Four-Patch Knot Pillow

• 1/4 yard purple-and-black print (pillow, piping, covered cording, covered button)
• 3/8 yard purple-and-white print (pillow, covered cording)
• 20-inch-long 1/4-inch diameter cording
• 3/4-inch diameter button to cover
• 12-inch-square pillow form
• Dollmaker's needle
• Heavy-duty thread
• Small safety pin

From purple-and-black print, cut: Two 3/4x 42-inch strips for piping Two -6-1/2-inch squares Enough 1-1/2-inch wide bias strips to total 12 inches for cording One 2-inch square

From purple-and-white print, cut: One -12-1/2-inch square Two -6-1/2-inch squares Enough 1-1/4-inch wide bias strips to total 12 inches for cording

Quantities are for 44/45-inch wide, 100-percent cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1/4-inch seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

1. Using a diagonal seam, sew together purple-and-black print 3/4x42-inch strips to make one 83-1/2-inch-long pieced strip.
2. With wrong side inside, fold the pieced strip in half lengthwise; press. Cut to make: One 50-inch piping strip One- 12-1/2-inch piping strip Two- 6-1/2-inch piping strips
3. Aligning raw edges and with right sides together, sew a 6-1/2-inch piping strip to one edge of a purple-and-black print 6-1/2-inch square (Diagram 1). Repeat with remaining 6-1/2-inch piping strip and remaining purple-and-black print 6-1/2-inch square.
4. Join each Step 3 purple-and-black print 6-1/2-inch square to a purple-and-white print 6-1/2-inch square along piped edge to make a block unit (Diagram 2). Repeat to make a second block unit. Press all seams toward purple-and-black print squares.
5. Sew the 12-1/2-inch piping strip to one edge of a block unit.
6. Sew together piped block unit and remaining block unit along piped edge to make a Four-Patch (Diagram 3). Press seam to one side.
7. Open one end of the 50-inch folded piping strip. Fold end under 1-1/2 inches; finger-press. Refold strip in half lengthwise.
8. Aligning raw edges and using a scant 1/4-inch seam allowance, baste piping to edges of the Four-Patch, starting 1-1/2 inch from piping's folded end. As you stitch each corner, clip the seam allowance to within a few threads of basting line (Diagram 4); gently ease piping in place. At the end, insert free end of piping into folded end, and baste to beginning point to complete the pillow top.

Layer the pillow top and purple-and-white print 12-1/2-inch square. Sew together along all edges, leaving an opening along one side for turning. Turn right side out. Insert pillow form through the opening; hand-stitch opening closed.

1. Aligning short edges, sew together purple-and-black print bias strips to make a 10-inch-long pieced strip.
2. Fold pieced strip in half lengthwise with right side inside. Sew together along long edge. Attach a small safety pin to one end of the strip. Work safety pin through the strip to turn strip right side out and into a tube; press.
3. Cut cording into two 10-inch lengths. Attach a safety pin to one end of a cording piece and work through the tube to make purple-and-black covered cording.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with purple-and-white print bias strips and remaining 10-inch-long cording piece to make purple-and-white covered cording.
5. Referring to Diagram 5, lay out purple-and-black and purple-and-white cording. Knot cording pieces together as shown, pulling them taut (Diagram 6).
6. Turn knot to back (Diagram 6). Trim purple-and-black cording ends to within 1 inch of knot. Remove 1 inch of stitching at each end of cording and pull back bias strip ends. Trim cording so ends abut and whipstitch them together (Diagram 6). Refold bias strip so it covers cording, turning top strip under 1/2 inch. Hand-stitch strip to close seam and cover cording.
7. Repeat Step 6 with purple-and-white cording.
8. Following manufacturer's instructions, cover button with purple-and-black print 2-inch square.
9. Thread and knot dollmaker's needle with heavy-duty thread. Stitch down through center of pillow to back and attach covered button. Stitch back up to pillow top. Taking small stitches through knot and pillow top, secure knot firmly in place.