How-To: Inset Banding with a Mitered Corner

1. Cut fabric pieces finished banding size x 2.  Press raw edges together on the reverse side.

2. Line up bands square on the worktable, stabbing pins along the banding to hold it in place.  Allow ends to overlap at least 1/2".

3. Turn under edge of the top banding piece forming a mitered corner that is square and true.  

4. Press in a crease at the mitered corner with an iron.

5. Lift up the creased edge and apply a small amount of Rowley Fringe Adhesive or Iron-On Bonding Tape, apply to bottom banding and set adhesive using a hot iron.

6. After adhesive is set unfold banding.

7.  Gently unfold banding so that the right sides of each banding piece are face-to-face.  After banding is unfolded there will be a crease line, this is the stitch line.  It is marked in the photo below.  Sew on this line using a small stitch.

8. After sewing trim away excess fabric leaving a small seam allowance.

9. Turn banding right sides out and press with an iron.

10. Apply the banding to the project by hand sewing, machine sewing or by using Fringe Adhesive or the Iron-On Bonding Tape.

Creating a "Target" or "Bulls Eye" Pillow Front.

Stripes can be used in creative ways for your pillow designs.  Try using horizontal and vertical blocks of stripes or cutting so that the stripes form a cross or target design as shown here.  

Begin with a pattern cut the size of your finished pillow front.  Cut it into 4 equal triangles and mark the direction of the stripe.  Use these pieces as patterns, adding seam allowances to all sides.

To join the cut iron in the seam allowance and then pin together to match, stabbing into the work table (if  the table has an underlayment).  Carefully remove the pieces and rock the pins to catch the pressed seam pinning the two pieces together.  Sew together slowly, following along the crease and removing pins as you go.  (Often when matching seams, especially along a bias edge using an iron-on adhesive tape makes the job much easier but for this pillow the seams will be pressed open, using a fusible tape would only allow for the seams to be pressed to one side).
 

Sew together two triangles for each half of the pillow and then sew together, matching the stripes.  Press seams open.  After it is sewn apply to a piece of Fusible Stabilizer or Lining cut to the correct size.  This will prevent the bias cuts from stretching.  The pillow front is now ready for a knife edge or boxed style. 

Grommets as Decoration

Here is a clever pillow idea, use grommets to create a modern embellishment.  For this pillow a front center panel was added using micro welt cord as a detail on each side.



The plastic, snap together grommets were added to the center panel.  This style of grommet is sleek,  smooth and easy to use.  They have a 2 1/8" outside diameter and a 1 3/8" inside diameter and are available in eight colors; Antique Brass was used for this pillow.

Iron-on polyester batting was added to the center panel to provide a little more thickness for the grommets without making the fabric look stiff or bulky.

After the grommets were added a separate lining was cut with a center strip of contrasting fabric which shows from behind the grommet.  Welt cord was added around the edges and the back piece applied for the finished pillow.

Other creative ideas include creating an entire pillow front with grommets spaced in vertical or horizontal patterns and adding a fun print, metallic or even fur behind the grommets for an added surprise!

Products Used:  

Micro Welt Cord #WC84

Polyester Iron-On Batting #PA20

1 3/8" ID Plastic Grommets #GP10/R

1/4" #2 Polyester Welt Cord #WCP2

18" Polyester Cluster Pillow Insert #PJ18

Customer Creations:

The following knife edge and boxed Grommet Embellished Pillow designs were created by Beginning to End Interiors, Sarasota, FLA