I took my inspiration for this technique from some pieces I saw at the November 2013 Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate. Its quite simple to do but I thik the results are really effective and the potential is limitless!
Instructions to make a flower cushion like above:
What you'll need:
- One fat quarter of fabric (I chose my fat quarter for the colours and the simple flower design that I've replicated on the front)
- Calico for backing
- Cushion inner / stuffing
- Scissors (for fabric and paper)
- Cutting mat and cutter
- Cottons (contrasting colours and invisible)
- Threads for embellishment
- Needle
- Beads (if you like)
- Sewing machine (free machine embroidery foot and quarter inch foot or normal foot)
- Iron & ironing board
- Wadding
- Pen
- Paper
- Marking pen for fabric that will rub out
- Safety pins
What to do:
1) Make sure your fat quarter is ironed flat, then cut into strips, mine varied in width from 1 inch to 3 inches and various widths between, then cut them to different lengths.
2) Next set your sewing machine up with straight stitch and a quarter inch foot (if you have one), sew the pieces back together, pressing afer each seam, make a rectangle (you dedide on the proportions... you may want to make sure you can get a cushion pad in your desired shape and dimensions)
3) Next pin your wadding (using safety pins) to the back of the piece. Decide on what flower shape you want to be the focal point of your piece. I drew my image on paper, cut it out and drew the shape onto the fabric with a fabric pen that dissapers when rubbed out. Then using your free machine embroidery foot and feed dogs down and using a contrasting thread sew the flower shape on the front of your piece.
4) Now using invisible thread quilt the space on the outside of the flower image using free motion embroidery, for ideas for filling in this space have a look at:
5) Embelish the flower image with contrasting thereads couching them on and add beads if you like.
6) Now make up into a cushion using the calico as backing.
Pop on the couch or your bed and admire your handy work!
Here's some close up's of my flowers:
