If you are looking for an easy sewing project to do - perhaps you want to use up some extra fabric or are looking for something simple to teach sewing to a novice with - then one of my personal recommendations to our customers here at Calico Laine is to try your hand at making your very own cushion. This is actually how I learned to sew as a teenager at school, and I have made many cushions since then to decorate around my home using fabric from our store, as we have plenty of variety in our fabric to suit every room in the house. In today's blog, I'll be walking you through the very easy process of how to make one of your own.
What You'll Need:
- 0.5 metres of a cotton fabric (we recommend our cotton plains and cotton prints)
- A matching reel of Gutermann Sew-All thread
- A packet of dressmaking pins
- A tape measure or ruler
- Stuffing OR a cushion inner in your chosen size
Step One
Fold your fabric in half and lay it down on a flat surface. Measure two squares to your chosen size (I have chosen to make a 40cm x 40cm cushion so those are the measurements I will be using during this tutorial; feel free to substitute your own!) and mark with pins.
Step Two
Cut your fabric along the markings that you just measured. Do not remove the pins from your fabric; instead, sew together on three edges with a 1cm seam allowance. On the fourth edge, sew a few inches from each corner but make sure to leave a gap in the middle.
Step Three
Trim your corners and turn your fabric right side out; this forms the cover of the cushion. If you have chosen to use stuffing, now is the time to put it inside the cushion cover and make it as full as you like (although be careful not to overstuff it so much that you risk bursting your seams). If you have chosen to use a cushion inner instead, put it inside the cushion cover (you can squash it down a bit in your hand to make it easier to insert).
Step Four
Sew the open side of your cushion closed with a ladder stitch. Your cushion is now finished!
Once you have mastered this sewing tutorial, you can use it in future sewing projects and even add extra details to cushions with embellishing; this could be anything from buttons to zips and piping to embroidery. The possibilities are endless, and if you decide to have a go at making your own cushion, be sure to share your creations with us on our Facebook page! We always love to see what our customers come up with.