Quilted Pillows using Jolie Cut-Offs

May 17, 2025

Who loves a bonus project?! We hate to throw out cut-offs, and the Jolie quilt has such usable scraps we decided to share our favorite project using the leftovers from our blue and purple Jolie quilt. So save those corner cut-offs and make pillows with us!

This tutorial makes two 16" quilted pillows with a hidden (not invisible!) zipper using the corner square cut-offs from the throw size Jolie quilt. Instructions are provided to make the necessary half-square triangles from yardage too!

Disclaimer - due to the nature of the design and seam allowances, you will lose your points along the edges of the pillows...if that is bothersome to you this isn't the project for you!

Fabric Requirements:

80 half-square triangles from the Jolie quilt or 1/2 yard of background fabric + 40 4" squares of print.
1/2 yard of fabric for the pillow back
1/2 yard of fabric for the pillow lining
Four 18" x 18" squares of batting
18" of zipper tape + two heads or two 18" premade zippers - narrow zipper heads will make this project much smoother!
Two 18" pillow inserts

Cutting Instructions:

If you don't have Jolie cut-offs, sub-cut your background fabric into 40 4" squares by cutting four strips 4" x WOF, then sub-cutting into 4" squares (10 per strip).
Sub-cut your pillow back into two 18" squares
Sub-cut your pillow lining into two 18" squares

Pillow Assembly:

In the pattern, we give you this tip, which will give you 80 HSTs if you're making the throw size:

1. If you're not using Jolie cut-offs, begin by make the half-square triangle units by placing each 4" square of background fabric right sides together with a 4" square of print. Draw a line corner to corner and sew 1/4" from the line on each side. Cut precisely on the drawn line.

2. Press each HST from Step 1 or from your Jolie quilt towards the print. Trim each one to 3 1/2" square.

3. Arrange two panels of 40 HSTs in whatever on-point orientation you prefer - here's ours:

(Credit - We use the same arrangement for our HSTs that we found in the Aroma pattern - it's a free project from Art Gallery Fabrics using smaller HSTs for a really gorgeous mini quilt!)

4. Sew the rows together and trim to 17 1/2" square. Aim for 1/4" from your points but remember, you're going to lose points in your seam allowances later, so don't sweat it too much.

5. Baste your pillow front, batting, and one square of lining together and quilt as desired.

6. Next, baste your pillow backs, batting, and the other squares of lining together and quilt as desired.

Hidden zipper:

1. If you want your edges to be finished, zig zag or serge the bottoms of both the front and back now. Attached the zipper heads if applicable.

2 .Place the pillow back right side down over the pillow front. Pin the bottom seam only.

3. Stitch your bottom seam from edge to edge, with a 1/2” seam allowance. (Don't be scant here!) Press open.

4. On the inside of the seam allowance, mark the middle of the seam. Mark the center of your zipper on both sides of the tape (on the wrong side to hide the mark).

5. Align the middle of the zipper with the middle of the seam, with the zipper face down on the open seam. Pin zipper in place with zipper teeth centered over the stitch line.

6. Mark your zipper 1 1/2” from the ends - this will be your turnaround point.

7. Starting at either mark, stitch 1/4” from the zipper teeth on both sides, through all layers, being sure to backstitch at the beginning and end. This stitch line is visible on the front and back of your pillow, so go slow! When you get to your mark, turn and stitch 2-3 times across the zipper teeth to secure it, and continue down the other side of the zipper.

This is the trickiest step - manuever your zipper head carefully out of the way, you're going to encase in fully in stitches. (This is why we recommend a narrow head!)

8. Check under your zipper tape and make sure you caught your seam allowance all along the zipper.

9. Now this is the fun part - turn to the right side of the pillow and use a seam ripper to carefully open the seam over the zipper teeth. Do not rip beyond the double stitched secured ends!