Free cute bird cushion pattern
Tweet tweet! This adorable robin cushion is calling for you! Bring out your favourite and most colourful fabrics to really make it pop.
Sew this cushion for a quick and easy win, as well as getting a beautiful final result that'll be loved for years to come!
If you're a quilter newbie, read our complete guide to quilting for beginners! And if you want some help to learn or remind yourself how to sew Half-square Triangles, then head this way.
Find Jennifer Worthen's full throw-size quilt pattern that coordinates with this cushion project in issue 143 of Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine!
Bag yourself a digital edition through Readly, Zinio, Pocketmags or the Love Patchwork & Quilting app.
You will need
- Fabric A (background): ½yd
- Fabric B (yellow): one (1) fat eighth
- Fabric C (red): one (1) fat quarter
- Fabric D (brown): 1½in x 3in
- Fabric E (pink): one (1) fat eighth
- Backing fabric: ¾yd
- Batting: 28in square
Notes
- Seam allowances are ¼in unless otherwise noted.
- Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed.
- RST = right sides together.
- HST = half square triangle.
- HRT = half rectangle triangle.
- WOF = width of fabric.
- Quilted by Melissa Kelley (Sew Shabby Quilting). Pantogragh by Sew Shabby Quilting.
- Fabric supplied by Moda Fabrics.
Fabrics used
- Fabric used on birds are Moda Bella Buttercup, Cheddar, Mango, Mocha, and Fuchsia.
- Background is Moda Bella Ruby Ice.
- Quilt binding is Bella Fuchsia.
- Quilt backing is RSS Speckled Wide Navy.
- Cushion Back is Zip Roadster Red (Ruby Star Society).
- Finished size is 24in square.
Free robin cushion pattern
Cutting out
| From Fabric A cut: | From Fabric A cut: |
|---|---|
| Three (3) 1½in x 2½in. | Two (2) 2½in x 7½in. |
| One (1) 1½in x 3½in. | One (1) 2½in x 9½in. |
| One (1) 1½in x 4½in. | One (1) 2½in x 11½in. |
| One (1) 1½in x 6½in. | Seven (7) 3in squares. |
| One (1) 1½in x 8½in. | Three (3) 3½in x 6½in. |
| Three (3) 2in squares. | One (1) 3½in x 8½in. |
| Two (2) 2in x 4in. | One (1) 4½in x 11½in. |
| One (1) 2½in square. | One (1) 5½in x 7½in. |
| Two (2) 2½in x 4½in. | One (1) 5½in x 9½in. |
| From Fabric B cut: | From Fabric C cut: | From Fabric C cut: |
|---|---|---|
| Two (2) 1½in squares. | One (1) 1in x 2½in. | Three (3) 2½in squares. |
| Two (2) 1½in x 2½in. | Four (4) 1½in squares. | One (1) 2½in x 3½in. |
| Two (2) 2in squares | Two (2) 1½in x 2½in. | One (1) 2½in x 10½in. |
| Two (2) 2in x 4in. | One (1) 2in square. | Five (5) 3in squares. |
| Two (2) 3in squares. | Six (6) 2in x 4in. | One (1) 4½in x 3½in. |
| Two (2) 4½in x 7½in. |
| From Fabric D cut: | From Fabric E cut: | From the backing fabric cut |
|---|---|---|
| Two (2) 1½in squares. | Two (2) 2in x 4in. | Two (2) 20½in x 24½in. |
| Two (2) 3in squares | ||
| One (1) 6½in x 8½in. |
Making the Half-square Triangle units
Step 1
Take one Fabric A and Fabric B 3in square and place RST. Mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of one square, and sew ¼in from either side of the marked line. Cut along the line and press open (Fig 1). Trim each of the HSTs to 2½in square.
Step 2
Repeat the last step to make the following HSTs:
- Four (4) Fabric A/B.
- Eight (8) Fabric A/C.
- One (1) Fabric A/E.
- Two (2) Fabric C/E.
Step 3
Use the same process in step 7, but using 2in squares and trimming the HSTs to 1½in square, make four (4) Fabric A/B and one (1) Fabric A/C.
Making the Half-rectangle Triangles
Step 1
Take one Fabric A and one Fabric C 2in x 4in piece. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the Fabric A piece. Place RST with the Fabric C piece, matching opposite corners along the marked diagonal (Fig 2). Pin in place.
Step 2
Sew ¼in from either side of the marked line. Cut along the line and press the two HRT units open. Trim each unit to 1½in x 2½in (Fig 3).
Step 3
Repeat the last two steps to make two (2) Fabric B/C and two (2) Fabric C/E.
Step 4
Repeat the same process, drawing the diagonal in the opposite direction to make the same number of mirrored units as in the last two steps(Fig 4). Note, you will only use one of each of the HRT units. You can save the remaining units for another project, or discard.
Making the belly
Step 1
Take one Fabric E 6½in x 8½in piece, and place a Fabric C 1½in square RST at each bottom corner. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each square, going across the corner (Fig 5).
Step 2
Sew along the marked line at each corner. Trim ¼in outside the line, then press the corners open (Fig 6).
Step 3
Sew a Fabric E/C HRT to either side of a Fabric C 1½in x 2½in piece, referring to Fig 7 for placement. Sew this to the top of the unit from the last step to complete the belly.
Piecing the body
Step 1
Sew a 2½in Fabric C square to a matching HST. Then sew a Fabric C 4½in x 7½in piece to the bottom. Repeat to make a second unit, with the HST unit in the opposite position (Fig 8).
Step 2
Sew the units from the last step to either side of the belly unit. Sew two more HSTs to either end of a 2½in x 10½in piece. Then sew this to the bottom of the belly (Fig 9).
Step 3
Sew a Fabric A 4½in x 11½in piece to the side. Sew a Fabric C HRT to either end of a 1½in x 6½in piece. Sew a 1½in x 2½in Fabric A piece to one side and a 1½in x 6½in piece to the other. Sew this to the bottom to complete the body (Fig 10).
Piecing the tail
Step 1
Arrange the shown 2½in HSTs with two Fabric A 2½in x 4½in and two 3½in x 6½in pieces, referring to Fig 11.
Step 2
Sew the group of four HSTs together in pairs, then sew the pairs together. Sew the Fabric A piece to one side. Sew the other Fabric A piece to the side of the remaining HST. Sew the units together in one column to finish the tail.
Piecing the head
Step 1
Sew a Fabric C 1½in square to the top of a Fabric D 1½in square. Repeat to make a second unit. Sew these to either side of a Fabric C 2½in square. Then sew a 2½in Fabric C HST to either side (Fig 12). This makes the eye unit.
Step 2
Sew two opposite Fabric B/C HRT units together to form a beak. Then sew a 1in x 2½in Fabric C piece to the top and bottom. Sew a Fabric C 4½in x 3½in piece to the left and a 2½in x 3½in piece to the right (Fig 13).
Step 3
Sew the beak unit to the bottom of the eye unit. Take one 1½in Fabric E HST and sew a 1½in x 4½in Fabric A strip to the left. Sew a 1½in x 3½in strip to the right. Sew this to the top of the eye unit, then sew a Fabric A 1½in x 8½in strip to the top to complete the head (Fig 14).
Piecing the feet
Step 1
Arrange four Fabric B HSTs with two Fabric B 1½in squares, referring to Fig 15. Sew together in a row. Then sew a Fabric A 2½in x 6½in piece to the bottom.
Step 2
Sew a 1½in x 2½in Fabric F piece to the top of a Fabric B 2½in HST, then sew a Fabric A 3½in x 6½in piece to the side. Repeat to make a second mirrored unit, but using a 3½in x 8½in Fabric A piece (Fig 16). Sew these to either side of the unit from the last step.
Step 3
Sew a Fabric B 1½in x 2½in piece to either side of a Fabric A 2½in square. Then sew a Fabric A 2½in x 9½in piece to one side and a 2½in x 11½in piece to the other side. Sew this to the top of the previous unit to complete the feet (Fig 17).
Finishing the block
Step 1
Sew a Fabric A 2½in x 7½in piece to the side of a Fabric B 2½in HST, then sew a Fabric A 5½in x 7½in piece to the bottom. Sew a Fabric A 2½in x 7½in piece to the side of another HST, then sew a Fabric A 5½in x 9½in piece to the bottom (Fig 18).
Step 2
Sew the units from the last step to either side of the head. Sew the tail to the side of the body. Sew the feet to the bottom, then the head to the top to complete the block (Fig 19).
Step 3
Baste the finished block onto a piece of batting, and quilt as desired. Trim to 24½in square, cutting away excess batting to complete the cushion front.
Finishing the cushion
Step 1
Take one backing piece and press under ½in along one long edge. Press under ½in again, to enclose the raw edge. Topstitch in place. Repeat with the second backing piece.
Step 2
With the cushion top right side up, place both of the backing pieces on top, right side down. Align the raw edges around the outside, with the hemmed edges overlapping in the centre. Pin or clip in place.
Step 3
Sew around the outer edge. Clip the corners and turn right out. Press, then pop in a cushion pad to finish.
Customise your bird cushion
You can make this patchwork cushion pattern completely your own through your fabric and colour choices!
It’s a quick and easy design that’s a great way to get your head around simple patchwork, if you’re a beginner. Patchwork pros are sure to enjoy this quick finish too!
Free Half-square Triangle pattern
If you enjoyed this pattern and want to use your Half-square Triangle skills again, have a look at our free Half-square Triangle cushion pattern here on Gathered.
