Tate Collection | Chrysanthemums by Vanessa Bell

Tate Collection | Chrysanthemums by Vanessa Bell

The finished cushion

Here is the photo of the finished cushion complete with buttons. It looks fab, much better than anything I've found in the shops!

The 10 Minute Cushion

This is a really really easy envelope cushion, that can be made in 10 mins and involves sewing 2 straight lines. Trust me, simple!!!

You will need

1. a cushion pad (available from any good fabric, interiors or haberdashery shop).
2. a piece of fabric in a colour/ pattern of your choice, make sure the fabric is 2 and 1/2 times the size of your cushion pad in length, and the width is the same as the pad + 1" seam allowance (e.g. a 15" pad will need 37.5" by 16" piece of fabric).
3. a pair of scissors
4. thread
5. pins
6. sewing needle
7. sewing machine (if you do not have a sewing machine you will need to hand sew the seams)
8. Iron and Ironing board (there is no excuse for not having one of these)

How to make

• Measure your cushion pad (mine is 15")
• Cut a fabric rectangle of fabric so the length is 2 and 1/2 times the measurement of your cushion pad and the width is the measurement of the pad +1" (for my pad that will be 37.5" by 16")
• Work out what 1/5 of the total length of you fabric is (e.g. 37.5 / 5 = 7.5) fold one end of the piece of fabric wrong sides together by this measurement (e.g. 7.5") and press. 
• Starting from the fold measure again this time 2/5 (the width of your cushion pad) of the total length of the fabric. Fold at this point again with wrong sides together and press.
• From the other end of your piece of fabric measure 2" along the length and fold, wrong sides together, and press. You should end up with a piece of fabric that, when unfolded, looks like the picture above.
• Beginning with the fold line in the middle of the fabric, fold the edges over right sides together, (the opposite way to the pressed crease) and pin in place on each side as far as the 2" fold line
• Next fold the 2" section along the fold line wrong sides together and pin, this will create a neat edge when the cushion is turned right way round. 
• The final section will need to be folded right sides together along the fold line, ensuring that the edge overlaps the 2" section.

Fold like this

and pin in place

• Sew along both edges leaving 1/2" seam allowance.

 

• Turn cushion cover right sides out and press.
• Insert Cushion pad in opening.
• Congratulations your cushion cover is now complete!

Put the pad in the cover

All Finished!!

If you want you could put some button fastenings on the opening to make it into a pretty feature, or add some embellishments or trims, or whatever takes your fancy. 

Happy Making x 

Trend report

The Autumn/Winter season began this week, with most of the high street launching the new seasons collections and down playing the remains of the sale.

The typically muted autumnal colours are filtering into the new ranges with plenty of dark moody hues accentuated by the continuation of the summer bights trend. Am loving the brown, tan and orange/yellow combo, which seems to be replacing the flesh tones of the summer, as well as navy and raspberry spotted in Zara.

Am not too certain about the nun chic that vogue are channeling this month (Uk Vogue, Sept, page 284-295) but can't wait to try out the new monochrome look which is pairing all black with white accessories or all white with black. This should be very easy to imitate within the limitations of most wardrobes without the need of too many expensive additions.

Finally, cocoon coats, warm, cozy, practical, but odd looking. I want mine in charcoal grey with a big hood. Snuggles ahoy!

How to begin?

At the beginning I suppose!! Professionally I am a freelance Garment Technologist, Dressmaker, Tailor and all round handy crafty home made person! I also work part time as a bespoke tailoring consultant at Austin Reed the famous gentleman’s store. I have tried my hand at all sorts of craft  projects at home from making cushions, curtains, decoupage boxes, restoring furniture, wall art, painting… the list is quite long!!

I am a professionally trained sewing machinist, making anything from fabric is my speciality, but I often find I am making things up as I go along, so thought I would share my tips and advice as well as ideas for mini projects to make at home that, I hope, anyone can follow.

I also plan to share details of my collections and projects, both professional and personal! Hopefully this should turn into an archive of work that I can look back on and draw upon for the future, and share with anyone who is interested as well.

I tend to be a bit disorganised so rather expect this blog to follow that pattern too, I already have posts on vintage dress patterns, a decoupage box and some shower curtains planned, which should be online in the next few days.

Hx