October 16, 2012 – 10:17 am
When you make a cushion, chances are you want an inner with a removable cover so it can be washed. Why spend a fiver on a cushion pad when you can make your own? This tutorial is pretty self explanatory, and can be adapted to different shapes and sizes. I’m going to give you details for making a bolster cushion inner in a later post- I really could do with one of those!
Muslin is good enough for this- you’ll find a lot of ready made cushion pads are made from even thinner stuff. Muslin is nice and cheap, and toy stuffing always comes in a huge bag when you only need a small bit for a project. So this means I’ve got a new cushion pad for almost no cost at all!
YOU WILL NEED
Two pieces of muslin 1/2″ bigger than the finished size, mine is a 16″ finished cushion and the pieces are 16 1/2″ x 16 1/2″
Toy stuffing
A sewing machine is handy to have
Sew the squares together with a 1/4″ seam around 3 1/2 of the sides leaving half a side open.
Clip the stitched corners and turn inside out.
Fill with toy stuffing. IIf you like a plump cushion, put loads in, it’s up to you how big you make it!
Squish the stuffing away from the opening .Sew the opening shut with a running stitch, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Use pins to keep it together if yours is a fat cushion and remove them before your needle reaches them.
Ta da! My homemade one is at the front, the ready made one is behind it, see the difference?
October 15, 2012 – 9:30 am
I went to two ice hockey games this weekend so I didn’t expect to get much done in all honesty (if you even slightly care, we won 6-0 at home on saturday and lost 3-1 away on sunday). When I sat down at my machine on saturday after a little lie-in til 9am I really didn’t fancy sewing my curtains and I really wanted to start something new. I was thinking about doing a porthole quilt with my Birds and Berries layer cake for Moda Bake Shop…
But I was disciplined and told myself NO and instead I sewed the second block (made from teeny tiny pieces- it’s only 6″) of my big sampler project that I plan to just dip into every now and then when I’m feeling disinterested with my WIPs. I finished the applique block the night before in front of the TV as planned.
And since the urge to not do someting useful continued, I put another line on my Hello Chevron project. I am starting to love this already so I may do another line later…
And then on Sunday before the game I sewed the majority of the first row in the row by row swap on Popular Patchwork. I finished it this morning before work. The theme was squares and rectangles and my partner Alison wanted bright blues and greens. I’m hoping this fits the bill. More itty bitty squares- this is 6″ x 36″ (finished size). Some of the seams are wonky on this, I’m hoping she’s less of a perfectionist than me!
Oh and I did manage another column of curtain patchwork- halfway through that now 😉
I’m sure I’ll get round to that porthole quilt after I’ve finished some of this other stuff off first.
October 14, 2012 – 12:17 pm
I was looking for a rotary blade sharpener online as I go through a blade a week (despite not cutting that much- I think I’m pressing too hard or cutting too many layers). However I came across a cheap way of doing it…
Take an arms length of foil and fold it up several times.
Roll your rotary cutter over it over and over again, testing on scraps to see if it’s getting sharper! I ended up with this mess…
However it didn’t stay sharp for long, but hopefully it will work better for you- I swear I’m doing something wrong in my cutting. Still, I’m hoping Santa or the birthday fairy will bring me a “proper” one and save me some pennies spent on blades!
October 13, 2012 – 4:17 pm
56 charm squares of Japanese fabric, all different…
The one sitting on top at the top left of the photo is the fabric I bought- I made sure I got an extra FQ just in case I cut it wonky. Thankfully I didn’t!
This was the result of the Japanese charm swap that Sarah hosted. I just have no idea what to make with them- any ideas?
October 12, 2012 – 10:06 am
I’ve got a new design in my Spoonflower fabric shop…
It’s available in two colourways as above, and I have a single FQ available in my patterns/supplies Etsy shop for $6- click here.
I’ve also already whipped up a simple Kindle pouch using it.
October 11, 2012 – 10:21 am
I designed this sampler quilt on EQ7 for Festival of Quilts next year… It’s 73 blocks in total.
I thought I’d better make a start and casually do a block every so often- I’ve tacked down some pieces for applique , I just need to sort out the arrangement again slightly and needle turn them by hand. It’s nice to have a job I can do whilst watching the TV. I’ve actually never done an applique quilt block before. True story.
Don’t think that’s all I did last night, I’ve sewn four blocks for a secret project too. I will be able to reveal that at the New Year, but until then, you will have to wait…
October 10, 2012 – 10:31 am
I’ve spent the last three days working on this cushion, sometimes paper piecing triangular sections for hours. I actually sewed and listened all the way through from Chris Evan’s Breakfast Show to the end of Steve Wright in the Afternoon on Monday whilst OH was sleeping as he’d just finished a night shift at 7am. Ken Bruce’s show always reminds me of being at my grandma’s house and the taste of roast pork with salty cabbage as it was on in the background. This is a good thing 🙂
Sorry for the lower quality pictures- I’m saving the good stuff for the magazine that the tutorial will be printed in. More on that when it happens.
Do you remember this post back in August where I showed you the mock up design? Well I took Simone‘s suggestion on board and called it the Kaleidostar cushion- thanks Simone!
The whole cushion is constructed from Oakshott shot cottons, specifically it’s the Oxblood, Apricot, Haematite and White Marble colours. They’re really nice to cut and to sew. I must say the Haematite grey is my favourite, I love the dimension in the different tone weft and weave threads.
I even put a fancy zip in with a flap for the very first time. I used this tutorial from Sew Mama Sew and adapted it ever so slightly to position the zip differently. It was easier than I thought!
Day 10 of Blogtoberfest today… are you getting bored of me yet?! 21 more posts to go!
October 9, 2012 – 10:45 am
I just need to make the keyring.
I actually messed up a bit- I’ve cut the points off the ribbon star when sewing the lining in and I was going to put an internal pocket in and totally forgot.
I’ve deliberately blurred out the bottom right as it will give away the recipient. I like the block though and I like the quilting- I was going to have a go at quilting Paisley but it always turns out as swirls, which still look good.
October 8, 2012 – 11:55 am
I have a little stash of precuts that I’ve resisted cutting into recently, I have other projects to finish first as you all well know.
I even had a dream earlier in the week that I was at the Fat Quarterly Retreat and we were using precuts, but someone used my Birds and Berries layer cake thinking it was a provided one and I was upset! Sad but true. But it is pretty. Oops I opened it. I don’t think there’s a print I don’t love in the range…
And look at the little birdies!
October 7, 2012 – 10:50 am
I’m trying to get my little bits and pieces done and out of the way. This weekend I’m working on a tutorial for a magazine using Oakshott shot cottons (as well as making 300 chocolates for 2 weddings, but that’s another story) so I look forward to showing you that soon.
I’ve already made my block for my tote bag for Mouthy Stitches. I need to correct some rubbish points on the bottom section and actually construct it into a bag, but this bit is pretty much sorted.
And I’ve made the starting centre block for Free Two Bee that is about to start.
Both items have a posting deadline of the end of the month so I’m on it like a car bonnet. Which leaves me more time later in the month to go and watch ice hockey games in Nottingham with OH, my new favourite thing. Go Panthers!
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