Belle France Beauties - Page 3 Step 4 For pillow: Using muslin 20" square for backing and polyester fleece 20" square for batting, layer and baste pillow top for quilting method of your choice (see Quiltmaking Fundamentals). Michele machine ditch quilted the green triangles. She hand outline quilted the blue dot sections and hand quilted an "X" across the pillow top and in each pieced corner square. Trim to 16 1/2" square. With right sides together, stitch quilted pillow front to green/blue/yellow floral 16 1/2" backing square, leaving an 8" opening for pillow form. Turn right side out. Insert pillow form and hand stitch opening closed to finish. Note: If a piped edge finish is desired, stitch piping to pillow front, raw edges aligned, before stitching pillow front to back. Step 5 For tote bag: Refer to Diagram III-B for this step. Measure exact width of Star Block (raw edge to raw edge). Trim 2 green/ pink/white floral 1 1/2" x 20" strips to exact width measurement; sew green 1 1/2" squares to ends of trimmed strips. Stitch untrimmed green/pink/white floral 1 1/2" x 20" strips to sides of Star Block; trim even with top and bottom. Stitch pieced strips to top and bottom. Using muslin 22" square for backing and polyester fleece 22" square for batting, layer and baste bag front for quilting method of your choice (see Quiltmaking Fundamentals). Michele machine ditch quilted the rose print triangles and the floral print rectangles. She hand quilted a heart in the center of each beige print pieced section. Trim to 18 1/2" square. Step 6 Place fleece 18 1/2" square on wrong side of green/pink/white floral 18 1/2" square; pin. Stitch around edge using 1/8" seam allowance. Layer fleece/ lining square (fleece side up) on quilted bag front (pieced side up). Stitch around 3 sides (leave top edge open). Turn right side out. Step 7 To make handles, fold green/ pink/white floral 4 1/2" x 23" strips in half, right sides together (see Diagram IV). Stitch 1/4" from raw edge. Turn right side out. Press flat, centering seam. Stitch 1/4" seam along top and bottom edges. Make 2. Pin 1 strip in place on right side of bag front (3" from each side seam). Repeat on bag back. Step 8 With right sides together, sew lining 18 1/2" squares together on 3 sides, leaving 8" opening on 1 side for turning. Place tote bag in lining with right sides together, matching side seams; pin. Stitch around top edge. Carefully pull tote bag through opening in lining. Hand stitch opening closed. Push lining into bag. Press. Stitch around top edge (1" from top) to secure lining to bag. To complete her bag, Michele added a wooden button in the center of each quilted heart. Do the same if you wish. Page 1 . 2 . 3 Return to Golden Quilts Index