A peek at my work space

Working on new cushion covers for the shop. The fabric is a cotton print by 'Richloom'.

What are you working on?

 

Check out my new listings at

https://www.etsy.com/shop/kiriakidesign

Simple Bolster Cushion

Bolster cushions are super easy to make. A bolster nestled by your sofas armrest adds a decorative touch and extra comfort. For more interest add piping to the seams in step 3.

Materials

20’ fabric

50” ribbon
14” square cushion insert

Instruction

1.       Cut one 13 x 19 in rectangle, cut two 3 x 19 in rectangles

2.       Zigzag 19 in side on all pieces.

3.        Pin and stitch the narrow rectangles on either side of the wider rectangles. Seam allowance is ½ in. Remove pins as you stitch.  Zig zag edges. You should now have a 19 in square.

 

4.       Open and press seams flat. Zig zag all edges.

5.       Fold the square in half right sides together with the narrow rectangles on the ends. Making sure the seams meet.

6.        Pin and stitch 1 in in from the edge to form a tube.

7.       Open and iron the seam flat

8.       To make the casing turn the edge over twice ½ in each time. Iron to keep in place and stitch around the circumference. If your machine has a removable extension piece remove it while stitching the casing. It makes it so much easier.

9.       To thread the ribbon through the casing channel pin one end of the ribbon to a safety pin and enter through one gap and slowly work the pin all around and emerge through the other gap. Repeat on the other end.  Turn cover right side out.

  

10.       To inset the square cushion roll it up and slowly pull the cover over the cushion. Once the cushion cover is in place pull the ribbon to gather the sides and tie a bow.

 

Bunny Friends

Bunny  craft projects from Mollie Makes magazine.

Seahorse Cushion

 

I think  seahorses are fascinating. This cushion has three resting on a lovely linen blend fabric.
This week I opened an Etsy shop. Something I had been thinking about for a long time. Please stop by and take a look. Just click on the link on the sidebar.

Seahorse Cushion with Pleated Trim

Materials

½ yard linen blend fabric

15 x 24 in printed fabric
Zipper
Cushion insert
Fusible web (wonder under)
Seahorse template

Instructions

1 Cut two  12x 16 rectangles from solid fabric, cut two  4 x 24in strips from printed fabric, cut one 7 x 10 in rectangle from printed fabric for seahorses.

2 Iron the wrong side of the seahorse fabric to the rough side of the fusible web (or follow product instructions). Trace the seahorse template onto the paper side of the fusible web 3 times and cut out.
3 To position the seahorses on the cushion front, firstly fold the cushion front into thirds along the long side. Place pins at the folds. Unfold the cushion front and place the first and last seahorse on the folds and the centre seahorse will sit between them. There will be about 3 ½ in on the top and bottom edges of the cushion front and the seahorses.

 

4 Remove backing paper and iron seahorses onto the cushion front. Top stitch the outline of each sea horse.

5 Fold the strips in half wrong sides together on the short side and iron to keep the fold. Open and fold the other way so right sides are together and stitch the shorts sides. Turn right side out.

 

6 Measure 1 in intervals along the raw edge. Fold starting from the right hand side the second to last mark to meet the last mark. Pin to hold in place. Repeat until you get to the end. In the photo the pink pin will fold to meet the red pin.

When pleated the strip should measure about 11 ½ in. Machine stitch to hold the pleats. Remove pins as you stitch.

 7 Attach pleats to short sides of the cushion front. Place pleats about ½ in from the edges on the top and bottom. Pin and stitch. Remove pins as you stitch.

8 Align the front and back pieces together right sides facing. Measure the zipper length a long the bottom long side and stitch the seam either side of the zipper. Make the seam allowance about ¾ of an inch. Make sure the pleats are not caught in the seam. It’s a good idea to zigzag the edges of the sipper seam at this stage.

 

9 Working from the wrong side of the cushion pieces iron the seam flat. Place the right side of the zipper face down in the middle of the seam. Tack and stitch one side of the zipper to one seam allowance only using the zipper foot. Start at the bottom end and stitch towards the top when you are about 2 ins from the top leave the needle in the fabric, lift the zipper foot and pull the zipper open until the zipper tab is behind the zipper foot release the foot and continue to stitch.

10 Turn the cushion over to the right side. Tack and top stitch the other side of the zipper in place starting at the bottom and working up and again opening the zipper as you get to the top.

11 Partly open the zipper. Align the edges of the front and back pieces right sides together with the pleats sandwiched between the front and back. Stitch around the edges of the three remaining sides to finish the cushion

12 Zigzag edges. Turn right side out and insert cushion.

 

Gathered Cushion Cover

Finished size 31x33cm

Materials

90cm cotton fabric
Matching thread
Cushion insert 36x36cm
160cm cord

Instructions

1 For the front cut two 13x37cm strips and one 13x72cm strip. For the back cut one 30x35 cm piece and one 17x35cm piece.

2 Zigzag down the length of the 72cm strip encasing an 80cm cord. Repeat on the other side.

 

3 To gather the fabric hold the cord in one hand and push the fabric towards the centre. When gathered it should be the same length as the other two pieces.

4 With right sides together stitch the three strips of fabric to form a rectangle, with the gathered piece in the middle.

 

 

5 Unpick the zigzag stitch and remove the cord. The easiest way is with a seam ripper.

6 On the right side of the fabric top stitch down the length of the seams. The front piece is now finished.

7 For the back pieces fold one long side ( 35cm)of each piece under 1cm press and fold under again  1 cm and hem.

8 Place the back pieces on the work surface right side up. They will overlay by about 5cms. Lay the front piece on top right side down. Pin the front and back pieces together and stitch around the rectangles perimeter. Remove pins as you stitch.

 

9 Zigzag edges to minimize fabric fraying. Turn right side out and insert cushion

Basic Cushion cover with a zip

Finished size: 41 X41cm

Fabric name: Lisette 2012

Materials

Fabric 50cm
Matching thread
Zipper 30cm (12in)
Insert 41 X 41 cm

 

Instructions

1 cut two squares 42 X 42 cm

2 zig zag all edges of both squares to minimize fraying

3 place the squares right sides together on your work table lay the zipper on one edge and mark where it starts and ends. Pin and stitch the seam using a 1 cm seam allowance. Leave the zip opening unstitched.

 

 Hand tack the zip opening closed along the seam line. Iron the seam allowance open. (Black thread was used for the photo)

4 place the zip within the tacked section of the opened seam right side down. Position the zip slightly off centre so the zip teeth sit on one seam allowance only. Pin in place and tack.

5 using the zipper foot on a sewing machine place the fabric right side up and stitch the zipper in place to form a rectangle around the zipper. Remove tacked threads.

6 partly open zipper. Line up the two squares right sides together. Pin and stitch up the other three sides.

7 clip corners and turn right side out. Insert cushion.