This simple scrappy design can be sewn in an afternoon using up your leftovers from previous jelly roll projects, and features a lovely tree with dimensional red accents on the right side.  Sewn in reds and greens, it is a fun pillow for a sofa or chair during the Christmas holidays.  It is a nice accent size at about 12 x 19 inches.  I love scrappy projects, and invite you to come see more scrappy designs on my blog, From My Carolina Home.

This pillow project uses all jelly roll scraps left over from other projects.

Background Ecru Strips
2-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch strips - 3
2-1/2 x 5-1/2 inch strips - 2
2-1/2 x 8-1/2 inch strips - 2
2-1/2 x 12-1/2 inch strips - 4
2-1/2 x 22 inch strip - 1

Red strips
2-1/2 x 12-1/2 inch strips - 3

Green Strips and Squares
2-1/2 x 22 inch strip - 1
2-1/2 inch squares - 8

Brown Square
2-1/2 inch square - 1

Christmas print for backing
12-1/2 inch x 21 inch rectangle for backing

12 inch zipper
Optional embellishments

Begin with the 20 inch strips of green and ecru, sew right sides together with a quarter inch seam on both sides.  Using a square ruler, place the 2-1/2 inch marks on the seam line, cut with a rotary cutter. Repeat with the seam on the other side, switching back and forth until you have eight half-square-triangle units. Press seam to the dark side.

    

Sew the 12-1/2-inch red strips and the 12-1/2-inch ecru strips together on the long sides alternating the colors. Press all the seams towards the right edge.

 

Bring the first two seams together on the backside creating a fold with the red strip, nesting the seams, pin.

Sew in the ditch on the right side, creating a dimensional pleat.  Repeat for the remaining two red strips.

Construct the tree block beginning with layout of the pieces in this pattern.  The 4-1/2 inch ecru strips are the top middle and both sides of the top HSTs, the 8-1/2 inch ecru strips are the outside strips left and right, and the 5-1/2 inch ecru strips are at the bottom.

Begin sewing with the units at the top center, and work out and down.

 

 

Sew the bottom section in rows, then sew to the top section.  Sew the tree block to the red pleated block.  If desired, embellish the tree before sewing the pillow together.

 

Cut the backing in half, creating two pieces 12-1/2 x 10-1/2.  Sew each backing piece to the zipper, right sides together.   If your zipper is too long, put a bar tack at the end and cut off the excess.

 

Open the zipper.  Sew the back to the front.  Turn right side out through the open zipper.  Press.  Top stitch around the edge at 1/4 inch to create an edge.

  

Stuff the pillow, zip closed.  This allows you to remove the stuffing for storing the pillow flat with your seasonal decorations.

Enjoy this seasonal pillow as an accent in a chair or on a sofa, or on a bed.

The Christmas Tree pillow finishes at 12" x 19".

I hope you like this little project, quick and easy, perfect for decorating in your home and quick gifts.  Change the colors to brown/rust/gold and you'd have an autumn accent pillow.  I'd like to invite you to visit my blog From My Carolina Home where you'll find posts on a variety of subjects including quilting, tutorials, cooking, reading, sewing, crafting, stamping, decorating, mountain living and more!  The next scrappy mystery quilt begins in January 2017!

Carole Carter
From My Carolina Home

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