Lindsay Mayland of Happy Hour Stitches recently shared her free pattern for the Charming Mini Quilt, and today I’ll show you my spin on her pattern, transforming the mini quilt into a pillow cover.

Charming Mini Pillow Cover

Like many quilters, I have a growing collection of mini charm packs: a fabric bundle that contains 42 squares and each square is 2.5″ x 2.5″ (pictured in the upper right corner). Typically I buy them because I see a new fabric line I love. And a small packet or two contains the full range of patterns and colorways. However, I rarely have a specific pattern in mind, so I tuck them away in my Vault of Happiness, never to be seen again.

That’s why the Charming Mini Quilt is a great pattern. It’s easy to customize and doesn’t require a lot of additional yardage.

I followed Lindsay’s pattern instructions, with the addition of four more charm squares to make a total of sixteen blocks, creating a square mini quilt. Step 9 in the pattern is binding the quilt. But wait!

First I framed the mini quilt with cotton velvet that was leftover from another project. Next I made the pillow back from a fat quarter of fabric using the envelope method (described here under Finish Pillow). To complete the pillow cover, I layered the pillow top and pillow back, wrong sides together. Then I machine stitched the binding (2.5″ strips cut from another fat quarter) around the entire pillow top. Finally I popped the pillow in through the envelope opening in the back.

Now my sunroom looks warm and cozy even as the winter winds and snow arrive in the North Country.

Charming Mini Blog Hop Schedule

I hope you sew along with us! So check out the free pattern and see everyone’s version of the Charming Mini Quilt.

December 5: Lindsay Mayland of Happy Hour Stitches

December 6: Tracie Henkel of Riceford Streams

December 7: Vanessa Lynch of Punkin Patterns

December 8: Holly Anne Knight of String and Story

December 9: Sheila Sinclair Snyder of License to Quilt

December 10: Pat Sloan

Perhaps you’ll be inspired to make a gift for someone special in your life.

Joyfully,

Tracie