Cushion Upcycle

A while ago, mum gave me a cushion cover. It has a cute printed owl wearing a bowtie on the front. The fabric is quite sturdy, like a canvas, so it will make a great bag :)

 

 

After unpicking the cushion, I needed to decide what to do with the back. As a cushion, it had an envelope opening at the back with large buttons and buttonholes as closures. I originally was just going to stitch the pieces together and leave the buttons there for decoration. After unpicking, I decided that I would make it into a pocket...… more on that later.....

 



 

I had a plan - add a side wall. I auditioned a couple of different fabrics, but thought the stars would be the best match for the stripes:

 

 

 

 

I then cut the strips to fit the sides, and added some curtain lining to give it some oomph. The fabric itself was quite light, so it needed some extra strength to match the heavier canvas type fabric of the owl. I also ran a row of stitching down the sides to hold fabric and backing together.

 

Stitch each side to the front and back (minus the seam allowance), then the corners can be stitched.

 

Straps added under a facing, turn it out, and job done!

Finished size approx. 53cm x 53cm excluding the straps

 

 

 

Note the rear pocket :) I used the original lower piece and buttons, and made a feature out of some blue cord. Not as successful, but made it interesting..... 

Upcycled wall hanging

A couple of years ago I made a wall hanging. It was Dutch themed, with the centrepiece being a girl carrying some water in two buckets. This was a free foundation pieced design that I stretched out (hence the reason she has a really fat neck!). I added some embroidery to her apron, as well as adding the chains. All the panels have some kind of embroidery, so I didn't want it to be wasted in the bottom of a box, since I don't do handwork very often....

I was never really happy with it. I mean, I liked it, and put a lot of work into it, but it was just a wall hanging....

It wasn't without its issues, either - I ran out of the original blue fabric that I had started with, so two of the smaller squares are a slightly different shade, and my binding was a little tight, so it didn’t sit flat. Original post here - Dutch wall Hanging

So, after playing with it for a bit, I found a layout that just might give it new life - as a pair of cushions!

Now, this is working for me!

But, how do I make it work, and where do I make my first cuts?? I need to think about this carefully, as I only get one shot....

As it turned out, I had some leftover binding fabric and some of the red fabric still in my stash, so I could make a new border piece and make more binding.

My original plan was to cut off the binding, but if I unpicked it, there would be so much more length to play with, and I am so glad I did!!

So, I did some math, and worked out if I cut close to the big centre piece (minus a seam allowance), all I would need was two new strips of red to fill in the missing space. Here goes nothing!!

I still need a seam between the two smaller squares, so why not stitch some binding fabric in at the same time? Yup, I like it.....                   

Now, to balance it up, lets try adding a vertical strip. Yep, I like this, too!!

So far, so good!

Now, for the other cushion front, I needed a new strip of red to fill out the space. I also added some batting, to make it the same thickness:

Good, but its still missing something... I have enough of the binding to put some on the front, so I am gonna go for it!!

Yup, I'm liking where this is going!!

Now, all I need to do is stitch down the binding on the fronts, and think about the backs....

I found a long strip of blue fabric in my stash, so just needed to buy a couple of zippers and put the pieces together. No pics of this process - I was on too much of a roll to stop!

Once the backing pieces were ready and trimmed to size, the backs and fronts were tacked together and the binding stitched to the front. The binding is hand stitched at the back.

And so, this is the final result! I am very happy with how it turned out :)

Finished size 53cm x 53cm

Upcycled cushion

Mum gave me some preprinted panels and a lovely embroidery of a ship, on linen. I considered a bag, but with the embroidery, it could be damaged very quickly. There was enough to make a decent sized cushion, but it definitely needed a border. My instant reaction was for stripes - probably because of the nautical theme.... ;)

It was washed and pressed, squared up and border put on. I had this particular stripe in my stash, although I didn't think I would have enough. I did assess alternatives, but this was always my fave! I had just enough for the front border, but had to use another fabric for the back. I had some neutral cotton, which did the trick. The main body at the back is made with the leftover fabric.

It does have a couple of age spots and the top right corner was thinning, but it it adds to its charm ;) I put some new threads in the worn spot and used some iron-on interfacing on the inside to support it. Hopefully it holds....

Inserted zip along the flange border, finished size approx 50cm x 50cm, cushion size 30cm square.

Doily madness!!

I bought some more crochet doilies (commercially made, not family heirlooms) to do some more cushions. I still have some of the pink napkins, so I decided to use these up, plus cut some up (nooooo!!) to see what it looks like.

http://danaspageofstuff.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/cushion-finished-kinda.html

There were some that were the same design , plus a couple of random shapes, so I played around a bit until I found a layout that I liked. A Google search for lace doily cushions brought up a pic on denim, so I thought this would be an interesting combination, and I had some on hand.....

Once I decided the size for the cushions, off I went! 

The doilies are attached with invisible thread in a large zigzag. I have left some of the edges free, some are stitched down.

With the blue, they are simply done using two doilies. One is cut into quarters, one has two cut in halves. I think they make an interesting design, don't you?

I will be using the invisible zips again on the pink ones, as I really liked the effect that it made.

So, after stitching up one if the blue versions, they ended up with really point corners, which I didn't like at all. I knew there was a trick to make them less prominent, so I made up a corner template, and used that to make the second. Unfortunately, the zip opening is quite small, but once the cushion is in there, it looks heaps better ;)

The denim ones are done -

Pink ones are done now, too -

Cushion finished - kinda.....

I bought an invisible zip, as a test, and it worked ok. 

I still think it's a bit dull, but for now it's staying at is, until I can think of something to brighten it up a bit...

More cushions - in progress

I bought a bunch of linen serviettes before Christmas - I think 6 for $1.25. Since they are already hemmed, I think I can make flanged cushions, with just a motif and a zip. Let's see how that turns out!

So far, I have attached an old doily to one with invisible thread. It's looking a little bland at the moment, so may try and spruce it up a bit - beads maybe, or some buttons?? 

I want to try using an invisible zip, but need to buy one to try it out. It may be a complete failure, but you never know until you try ;)

A cushion and another bag...

Many moons ago, I bought some fabric in a bag, and inside was a couple of embroidered designs - one a lovely lady, and the other a winter scene.

So I made the lady into a cushion, and the scene into a bag. They are a little more frilly than I usually like to, but I think they worked?

Finished size approximately 35cm x 35cm.

Finished size 50cm wide x 45 deep. Lined with curtain fabric for stability. 

Flanged cushion tutorial

Having not being able to find an existing tutorial on a flanged style cushion - not with the flange on both sides, anyway - so I decided to do my own. It's really difficult to explain what I did with words, but hopefully the pics will give a better explanation....

So, here goes!

Firstly, let me start by saying that my front and back squares started at 52cm square, with the border strips at 7cm wide and about 70cm long (I didn't measure it exactly, as long as it's longer than the width of the front plus the border). The exact measurements aren't really relevant, unless you want to make an exact replica. ;) I allowed for a 1cm seam allowance on all pieces. Oh, and you'll need a zip. Longer is better, since you can trim it back if necessary.

I have here the front and back, plus 8 strips for the border edge (4x for the front, 4x for the back). You can see that these are wider than the base pieces. I didn't measure them exactly, since I was using scraps, but they are 7cm wide.

The zip will be inserted first in the seam at the bottom of the back piece. Firstly, I folded the front pieces in half and notched all the halfway points, and did the same on both sides of the border pieces. It's easier to do this first, and keeps it accurate.

I also marked the corner of the "Y" seams (which I should have done before the zip went in, but I forgot and had to unpick a bit later on). It is easier to set in the zip if it does not go to the seam edge, so I marked in from the edge, first 5cm, then I increased it to 6cm (which is why there are 2 marks). It was a bit of trial and error, and all measurements are what I thought would be best, but are not set in stone.... Stitch from the corner dot to the edge of the mark, on both sides.

Iron back the seam allowance, making it nice and crisp. 

This will make it easier to insert the zip. Since I will be top stitching around the seam once it is done, I needed the zip to be off centre. This means that the seams will not be the same on both sides of the zip. This is a little hard to explain.....

First, clip the seam at the mark, only on the side that will fold up. The other pieces will fold towards the border.

I pinned the zip in the position that I wanted, and used that as a guide as to where to stitch down. I want to stitch the covered side first, then the side that butted against the zip.

From the back, the distance that the stitching needs to be becomes more obvious. You can see the distance is about half way across the webbing of the zip. Once this has been determined, it can be pinned the whole length of the zip. The position of the zip pull is not important, a this stage, as it can be pushed right out of the way.

Using a zipper foot, I stitched close to the zipper teeth.

Then I did the same with the other side. This one worked out that the edge would match the edge of the webbing. Again I stitched close to the teeth with my machine zipper foot.

At this point, turn it over and double check that it sits nice and flat. I then stitched across the extra length of the zip a couple of times to secure it, and trimmed it off.

It was then time to top stitch the covered side. I started at the seam, over the zip and down the edge of the covered side and back to the centre. I used the open toe foot on my machine, but I could have used the zip foot if I wanted it to finish wider.... Stitch a section with the zip puller ahead of the foot, and then manoeuvre it under the foot with the needle down, and continue on.

Now that the zip is in, we can go ahead with the "Y" seams, or mitred corners.... ;)

Match up the notches made earlier with one side of a border strip and pin. Flatten out the piece and pin at either end. Stitch with the back piece facing up, so you can see the dots you made earlier. Continue with all sides of front and back pieces, starting and stopping at the dots. Make sure the underneath piece is out if the way when you back stitch.

Fold out the pice so that the border pieces are right sides together. Place a ruler on this fold and mark a line from the seam allowance to the edge. This will be the stitching line for the seam. 

Stitch all corners on the front and back pieces. Turn over and press flat. If it doesn't sit flat, it means that the angle was not accurate, and you can simply restitch at a steeper or shallower angle, as required. Make sure you unpick the unwanted row of stitching, or you won't get a flat seam.

Once you are happy with all the corners, trim back the seams, and press really well till they are nice and crisp.

You can now pin the front and back together and stitch all the way around. Don't forget to leave the zip open a bit so you can turn it through. :) Pin at the notches placed in the beginning, plus at the corners. Make sure the seams match, and pivot at this point when you get to the corner.

Trim the corners before turning right side out.

Now, you could stop here, if you want to. It would just be a big pillow with a small zip opening, but my plan was to stitch down the flanged edge, so once it was turned and I was happy with the corners, I pressed the seams flat and used LOTS of pins to keep it together at the seams. I worked from the back and planned to stitch in the ditch, but this isn't so easy when you can't see where you are stitching. Using the pins as a guide, I stitched as best I could in the ditch, or slightly on the main body, rather than the border strip. 

The final result is by no means perfect, but it looks pretty good to me ;)