced Denim Strip Unit and press all seams flat. The complete strip unit should measure 9 1/2 in. by 26 1/2in. Repeat Steps 1-4 to complete the remaining Pieced Denim Strip Units.
   1. Row 2 will be pieced in the same method, but will use the 8 1/2 in. long strips.

ASSEMBLING THE BLUE JEANS GRADIENT QUILTED SHAM TOP:

1. Arrange the Blue Jeans Gradient Quilted Sham by rows. See Figure 3 above.
   1. Place the Row 1 RST on top of Row 2, lining up the strips at the seams. Pin in place and sew along the length of the pieced strips using a 1/4 in. seam.
   2. Open the Row 1 and 2 units and press the seam open with a hot iron. See Fig. 1 above.
   3. Place the Row 1 and 2 units on top of the Row 3 strip unit and repeat Steps 1a and 1b.
   4. Open the Sham top and press all seams open with a hot iron. Trim if necessary to a neat 26 1/2 in. by 26 1/2 in. square.

QUILTING AND FINISHING THE SHAM TOP:

1. Cut a strip of batting and backing approximately 2 inches wider on all sides than your finished sham top.
2. Assemble the quilt sandwich for the sham top by laying out the backing (right side down), batting in the center, and the sham on top, right side up. Baste and quilt as desired, and trim edges to a neat 26 1/2 in. square. The cover sham top has been quilted in a straight line pattern following the seam lines of the central row piecing.

CREATE THE ENVELOPE PILLOW CLOSURE:

1. Fold over and create a 1/4 in. finished edge on each piece of 20 1/2 in. by 26 in. backing fabric pieces. Or if using recycled jeans, allow an unfinished edge that will fray slightly over time to enhance the look.
2. Lay the quilted pillow top right side up and place the backing fabric piece face down with RST, overlapping the pieces across the center of the pillow.
3. Sew a sturdy 1/2 in. seam around the entire perimeter of the pillow edge, making sure to backstitch over the seams where the backing fabric overlaps for additional reinforcement.
4. Turn the pillow right side out through the pocket and gently poke out the corners.
5. Stuff the pillow with your favorite 26 in. pillow form and enjoy!

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