54-40 or Fight Batik Pillow Tutorial

The 54-40 or Fight quilt block makes a beautiful pillow and I have an easy tutorial to share with you today.

This quilt block uses the triangle in a square block and I have a template you can download if needed.

54-40 or Fight Batik Pillow Tutorial

16″ x 16″

This block can be made in several different ways including using the templates provided, the Tri Rec rulers, or AccuQuilt dies.

54-40 or Fight Batik Pillow Tutorial

This pillow tutorial has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing.

I used the beautiful batiks called Running Water and the block I am showing is called 54-40 or Fight. This is one of my favorite blocks and I make it in many different sizes.

I love making pillows; they are a fast way to make up a project and also make a wonderful gift. This block is 12 inches with a 2-inch border giving me a 16-inch pillow.

54-40 or Fight is a type of 9 patch block and you can see how the sections go together.

Here is the block with the sections sewed together.

One pillow with 4″ square in the center:

Fabrics:

• ½ yard Dark Teal batik – fabric that will also be used for the borders and back of the pillow
• ¼ yard Bright Teal batik
• ¼ yard Cream batik
• 16″ square pillow form

Cutting:

• Dark Teal batik – cut (1) – 4½” square and (4) triangle in a square sections as shown below
• Bright Teal batik – cut (8) – 2½” squares or use the strip method below
• Cream batik – cut (8) – 2½” squares or use the strip method below

One pillow with 4 patch square in center:

Cutting:

• Dark Teal batik – cut (2) – 2½” square and 4 – triangle in a square sections as shown below
• Bright Teal batik – cut (8) – 2½” squares or use the strip method below
• Cream batik – cut (10) – 2½” squares or use the strip method below

Strip cutting method:

• Cut 2½ inch strips of two different fabrics for the 4 square sections.
• Sew the two strips together with a ¼ inch seam allowance
• Sub-cut into 2½ inch pieces
• Sew two of the sections together as shown below

Center Block – choose one:

• (1) –  4 1/2 inch square
• (2) – 2½” Dark Teal batik and 2 ½” Cream batik squares sewed into a 4 patch

Triangles in a square sections

For this block they will measure 4 1/2 inches unfinished. There are several ways you can make this.

My favorite way to make this block is of course with my AccuQuilt Go! 4″ Triangle in a Square Die.

This die will even work in the GO! Baby!

If you have any of the AccuQuilt GO! Qube Companion Angle sets,  they all have the dies to make triangle in a square blocks.

In no time at all you can easily cut all of the pieces.

The Tri-Rec templates are another great way to cut the shapes, just follow the directions that come with the templates.

If you don’t have the die or templates you can download the full-size tempates for the triangles in a square.

Sew the triangle in a square blocks together as shown below.

Here is the finished block which is 12½” square. For some reason, I didn’t make this block into a pillow, wonder where it went.

Now it is time to add the borders.

Borders:

• Cut (2) – 2½” x 12½” pieces and sew to the sides
• Cut (2) – 2½” x 16½” pieces and sew to the top and bottom

Quilt as desired:

 I used my vintage 15-91 Singer sewing machine for all of my piecing and quilting. 

I like using Aurifil thread and chose a dark teal color, I also used a Schmetz Microtex 80/20 sewing machine needle. This needle works very well with batiks.

This is also a great time to experiment with free-motion techniques.

I think it is always fun to get a peek at the back so here you go!

I put a zipper in the back of my pillows with a flap……next pillow….I’ll show you a easy way to do that!

Remember my fabric basket tutorial …..well I made another one……I just can’t stop!

This pillow tutorial has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing.

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