Sew Get Started Tutorial: Single Skein Cushion Cover with Zipper

I was privileged to by asked by Sarah to contribute to her Sew Get Started Beginners series of tutorials.  

So here is the tutorial that will be on Sarah's blog today:

Single Skein Cushion Cover with Zipper:

 

This cushion cover is a single layer of fabric i.e. not quilted, so you may wish to use decorating weight fabric or denim. 

The finished size is approx. 16" x 16".

You will need:

For the front: 16" x 16" piece of fabric

For the back: 16" x 4.5" piece of fabric (band that covers the zip opening)

                     2 x (16" x 8.5") pieces of fabric

                     16" plastic/nylon zipper

16" cushion filler

Buttons to decorate (optional)

Assume 1/4" seams throughout

1. First we will make the back of the cushion cover. Take the strip of fabric for the band that will cover the zipper.  Iron this in half lengthways, with wrongs sides touching.

2. Now take one of the back pieces (16" x 8.5") and lay it down right side facing up.  Place the folded banded on top, right sides facing, aligning the raw edges along the top.  Machine tack in place. 

Note: Machine tacking is when you increase the stitch size on your machine to the largest size it will go, and sew less than 1/4" from the edge.  There is no need to remove machine tacking later, unlike hand tacking.

3. Take your zipper and either machine or hand sew the open ends together.  This will make it easier to sew down. 

  

4. Lastly, place the zipper on top, right side facing down, again aligning the top edges.  Pin all the layers along the outer zipper edge.

Note:  Your zipper edges will be longer than your fabric (the 16" zip measurement refers to the actual length of the zipper mechanism only, not the total length of the zip+fabric ends).  Position your zip so that the zipper pull end is aligned with the edges of your cushion, and let the opposite end of the zip hang over as excess.  This will be trimmed off later.  Check your zipper for metal stoppers - you can sew over plastic parts but not metal parts!

5. Attach the zipper foot to your machine and position the fabric ready for sewing. You should be sewing at least 1/4" seam along the edge of your zipper, as close to the teeth as you can, without sewing into them.

6. When you get to the zipper pull, carefully sew around it. 

  7. So that's one half of your zip attached!  This is what it looks like from the front:

8. Flip the band back to expose the zip again.  Now we are going to attach the other half of the cushion back.

9. Lay the other piece of fabric down (16" x 8.5") right side facing up.  Place the zippered section on top, right sides together, aligning the zipper edge with the top edge of the fabric.

10. Pin the layers in place and sew down the remaining side of the zipper, as you did with the first side.

11. Once your zipper has been attached, make sure you can open it easily.

12. Close the zipper, give the fabric a gentle press with the iron.  Now we will finish off the zipper with an edging seam.

13. Flip the band back, and on the opposite side of the zipper sew less than 1/4" along the right side of the fabric, where it meets the zipper.  You will need your zipper foot for this.

14. Now flip the band down, and sew an edging seam along the edge where the fabric meets the band.  Remember your zipper is hidden underneath the band, so keep your zipper foot on for this.

15. Snip off any excess zipper.

16. And that's the back of your cushion cover complete!  Well done for getting this far!  Now onto the front.

17. Sew on any buttons to the front piece of fabric.

18. Open the zipper, before placing the front and back pieces right sides together.  Pin around all 4 edges.

Note:  Make sure the band inside is lying flat & in the correct position i.e. covering the zipper.

19.  Put your normal sewing or 1/4" foot on your machine and, starting at a corner, sew around all 4 edges.

20. Now sew a zigzag stitch around all 4 edges to reduce fraying.

21.  Turn the cover right side out through the zipper opening, carefully push out the corners with scissors or a crochet hook, and insert the filler.

22.  Step back and admire your cushion!

Thumbs are very useful things!

Aren't thumbs just the best invention ever (apart from the Pfaff sewing machine of course!).

You just don't realise how important they are until you can't use one!

All I'm going to say is that a newly sharpened vegetable knife & a potato conspired against me!

Especially when trying to tackle something as fiddly and annoying as Cathedral Windows!!

Now I know what you're thinking: 'that looks ok ... all those points are meeting up ... can't have been that bad!'  Right?

Wrong!

This is one of only 3 that is meeting up in the way that it should. Here is the full panel of windows, which will now be turned into a rectangular cushion (rather than a square one which required a lot more windows - please no more!)

Please don't look too closely, some of the points are horrifically off!  So, no surprise, the new design will also be involving buttons!

I've still the other half windows to finish and then to magically turn it into a cushion for mum. 

Isn't it fortunate that I've a poorly thumb to blame on my rubbish windows!!!

Hope you've had a knife free day!

Bee Blessed Modern Sampler

On Saturday there was much fun and frolicks as we Bee Blessed ladies beavered away on blocks & quilt tops.

Despite the impression given by some of these pics that all we did was laugh, we were actually v.productive!

One of the quilts we are working on is a modern sampler quilt, which is already destined for a needy family.

Here is the finished quilt top, ready to be basted and quilted.

There were more sampler blocks donated (as well as other blocks) which we have put together into 2 more lap size quilts.

And in working through our donated fabrics we have 3 children's quilts being worked on (pics of some of these here),  as well as our log cabin man quilt.  Hopefully when we next meet I'll have pics of those.

Thank you once again to all of you who have been donating blocks over these past 6 months.  There is still time to make a Pippi Longstocking block for the month of March, the tutorial is here.

And check out a fab giveaway over on Susan's blog, promoting a delicious new online shop, The Village Haberdashery!

All for the Boys!

This wasn't the first title that came to mind for this post, given that the name of the blocks I'm about to show you are called Number 2's, from the Stainded QAL!!!!

But enough about that.  Here are the next instalment of blocks:

I'm really liking how these blocks are taking shape, and the speed at which they can be sewn together.  Just blocks 3 and 4 to do now.

This is for another nephew turning 18 this year, and is one of those patterns where a change of fabric totally changes the look of the quilt.  Check out some of the others in the Flickr group.

My other nephew is getting the Surf Time Quilt when he turns 18 in May. 

I went for Kona Bahama Blue (aptly named) for the binding, which was the perfect colour to tie together all the other aqua prints.  

Despite my initial reservations on this one, I totally love it now, and the brushed denim on the back gives it a warm snuggly feel.  I'm happy that the simple wavy quilting lines emphasise the wave pattern.

Well today is Bee Blessed day in my house!

Thank you for the lovely Pippi blocks that have been donated so far!  We're building up a cute wee family!  We have a blonde Pippi, brunette, Scottish Pippi, even a set of twins!!! You can see them here. If you fancy having a go at your very own version of Pippi, you'll find the tute here.

Have a lovely weekend!

Scrap-ology!

n. the science of scraps - Just Jude Concise Dictionary

I love working with scraps ('tell me something I didn't know' I hear you say!).

The other evening I was over-analysing (again!) while putting together a bag for my daughter's friend's birthday (clearly I need to get out more!).

Is the ability to put scraps together cohesively an art form or a science?

For me most of the time it is just instinctive.  I pull out what I have, audition pieces together, and get a 'feel' for what works and what doesn't.  You have to be brave doing this, because the nature of working with scraps from different decades means they don't necessarily 'match'. 

But on closer analysis, I think that's where the science comes in.

Taking this bag as an example, I realised there were certain 'rules' at play, that I was subconsciously following, but had never really verbalised them before.  

Side A

As a tutor, it's not enough for me to just 'know' how to do something, I also need to be able to effectively communicate the process to others.

Side B

So the rules I found myself following last night were:

* Start with one or two scraps that you like and build around them:  I had started with the brief that this person isn't a girly girl, but not a tom-boy either, who loves the colour purple.  So I'd pulled out some purple, aqua, orange & red to get me started.

* Go with your gut (not v.scientific I realise!): I somehow knew that true green wouldn't work here, despite getting short on a variety of scraps and trying green in there.  It was horrible, and I just proved to myself what I already knew.

* Keep the scale of the prints as similar as possible.  Larger scale flowers or patterns won't work in with these smaller prints - the squares are only 4" finished.

* Occassionally put squares side by side which have an element of the same colour in them.  E.g. you can have 2 v.different squares, which may both have a bit of purple in them.

* Don't be afraid and don't discount anything until you've auditioned it.  I was initially staying away from pink due to the brief, but realised I needed pink in here to lift the other colours and bridge the darks and lights.

* Even fugly fabrics can work alongside 'nicer' prints!  I realise I'm walking on dangerous territory here with some of you, but I've never been in the luxurious position where I can afford to be picky, and have proven to myself time and again that you can still get a cohesive and beautiful whole from parts that aren't necessarily pretty.

Now this finished item will not be to everyone's taste.  But when I step into certain high street bag shops, I don't always like what is on display, but they still 'work'.

Personally I love this bag!  It reflects the personality of the recipient and the maker.  And if someone made this form me when I was turning 13 I'd be stoked!

An inner pocket peeking out!

So, is scrapology an art form or a science?  I think, as with all patchwork and quilting, it is both!

I'd love to hear what 'rules' you follow when working with scraps.

 P.s. Thank you everyone for your patience as I transition from Rags to Bags to Just Jude.  It's been quite a challenge for this techno-numpty, but I'm getting there with a little help from my friends!  Jxo

Not For The Faint-Hearted!

Mothers Day is fast approaching here in UK (18th March).

I've decided to make my mum a cushion for her recently decorated lounge.

Here is a swatch of her new wallpaper:

The top right flower looks green but it's actually gold!

And here are the fabrics I've chosen:

Kona Ivory, Robert Kaufamann (Double Happiness) & some of my stash.

As I've been wanting to have a go at the machine sewing method of Cathedral Windows for a while (I learnt the hand sewing method at college) I thought I'd make a CW cushion for mum.

Oh boy!

It all came back to me like a disturbing suppressed memory from a trauma long ago!  The endless, tedious folding, ironing, burning fingers, more folding, ironing, trying to mitre and align points!  Who in the name of Henry thought this would be a satisfying and fulfilling patchwork technique?

If it wasn't for the stunning finished look of CW I think I would have reverted to plan B long before now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewfantastic/4423451388/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theworkroom/4723460560/in/photostream

But I press on (ohhhh sorry about the bad pun!).

8 squares folded & pressed.  8 more to go!

If only I had teflon fingers!

Making Fewer Waves!

I needed to make my nephew's 18th birthday quilt bigger:

51" x 55"

I've been through several different (albeit limited) options on how to do this.  My first preference was to put a skinny white border all round, then get hold of an aqua print and border all sides. (I'd already started sewing the lefover strips from the front to make a pieced back!)

I didn't want to order more of the aqua in the quilt because of an over emphasis on flowers!  But I just haven't been able to find a suitable aqua print anywhere. How frustrating!

So plan B is to use the leftover strips from the back and make up the border that way.

Now measuring 62" x 68"

While I just don't think this works, and probably spoils the 'wave' effect of the pattern, I've no time or patience left to hunt round the country looking for the right shade of aqua (online shopping wasn't an option because of the need to match to an exact shade).

So it will have to do.

The leftover strips went into the back, along with the light weight denim I've used on numerous other projects (thanks for the suggestion Had!).

I've tried to put a few more waves in with the quilting.

Just the binding to make and attach and that'll be one 18th birthday pressie sorted!