Sprout - The bonus projects

Bought the sprout pattern? Need some ideas of what to turn your medium and mini blocks in to?

I've got you covered!

I would have loved to have included these in the pattern, but it would have ended up being a book! So, here they are instead.

The following post gives two simple projects, a cushion and a zipper pouch.

But feel free to get creative with those blocks and incorporate them into all manner of projects!

This post is intended for those who have purchased the Sprout pattern and wish to create something using the smaller block sizes. All instructions for creating the blocks are included in the pattern. The following tutorials will assume that you have your completed blocks ready.

Haven’t got the pattern yet? Grab it here!

 

 

Will fit an 18” cushion inner

Supplies:

1 x Medium Sprout block

Background fabric: ½ yard

Optional:

20” square batting and 20” square of calico if quilting front of cushion.

 

Cutting:

From your background fabric, cut:

18 ½” x 10” (x 2) for cushion backs

18” x 6” (x 2) Cushion front side panels

7” x 2” (x 2) for cushion front top and bottom panels. 

 

Assembly:

1. Attach the top and bottom panels to your Sprout block. Press.
2. Attach the side panels and press to complete the cushion top.
3. Optional - If you wish to quilt or add decorative stitches, this is when to do it. Layer up your cushion top, batting and calico and quilt away!

4. To hem your cushion back panels, fold over the 18 ½” side by ¼ twice (towards the wrong side of the fabric) and top stitch in place. Complete this step for both cushion back panel rectangles.
5. Lay your two cushion back pieces on top of the cushion front. They should be right sides together with the hemmed parts of the cushion back panels overlapping in the middle. Pin in place.
6. Sew all the way around. For extra stability, you can finish your seams with a wide zig zag stitch to encase them.
7. Turn it the right way around and admire your finished cushion!

 

 

Mini project size: A zipper pouch

 

Supplies:

1 x Mini Sprout block

Background fabric: 1 Fat Eighth

Lining fabric: 1 Fat Eighth

Interfacing (medium woven iron on) ¼ yard

8” Zipper 

 

Cutting:

Background fabric:

9” x 1 ½” (x 2) front side panels

7” x 2” (x 1) front top panel

7” x 3” (x 1) front bottom panel

9” square (x 1) pouch back

1” square (x 2) zipper tabs

 

Lining:

9” square (x 2)

 

Interfacing:

9” square (x 2)

 

Prep: Trim your zipper ¼” from the stopper ends. Your zip should measure 8 ½” in total.

Fold a 1” zipper tab square in half, right sides together. Open out and fold the raw edges in by ¼” so that they meet in the middle. Fold over the edge of the zipper and topstitch in place. Repeat for the other end of the zipper.  

 

1. Attach the front top and bottom panels to your Sprout block. Press.
2. Attach the front side panels. Press again. This is your completed pouch front.
3. Adhere the interfacing to the wrong sides of your pouch front and pouch back. (Follow the interfacing manufacturer’s instructions.)
4. Lay your front panel right side up, on top of this place your zip, teeth facing downwards. Line up together at the top. Zipper pull should be on the right. Pin or clip in place. On top of this, lay a lining piece, right sides together. Pin or clip in place and sew together using a ¼” seam allowance using a zipper foot.
5. Repeat step 4 for the other side of the zip and your remaining pouch back and lining piece.
6. Top stitch both sides, approx. 1/8” from the zipper edge.
7. Unzip the zipper about half way. Lay the pouch so that the two outer sides are right sides together and the two lining pieces are together. Pin or clip in place. Make sure the zipper teeth are folded towards the lining.
8. Sew all the way around using a ¼” seam allowance, leaving a gap (approx. 3”) at the bottom of the lining. Back stitch at start and finish.
9. Optional for boxed corners: Cut out a 1” square from all 4 corners. Pull apart and pinch together, nesting the seams in the centre. Pin or clip in place and sew a ¼” seam allowance from the raw edge. Sew back and forth a few times for stability.

10. Turn the right way round and sew up the gap. You’ve finished your pouch!

 

 

 

For a more in depth zipper tutorial, check out Melly Sews here:

https://mellysews.com/sew-zipper-pouch/