Fabulous fabric
Spotted in Aberdashery in Aberystwyth.
I’ve said it before, but that really is a great name for a great shop.
My favourite and most visited shop for all my sewing notions.
It was back in the summer when I saw this lovely linen in the window at Aberdashery, the new cushion covers that I’ve been thinking about for a while came instantly to mind. The design, the colours and the texture fitted my vision so well and when I saw the plain bottle green linen the finished cushions were perfectly formed in my imagination.
It’s just terrific when that happens.
BUT
At the time I had a project underway; a project that had been interrupted a number of times and that I was determined to get finished by Christmas. But more about that in another post.
My idea for the cushions was patchwork in a
Piet Mondrian style
using the plain green to frame the patterned fabric.
I’ve used this idea before for these mono cushions in the sewing room. Clearly I do rather like them, the design is very adaptable and I think really effective.
So having planned to make four different cushion tops, made rough sketches of the proportions of the blocks and decided that they would be framed by half inch borders it was time to start measuring and cutting.
I planned for quarter inch seams throughout and the cushion tops came together really quickly.
I wanted the cushion tops to have a little more stability than the linen alone so each one was attached to a lightweight wadding and I stitched around the inner edges of the blocks to give definition.
Time to make the backs.
I have a bit of a ‘thing’ for buttons and have a huge collection but I also like to use self covered buttons. My go-to style for cushions has become an envelope back with buttons to close. Like this:
It was useful to have made them like this before, I was able to use the measurements for the two halves and for the deep hems and for the placement of the buttons.
My next decision was just an impulse. It was that two of the cushion backs would be made completely with the patterned fabric but the other two would be made with half patterned and half with the plain green linen.
Did I mention that I also have a lot of thread! Again I inherited my Mum’s sewing notions and my MiL’s too; then there have been a couple of random mixed bags from Abakahn when I’ve visited their amazing store in Mostyn on the North Wales coast. This is my blue/green collection where I found a perfect match. Obviously!
Have you tried self covered buttons? Great for all sorts of projects and so very easy.
Self covered buttons
The uncovered button bases are easily available in a large range of sizes from haberdashers and they have full instructions on the packs and no special tools are needed. I have to say I find the larger sizes less fiddley and they are more suited to my projects.
The fabric
The fabric has to be pushed into the centre of the button so that it catches on to the little teeth, you just keep pushing around the circumference until the fabric fits snuggly – sorry I forgot to take photo of this stage but it’s really self-explanatory. Similar plastic bases are also available.
I have to say I think the matching buttons are rather classy.
I’m really pleased with the cushions, they were intended for the Spring when I started but I think I’ll leave them just where they are.
And now I think I’ll take a step backwards and write about the much interrupted ’Growing Together ‘ quilt project.
