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Is there anything more summery than a spot of English Paper Piecing with botanical prints in sunny shades? Lou’s cheery EPP cushions are the perfect excuse to do just this.
Plus, as they’re not full quilts, we get that lovely satisfaction of seeing them come together before our eyes in just a few stitching sessions.
How to make EPP cushions using a pentagon template
You will need
(Makes one cushion)
- Background fabric: ½yd
- Ten (10) print fabrics: One (1) 4in square each
- Batting: 20in square
- Lining fabric: 20in square
- Ten (10) 2in Pentagon templates
Finished size
16in square
Notes
- Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted.
- EPP = English Paper Piecing.
- RST = right sides together.
- Fabrics supplied by EQS (eqsuk.com)
- All fabrics are from the Flower Shop collection by Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller Fabrics.
Start piecing pentagons today!
Download our Free pentagon templates here
Cutting out
Step 1
From the background fabric cut:
- One (1) 16½in square for the cushion front.
- Two (2) 16½in x 10½in pieces for the cushion back.
Preparing the EPP
Step 2
Place one pentagon paper piece on the wrong side of one of your 4in squares. Pin and then cut around the shape, adding ¼in around all edges. Repeat for all ten pieces.
Step 3
Fold one seam allowance over onto the paper piece and secure with either large basting stitches or fabric glue. Work your way around the pentagon, securing each seam allowance.
Top tip: We like using a fine and flexible milliner’s needle for EPP, but some people prefer a rigid piecing needle. Experiment with different needles until you find the one that helps you achieve small, fine stitches.
Step 4
Place two pentagons right sides together and whipstitch along one edge, knotting the thread at each end. Continue to whipstitch all the pentagons together until they’ve formed a ring (Fig A). Press, remove the papers and press again.
Step 5
Centre your completed ring on top of your cushion front panel. Pin in place and topstitch to the front panel with a small stitch 1/8in away from both the inner and outer edge (Fig B).
Quilting the cushion front
Step 6
Make a quilt sandwich by placing the batting on top of the lining square, then the cushion top centrally and right side up.
Baste the layers together using your preferred method.
Step 7
Quilt as desired. Lou echoed the outer shape of the pentagon ring with a subtle thread. Square up the cushion front
Completing the cushion
Step 8
Press under one long edge of each cushion back piece by ¼in. Press under ¼in again, enclosing the raw edges. Topstitch in place.
Step 9
Lay your cushion front piece right side up and place the cushion back pieces on top, RST. Line up the side edges and check that the hemmed back edges overlap in the centre. Pin in place.
Step 10
Sew all the way around. Once complete, turn the right way out and carefully poke out the corners to finish.
Turn pentagons into cushions!
This fun tutorial is a great way of learning how to sew different shapes and practice fussy cutting. It also highlights the diversity of English Paper Piecing. Gather your fabrics and stitch your own cushion this weekend.
Make your own mini quilts
Create cute mini quilts with our three free foundation paper piecing patterns.
