Made: cushion covers

It's been aaaaages since I did a crafty post, but I'm really proud of my most recent 'make'.  Cushion covers have to be the simplest but most satisfying things to stitch.  With an iron, a sewing machine and twenty spare minutes, you can whip up a fabulous (and, in my case, only slightly wonky) cover with the minimum of effort.  I brought this gorgeous batik fabric back from South Africa and, being a medium-heavy weight cotton, it was perfect for the project.



1. Measure and cut your fabric into three pieces:
Front panel - 42cm x 42cm square (one piece)
Back panels 42cm x 33cm (two pieces)

2. Turn one of the long edges of one back panel under 2cm, and iron.  Fold again an additional 2cm and iron once again so it lies flat.  Repeat with the second back panel.

3. Stitch along the folded edge using a 1cm seam allowance, to create a neat edge.

4. Lay the large square face up and place one of the back panels with right sides facing the front panel, lining up the three unsewn edges.  Pin down, then overlap the second back panel with the first (again, lining up the unsewn edges on the front panel) and pin into place.  You should now have a pinned, inside out cover with an opening in the middle that overlaps about 5 inches.

5. Using a straight stitch on your machine and beginning in a corner, sew the pieces together leaving a 1cm seam allowance.  Iron flat.

6. Trim the seam allowance from the corners, on the diagonal, to remove excess fabric. from your corners and turn the cover right side out. 

7. Turn right side out and poke out the corners and along the side seams.

 

8. Insert a cushion pad and, just like that, one bespoke cushion cover!  I managed to make three of these in a little over two hours (and I faff a lot when I sew), they really are that simple.