Sewing with Fabric Strips: A Color Gradient Pillowcase

If you have accumulated many fabric scraps, even very small pieces can be successfully used for home textiles. I suggest sewing a pillowcase from strips using fabric in two shades. We will make a patchwork block with a color gradient that is simple to execute but very effective in its finished form.

## Workflow

Step 1

Cut 20 cm squares out of paper (A4 office paper works best). These will serve as the foundation for sewing. Mark the center of each paper template. To do this, fold the sheet diagonally twice; the center is at the intersection of the lines. Pin a small scrap of fabric to this area—in this case, fabric with sequins.

## Step 2

On one side of the fabric square, pin a strip of red-toned fabric. Sew a seam, fold it to the right side, and press with an iron. Do the same for the second side of the central square. The width and shade of the strips do not have to be identical.

## Step 3

Cover the other two sides of the square with strips in blue tones; old jeans and shirt fabric work very well for this purpose.

## Step 4

Gradually fill the entire patchwork block. One half of the square is decorated in red tones, the other in blue. If desired, you can sew the scraps with a color transition from darker to lighter and vice versa.

## Step 5

After 4 blocks are sewn, remove the paper and join them into one piece. To do this, cut a fabric base, cover it with thin batting, pin the sewn blocks onto the base, and quilt by hand or machine.

## Step 6

Sew the back of the pillowcase from two rectangles; in this case, these are legs from old jeans. Leave the center of the seam open to insert the pillow, then sew it shut by hand.

Sew around the perimeter of the pillowcase and finish with binding. You can assemble not only a pillow from such patchwork blocks, but also a bag, as well as a bedspread or a warm patchwork quilt.