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Pointed Star Patchwork Cushion Cover | Sewing Pattern

Quick Links: What you'll need Project steps

Create perfect patchwork with Debbie Shore's elegant cushion, using foundation paper piecing.

The technique of foundation paper piecing (FPP) enables you to create perfect-looking patchwork. You’ll be stitching along printed lines, so instead of worrying about the seam allowance, you just need to watch where you put the needle. This pointed star block is made up of four identical units which are stitched together in a four-patch format to complete the block. You’ll be piecing each unit by positioning your fabric on the back (unprinted) side of the paper template before stitching along the lines on the front of the template, working in numerical order. This technique is renowned for ensuring very precise points and accurate block size. If you’ve never tried this technique before, have a go as this block is suitable for all sewing enthusiasts.

To add to the professional finish, the cushion front is quilted and the cover is fully lined. It is designed for a 12in (30cm) cushion pad, but if you’d like a bigger cushion, you can easily add a border.

I’ve used three cotton fabrics with a good contrast to show off the pattern: a fairly neutral set for the step-by-step instructions and a bolder set of colours for the cushion in the video, so you can compare the results to help you decide what will suit your style. Cotton fabric is easy to sew and presses nicely. Fabrics with a small, non-directional print or plain fabrics are easiest to use, but if you are feeling adventurous you could choose bigger prints and fussy cut them.

Note: use a ¼in (5mm) seam allowance unless otherwise stated.

Finished size: 12in (30.5cm) square.

With special thanks to Melissa Nayler, who helped collaborate with this month's cushion: Melissa is an avid quilter and sewist, and has been sewing seriously since her teens. For several years and in her spare time, she worked on mainly dressmaking projects, until her move to Bude in Cornwall, UK, changed her direction in sewing. Melissa discovered patchwork and quilting while volunteering at the local Citizens Advice Bureau, and became hooked before she’d even sewn a stitch. When Melissa retired in 2014, she contacted Debbie Shore to offer her sewing skills for making samples for her TV shows. Debbie and Melissa have become great friends over the past 10 years, they communicate almost daily and meet up whenever they can, usually on holiday breaks to each others’ areas of the country. Debbie and Melissa continue to learn from each other and love to talk about sewing, families and the grandchildren.

In 2019 Melissa designed her first Block of the Month for the Half Yard Sewing Club. This proved to be popular with our subscribers and she has produced a new Block of the Month for the Sewing Club each year since.

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You will need:

Equipment

• Sewing machine  
• Photocopy paper for reproducing the template 
• Fabric glue pen or pins 
• Piece of card approx. 8 x 2in (20 x 5cm) as a pressing aid 
• Optional: basting spray, such as 505  
• Optional: spray starch if your seam allowances need a little help to press flat 
• Optional: fabric clips 

Materials

• 40 x 4in (101.5 x 10cm) strip of fabric for the four large diamond shapes: mine is a fairly dark green 
• 44 x 3in (112 x 7.5cm) strip of fabric for the inner sections: mine is pale green 
• 31 x 6in (79 x 15.5cm) piece of fabric for the background: mine is yellow 
• 25 x 18in (63.5 x 46cm) rectangle of fabric for the cushion back: I used the same fabric as for the diamonds 
• 13in (33cm) square of lining fabric to line the front: this won’t be on show so if you have fabric leftover from another project, this is an opportunity to use it up  
• 13in (33cm) square of wadding/fleece: you can use 80/20 or sew-in polyester fleece 
• 12in (30.5cm) square cushion pad 

Cut: 

• Four 9¾ x 3¾in (24.75 x 9.5cm) strips in the fabric for your diamonds (dark green) 
• Eight 5½ x 2¼in (14 x 5.75cm) strips in the fabric for the inner sections (pale green) 
• Four 7½ x 5in (19 x 13cm) rectangles in background fabric (yellow) 
• Two pieces each measuring 12½ x 18in (31.75 x 46cm) for the cushion back 

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