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Crocheted Cushion Cover Pattern

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crocheted cushion cover patter

Crocheted Cushion Cover Pattern

Having spent a little while not feeling very inspired, it’s so nice to actually have ideas again of things I want to make!

A few weeks ago I made the decision to go back to what I used to do when I started Tea and a Sewing Machine. So now it’s not just sewing. There will still be sewing but there’ll be other crafts as well.

So here’s a crochet project. It’s been a few years since I wrote a crochet tutorial of any kind and it’s been fun to do this again!

I was inspired to make this cushion while I was out with my friend Helen. Getting some time to myself is difficult with having the kids with me all the time. However, hubby has every other Friday off and since Christmas has been helping me out by doing some stuff with the boys so that I get a break.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago Helen and I went to a new garden centre a few miles away to see what the cafe was like. While we having a wander around, one of the things that offered inspiration were the crocheted cushions on some of the chairs in the cafe.

So I decided to make my own.

crocheted cushion cover

This is the yarn I used. I deliberately chose acrylic because it should wash quite well when my boys and the cat get dirt on it!

And if you’re interested, the garden centre place was this one and the cafe was very nice!

Crocheted Cushion Cover Instructions

To make the crocheted cushion cover, I used aran yarn in 5 colours and a 5mm hook. Unless indicated, each round starts with a new colour.

Please be aware that as I’m English, I’ve used English crocheting terms!

Cushion Cover Front

(Colour 1) 4 ch, join with ss.

(Colour 1) 12 tr into ring. Join with ss.

(Colour 2) Into one of the spaces between the trebles, 2 ch then 1 dc. 2 dc into the next space, then into each space until you’ve gone all the way round. Join with a ss.

(Colour 3) Into one of the spaces between the dc, 3 ch, then 2 tr. 3 tr into next space, then 3 tr into each space all the way round. Join with a ss.

(Colour 4) Find the middle tr in one of the groups of 3. Join the thread with a ss in the space on one side of the middle treble. 2 ch, then *yarn over hook. Insert the hook underneath the post of the middle treble. Yarn over hook again and pull the hook through. Yarn over hook and pull through 2 loops on the hook. Yarn over hook again and pull through last 2 remaining loops. 3 ch.* Repeat the starred section until you’ve gone all the way round. Join with a ss.

(Colour 4) ss into next ch, *dc into space, ss into next ch, the top of the post from the previous round and the next ch.* Repeat all the way round, then join with ss.

(Colour 5) Join yarn with a ss into a dc. 2 ch. *Into the little knobble made by the 2 ch in the previous round, 6 tr, then dc into the dc at the top of the post.* Repeat all the way round, then join with a ss.

(Colour 3) Join yarn at the top of a shell, 2 ch. 6 ch, *dc into the top of the next shell, 6 ch.* Repeat starred section. Join with a ss.

(Colour 3) *dc into ch space, 6 tr into dc at top of shell.* Repeat all the way round. Join with a ss.

(Colour 1) Join at the top of a shell with a ss. *8 ch, then dc into the top of the next shell.* Repeat all the way round. Break yarn.

(Colour 1) Rejoin yarn in ch sp. *1 ch, then 6 tr into dc at top of shell. 1 ch, then dc into ch sp.* Repeat until you get back to where you started.

(Colour 2) Join yarn at the top of a shell. *Dc into the top of the shell. 10 ch, then dc into the top of the next shell.* Join with ss. Break yarn.

(Colour 2) Rejoin yarn halfway along one of the ch sp. Dc, *11 ch, dc halfway along next ch sp.* Repeat all round the circle. Join with ss. Break yarn.

(Colour 2) Rejoin yarn halfway along a ch sp. Dc, *10 ch, dc into next ch sp.* Repeat until you get back to where you started. Join with ss.

(Colour 1) Join yarn in a ch sp. 12 dc into ch sp, *1 ch, 12 dc into next ch sp.*Repeat all the way round, then join with ss.

(Colour 3) Find a chain space. Count back 3 dc. Join yarn, then dc into the stitch. *6 tr into 1 ch sp. Skip 2 dc, then dc into next st. Ss into next 6 stitches, then dc into the next one.* Repeat until you get back to the start. Join with ss.

(Colour 5) Find a shell. Rejoin yarn in the space between the last treble and the dc. Dc into this space. Into 3rd dc, 6 tr. *Into space between the dc and the first treble of the next shell, 1 dc. 1 dc into spaces between the trebles twice, then 3 tr into the space at the top of the shell. Dc into next 3 spaces.* Work all the way round, then join with a ss.

Cushion Cover Back

crocheted cushion cover

(Colour 1) 4 ch. Join with ss.

(Colour 1) 12 tr into ring. Join with ss.

(Colour 2) Join yarn in one of the spaces. 3 ch, 1 tr. *Into the next sp, 2 tr* 11 times. Join with ss.

(Colour 3) Join yarn in a space. 3 ch, then 2 tr into the space. *Into the next sp, 3 tr* 11 times. Join with ss.

(Colour 4) Join yarn, then 3 ch. 3 tr into sp. *4 tr into next sp* 11 times.
Join with ss.

(Colour 1) Join yarn. 3 ch, 4 tr into sp. *5 ch into next sp* 11 times.
Join with ss.

(Colour 5) Join yarn. 3 ch, 5 tr into sp. *6 tr into next sp* 11 times.
Join with ss.

(Colour 3) Join yarn in a space. 3 ch, then 3 tr into sp. In between the 3rd and 4th tr of the next cluster, 3 tr. *4 tr into next space, then 3 tr in between 3rd and 4th tr of next cluster* 11 times. Join with ss.

The rest of the bag continues in the same kind of way. Each round is increased by 1 extra treble in every other cluster.

So the rest of the back goes as follows:

(Colour 1) 4 trebles into each space

(Colour 2) 5 trebles into the first space, then 4 into the next.

(Colour 3) 5 trebles into each space.

(Colour 4) 6 trebles into the first space, then 5 into the next.

(Colour 5) 6 trebles into each space.

(Colour 3) 4 trebles into a space, then 3 trebles in between the 3rd and 4th treble of the next cluster.

(Colour 5) 4 trebles into each space.

Making the Cushion Pad

You could buy a pad if you wanted to, but it’s easy to make your own and you’ll end up with something the right size for your crocheted cushion cover.

Cut 2 circles from fabric a couple of cm larger than your crocheted circles.

crocheted cushion cover

With the right sides together, sew the 2 circles together leaving an opening.

Trim the seam and turn it the correct way out.

Fill it with polyester stuffing. You could reuse an old cushion that’s gone flat. Instructions for doing this can be found here.

Slip stitch the opening.

Finishing the Cushion

Pin the crocheted front of the cushion cover to one side of the pad, and the back to the other.

I joined the front to the back by slip stitching into the top of a cluster on the cushion front, then 6 chains, then a slip stitch into the next cluster of the back. Then I did 6 more chains and a slip stitch into the next cluster on the front.

crocheted cushion cover

Because the back has 48 clusters and the front only has 24, you have to miss out every other cluster on the back.

Depending on the size of your pad in relation to the crocheted pieces, you might need more or less than 6 chains.

Since making the cushion, I’ve decided that I like the back as much as I do the front, so I’m going to make another with 2 backs!

crocheted cushion cover

Yay For Happy Mail!

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happy mail

Yay For Happy Mail!

There’s nothing like getting something through the post that’s not a bill. When I was younger, I would be endlessly writing letters. But nearly everybody’s on Facebook now so it’s not something I do very much.

Not writing letters means I don’t receive them either! So it is just bills, and stuff hubby’s bought from Amazon.

So it was a huge treat to get some happy mail in the post the other day from my new internet friend Antonio.

Yay for internet friends too!

As I said in the email newsletter I sent out the other week, one of the things I never expected when I started Tea and a Sewing Machine was how many people I would meet via the internet, and how many friends I would make.

For a homeloving introvert who finds meeting new people (especially lots all at once) quite stressful, this been such an unexpected blessing. And the ones I’ve got to meet in real life, well, they’re even better.

So Antonio’s happy mail included some lovely paper craft things, a candle that he’d made in a teacup and a bath bomb that he’d made, in a pretty box which he had also made.

happy mail

I love the little envelopes.

happy mail

The labels are lovely, and I like the idea having them say whatever you want to them to say.

happy mail

I’ve never tried making candles or bath bombs, but I think I might at some point!

happy mail
happy mail
happy mail

Antonio has a Youtube channel, and these are some of my favourite videos.

There’s one here for gift tags.

This one’s for calendula soap.

Here’s one for lavender bath bombs.

Antonio also has recipes for delicious looking Italian things, including this rolled up omlette thing (which I will be feeding my family next week!) and coconut and lemon cake.

Antonio’s YouTube channel is here, and you can find him on Instagram as antoniomakes.

DIY Bunting Card

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DIY Bunting Card

DIY Bunting Card

Having concentrated mostly on sewing for the last few years, I’ve decided with one thing and another to change direction a little bit and include more of other crafts.

This is actually what I did when I started Tea and a Sewing Machine. It was called something else then, can’t remember what, and it was awful! The website was impossible to navigate, the design was eye-poppingly bad and the photos were blurry.

I promise we’ll not go back to that! But somewhere along the way, sewing took over and the other crafts were more or less abandoned.

So I’m bringing them back. I’m already feeling a lot more inspired than I have over the last few months, so we’ll try this for a bit and see how it goes.

If you’re mostly here for the sewing, don’t worry! There will still be sewing, just some other bits and pieces too.

So here’s the first non sewing project that I’ve written about in a while!

DIY Bunting Card

I was inspired to make a bunting card when I saw one that Julie from Sum of Their Stories had made.

She’d made a lovely card for the May challenge for The Year of Bunting.

When I saw it, after thinking how pretty it was, I remembered how I used to make cards and how much fun it was.

So I had a rummage, found some pretty paper, and had a go myself!

How To Make a DIY Bunting Card

You Will Need

https://www.sumoftheirstories.com/blog/make-a-floral-bunting-birthday-card

A5 card or a card blank
Scraps of pretty paper or washi tape
A larger piece of pretty paper (to cover the front of the card)
A paper doily (I got mine from Poundland)
Bakers’ twine
Buttons and beads (optional)
Paper flowers (optional)
Glue (PVA and a glue stick)
A ruler and a pencil

Instructions

If you’re not using a card blank, take your piece of card and fold it half.

Trim your paper so that it’s the same size as the front of the card.

Lay the doily over the top of the paper and move it about until you like where it is. Holding the card and the doily together, turn it over and draw round the paper. Cut out the doily.

diy bunting card

Stick the paper to the card, and the doily to the paper.

diy bunting card

Making the Bunting

To make the bunting, cut diamonds from the paper scraps. The easiest way to do this is to cut a rectangle and fold it half. Find the halfway point along the open edge and mark with a pencil. Join this point to the corners of the folded edge. Cut along the lines.

diy bunting card

Cut a piece of bakers’ twine. Cover the wrong side of one of the bunting diamonds with glue. Fold it over the bakers’ twine and stick both halves together.

If you’re making your bunting from washi tape, you can make it in the same kind of way. Cut a piece of washi tape and fold it over the bakers’ twine. Cut the corners off the rectangle to make it into a triangle.

My strings of bunting each had five flags on them, but yours can have as many as you like! A handy thing to remember is that for some weird reason, odd numbers of things look better.

Decide where to put your bunting on the card, and trim the ends of the bakers’ twine.

Stick the ends of the bakers’ twine to the card with PVA glue. You might like to use a little bit of glue stick glue to stick some of the flags down too.

diy bunting card

If you’re using buttons or beads, stick them between the flags with PVA glue.

diy bunting card

I added some paper flowers to the bottom right corner. You could use a button if you don’t have any flowers.

Another option would be to write something like Julie did on hers. If you want to get into hand lettering, I can recommend this book (affiliate link).

Year of Bunting June Challenge: Bunting For Outdoors

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Year of Bunting June Challenge: Bunting For Outdoors

Year of bunting june challenge

Welcome to the June challenge for the Year of Bunting!

May’s challenge was to make some bunting featuring flowers.

Hazel made some lovely bunting for her dresser with appliqued flowers. I was thinking about doing something similar to this myself, only I didn’t quite get around to it!

June challenge year of bunting

Julie made a floral bunting birthday card for her friend with scraps of pretty paper and floral washi tape. There’s a tutorial for her card on her blog here.

Liberty made some bunting with some treasures she found in the American equivalent of Poundland, and you can see what she made here on her blog.

If you entered, thank you. I love to see what you’ve made and it makes it fun!

June’s Challenge

This month the challenge is to make some bunting for outdoors.

From time to time, I make bunting to hang off the front of my house. I used to hang it between to brackets for hanging baskets, but a few years ago some clown decided to swing on one of the brackets and it came down. I still haven’t got round to putting it back up.

It also means that I haven’t made hanging baskets for a few years.

I think bunting is an acceptable alternative to hanging baskets, and it doesn’t need watering!

Also the front of my house is tatty, so I hope that the bunting serves as a distraction!

This time last year my insomnia was bad (it’s quite a lot better now), and I used a sleepless early morning to make this.

june challenge year of bunting

I wrote a post afterwards called The Easiest Bunting Tutorial because it was very easy!

I had some pretty cotton fabric left over from other things, so I chose some pink and blue and cut triangles.

Each flag was only one triangle. It was decent fabric so wouldn’t fray very much. I sewed it to a length of bias binding and tied it to the outside of my house.

It was every bit as cheery as my neighbours’ hanging baskets!

Making Bunting For Outdoors

Unless you live somewhere where you have glorious summers year after year, the weather needs to be taken into account when making for bunting for outdoors. You don’t want it to be so precious you have to run outside to retrieve it every time the skies open!

I’ve made mine from cotton and polycotton in the past. You could also consider:
Doilies (might be precious though!)
Net curtains
Tea towels
A duvet cover that’s seen better days
A plastic table cloth (my friend Wendy did this and hung it off her fence. It looked nice.)

You could sew the flags to bias binding like I did, or you could use twine or garden string.

Some Suggestions For Using Bunting Outside

Make some to decorate a patio or deck area.

Hang it off a fence.

Use some bunting to brighten up a little yard or children’s area in your garden.

If you’re lucky enough to have a big garden, string some between 2 trees. You could put a hammock there too (affiliate link)!

If you have a wreath on your door, you could make some bunting to match and hang it near your door.

For those of you who are campers, you could make some to hang on your tent. This is especially useful if you go to a festival or something and there are other people there with similar tents!

The challenge will run to the end of June. I’m hoping it will stop raining here for long enough so that I can hang some bunting up outdoors!

Hoping you’ll join in!

year of bunting june challenge

Tea Dress Refashion: Adjusting Fit, Length and Style

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Tea dress refashion

Dress Refashion: Adjusting Fit, Length and Style

Last summer I bought this dress.

tea dress refashion

The print was pretty, the fabric draped nicely and I liked the print. Although I don’t do yellow (I’m not Josie Jump!), the flowers made me think of harvest time.

It was about the time that I’d lost a lot of weight, so I had no idea what size to get! I couldn’t be bothered to try it on so I guessed the correct size

When I got home, I found that I’d guessed wrong! As it didn’t fit at all I decided to take it back.

I don’t go into King’s Lynn that often, so a couple of weeks later, I still had the dress at home when I saw somebody else wearing the same dress.

Seeing it on a person rather than a hanger made me realise that swapping it for one in a smaller size probably wasn’t going to help! The poor girl who was wearing it had strategically placed some safety pins so that she wouldn’t flash everybody, but the fit was bad and it didn’t look good. I actually wonder whether she wore it again after that.

It was a shame, because it should have been a pretty dress.

tea dress refashion

Anyway, as there was not much point in taking it back, I thought perhaps I could refashion the dress into something I would actually wear. I didn’t get round to it last summer, but now I have and here it is!

tea dress refashion

This is the process I went through to refashion a dress that didn’t fit and was generally awful into something I now like and will wear!

Identifying What To Keep and What To Change

With a dress refashion, it’s a good idea to decide what you want to keep and what you want to change before you start cutting! Having a plan always helps.

With this dress, I liked the fabric and the wrap around style.

What I mostly didn’t like was that it didn’t fit! It was too short and I didn’t like the ruffle. I was also worried about accidentally flashing people, but I didn’t want to wear it with leggings.

So the things I needed to change were:
The fit
The length
The ruffle
The potential to flash unwitting members of the public

tea dress refashion

Adjusting the Fit

The skirt was fine but the top half was awful.

So the first thing I did was remove the top from the skirt.

Shapelessness can often be fixed by adding some darts. The bodice had darts at the side, so I adjusted these and added some to the bottom of the bodice.

I also took the bodice in at the sides.

Then I checked the bit where it crosses over. I was planning on wearing something underneath it, but i still didn’t want it gaping. I pinned the crossover sections and trimmed a bit off the bottom.

While doing this, I put the bodice on inside out and pinned it while I was wearing it. It was tricky but not impossible!

Changing the Skirt

There were several issues with the skirt. The first was the ruffle. This was sorted out after half an hour with the unpicker! The other things that needed addressing were the length and the skirt’s flashing potential.

Adjusting the Length

Making things shorter is easier! But lengthening things isn’t impossible, it just involves extra fabric and some creative thinking.

As I loved the harvest yellow flowers, I bought a metre of yellow gingham and I used this to add some length to the skirt.

I didn’t measure anything, I just used the width of the fabric! I used the whole width on the back of the skirt and half on each of the front sections.

To get the length right, I worked out how much longer I wanted the skirt to be, and used the skirt as a guide so that there would be enough for where the hem line curves upwards.

I pleated the gingham and pinned it to underneath of the skirt. Then I sewed it to the skirt.

I wanted to add a piece of gingham to the top of the skirt too, but I needed to take care of the potential flashingness first.

Changing the Skirt So That the Dress Was Decent

To do this, I wrapped the skirt around myself and pinned it. Not too tightly as the bodice is still quite loose fitting and I like being able to breathe and eat!

Then I took the skirt off and laid it out flat. I repinned it, lined up the bottom edge of the gingham, and sewed along the front section of the skirt that would previously have flapped open. I also sewed along the overlapping bit of the skirt at the top to hold it.

tea dress refashion

Reattaching the Skirt to the Bodice

Firstly I added another piece of gingham to the top of the skirt. I overlapped the ends at the side seam.

Then I sewed the top of the gingham to the bodice.

To make things a bit easier, I sewed the overlapping sections of the bodice together first.

Because the skirt was wider than the bodice, I needed to add a couple of little tucks to the gingham at the sides.

Finishing It Off

My regular readers will know that I don’t like to pretend that things are perfect! I’m a normalish human so sometimes things don’t go to plan and occasionally there are disasters!

Although this wasn’t a disaster, I did have to reattach the skirt a couple of times, and the front of the bodice took a couple of goes as well.

The tuck on the waistband area was a bit messy, as was the bit where the skirt overlapped.

Bows and ruffly flowers hide a multitude of sins! I whipped up a couple of bows and sewed them on to hide to messy.

The last thing I did was add a little bit of gingham to the sleeves to pull it together.

The Results

tea dress refashion

It’s not perfect, but I’m pleased with it.

The gingham works as well as I thought it would.

The length is much better and the general public are safe from getting an eyeful of pasty flabby legs!

The bodice fits much better. It’s still a bit baggy under the arms, but it’s wearable.

I considered sewing the overlapping bit of the bodice, but if I had I would have needed to add a zip to be able to get in and out of it.

Overall I’m happy!

tea dress refashion

PS If you like upcycling and refashioning kind of things, there are lots on my friend Vicky’s blog here.

There’s another dress refashion post on Tea and a Sewing Machine from when I turned a top into a dress.

And if you like the idea of making dresses from your own designs, you might like my ebook Designing and Making a Dress From Scratch.

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