Crocheted Cushion Cover Pattern

July 6, 2019 · 2 Comments

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.

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

(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.

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.

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!

30 Minute Storage Basket

January 11, 2019 · 2 Comments

30 Minute Storage Basket

One of the things I’ve discovered since I began home educating my 3 younger boys a few months ago is just how much more stuff there is!

A while ago I posted this photo in a home ed Facebook group.

Obviously the boys had been very busy, but unfortunately we also use that table for eating! Quite aside from the fact that I don’t especially want to eat my dinner with Barnabas’ eyeball for company, the stuff takes up so much space, there was hardly any room for the plates!

In December I cleared all the stuff off the sideboard and rehomed things. This was so that I had a decent space to put out the Lego Christmas village.

Since Christmas, the Lego has gone away but I haven’t got round to collecting up all the stuff that used to live there and putting it back.

So I decided to make some storage baskets that can live on the sideboard. Hopefully they will help to keep the table clear enough so that we can eat there without eyeballs and science projects.

Whatever stage of life you are at, a storage basket is always useful. There’s always stuff that needs a home, especially after Christmas!

About The Storage Basket

Size. The baskets can be made whatever size you like. I cut the outer sections of the 2 larger baskets so that they were about the same size as a tea towel. I made the third storage basket smaller because the piece of fabric was smaller.

Fabric. I used ticking and a cotton/ linen blend that I had left over from another project. Medium weight fabrics will work well. Cotton or polycotton is fine too as long as you use interfacing.

Storage baskets are a great way of using up bits and pieces from your fabric hoard, so just see what you have. You could even use actual tea towels!

Interfacing. I made one basket with fusible synthetic buckram, and 2 with firm interfacing. Both worked, but I think on balance that the interfacing was better.

The fusible buckram was great, nice and stiff, and the basket holds its shape well. The problem was that synthetic buckram has no give at all. If your lining is not exactly the right size, you can’t stretch it to make it fit. It was also difficult to press the seams properly.

The interfacing made a storage basket that was less rigid but it was much easier to sew.

Lining. Cotton or polycotton is fine for lining the baskets. Just see what you have already!

To cut the lining, use the outer piece as a template. Find the longer edge and add about 8-10 cm (3-4 inches). You need enough to fold it over the edge of the outer then tuck the raw edge underneath.

Timing. I’ve called this a 30 minute storage basket. To be honest, I didn’t time myself making them. I usually do a bit, then sort kids out/ make dinner/ drink tea etc, so I don’t actually know how long it took me.

The point is that they didn’t take me very long! It might even have been less than half an hour. I have made storage baskets like this before, and things often take a bit longer the first time you do them. Once you’ve made a couple, you’ll be knocking them out like nobody’s business!

How To Make 30 Minute Storage Baskets

You Will Need

Fabric for the outer (cotton, polycotton, canvas, ticking, oilcloth will all work well).
Fabric for the lining (Cotton, polycotton or something else lightish, although medium weight fabrics might work too. Try it and see!).
Firm interfacing, fusible buckram or similar.
A teatowel for measurements.
Usual sewing supplies.

Cutting Out

Using the teatowel as a guide, cut a piece the same size from the outer and the interfacing.

For the lining, use the teatowel as a guide again. Find one of the longer edges and instead of cutting along the edge of the teatowel, move 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) away, then cut it. You should end up with a piece that is as long as the tea towel, but a little bit wider.

Sewing the Storage Boxes

If you are using fusible interfacing, fuse it to the wrong side of the outer.

Fold the outer in half lengthways with the right sides together. Pin the short edges together, then sew. Trim the seams and press them open.

Take one of the corners. Open the box out then squish the corner flat so that the side seam is next to the fold at the bottom.

Measure about 8 cm (3 inches) up from the corner. Pin so that the pins are at right angles to the side seam. Pin the other corner in the same way.

Sew across where you have pinned. Cut the corner off. Do the same with the other corner.

Repeat steps 1-5 with the lining.

Turn the basket outer the right way out. Pop the lining inside the outer so that the wrong sides are together. You might find it helpful to pin the corners.

Fold the lining over the outer. Tuck the raw edge of the lining underneath. Pin, then sew around the outside of the basket, keeping close to the folded edge.

Tips For Making Several Storage Baskets At The Same Time

Choose fabrics that go well together. Try stripes or spots for the outer with a neutral lining, or quilting cottons from the same collection.

Batch the jobs. Do all your cutting out, then all your interfacing fusing, then all the side seams. As well as being more efficient than making each basket separately, it also means that if you have to move your sewing machine so that people can eat dinner, you’re more likely to get a whole stage done. This also works better for those of us with short attention spans!

Use a rotary cutter and pattern weights for cutting out. There’s a tutorial for pattern weights here if you need one! Doing it this way is much quicker because you don’t have to faff about pinning everything and you can cut out several bits at once.

If you make some I’d love to see! Please share them on social media, or you can email me :). And let me know how long they took you!

How to Upcycle an Old Pillow Into a Cushion

August 15, 2017 · Leave a Comment

How to Upcycle an Old Pillow Into a Cushion

Some time ago we replaced all the tired old synthetic pillows with nice new feather ones.

I love a feather pillow, but I was left with a load of saggy old pillows that I didn’t know what to do with! The obvious answer of course was to throw them out. I wasn’t keen in this idea as I felt they could probably still be used for something, and I would always rather use something until it falls apart!

Unfortunately this was a while ago and the pillows have been cluttering up my bedroom floor for several months. I had nowhere to put them so they were on the floor.

I’ve been reading the Flylady’s book (affiliate link) and she has told me to stop using my bedroom as a graveyard for stuff that doesn’t have a home.

So I’ve decided that the pillows have to be used or they have to go.

I’ve managed to use one of them! Last week I made a cute little cushion with a pocket on the front for a book. I didn’t have a cushion pad for it, so I made one out of one of the pillows!

If you’ve got some old pillows and you need new cushion pads, this is a great way to upcycle a pillow into a cushion pad. You end up with a new cushion pad and less stuff goes to landfill 🙂

Here’s some instructions showing how to upcycle an old pillow into a cushion pad.

Instructions For Turning an Old Pillow Into a Cushion

1. Wash the pillow and dry it. As it was a wet day when I washed mine, I popped it in the tumble dryer. When it came out, it was already much fluffier. It still wouldn’t be nice to use as a pillow though!

You don’t have to use a tumble dryer, you could just dry it on the line.

2. Cut the end off the pillow cover and pull the contents out. Inside will be a load of stuff that looks like polyester filling.

3. Grab a chunk of the filling and start pulling it apart. Keep doing this until it’s all fluffy. Some of it will be fluffy already. Other bits of it will take more doing.

4. You can upcycle the pillow cover as well! Measure the cushion you are making the pad for, then mark those measurements onto the pillow cover. Remember to add a seam allowance!

5. Cut the pillow cover down to the right size, then sew it together on 3 of the sides. You’ll probably be able to use a couple of the existing seams.

6. Return the now fluffy contents to the cover. You’ll want it to be full but not too firm. Decide how firm is comfy for you! Fold the raw edges of the open end inwards, then sew.

Now you have a new cushion pad!

If you’re making something smaller, you probably won’t need all the filling. You can store this and make something else with it. A pincushion would be a nice project and there’s a tutorial for one you can wear on your wrist here!

If you like my cushion with the pocket on the front, the tutorial for it is here.

Linking up.

How to Sew a Cushion With a Pocket

August 9, 2017 · 6 Comments

How to Sew a Cushion With a Pocket

My son Aidan is a boy after his mothers’ heart.

Like me, he prefers the colder months, and when the weather gets cold, he likes to curl up in an armchair near the fire and read.

Along with sewing and cuddling my babies, this is also one of my favourites!

Recently Aidan has taken to removing all the cushions from the chair in his room and putting them in his bed, along with a couple of blankets. This has had the unfortunate side effect of making the chair look anything but cosy, so I offered to make him some cushions just for his bed.

As Aidan is an avid reader and is rarely seen without a book, I decided to make him a cushion with a pocket. There are usually a lot of books in his bed, and this way he can keep his kindle safe (I know how easily those things can break from past experience!).

The cushion is easy to make and has an envelope back. I added some piping because I like piping on a cushion, but you could leave this out if if you wanted to.

The finished cushion with a pocket measures 34 cm x 34 cm. I used half a metre of the striped fabric and one FQ of the houses and boats.

If you wanted to make it for a full sized cushion pad, you would need more fabric. I’ve included the measurements below.

For the fabric, I wanted to use something with a seaside theme and this is perfect! It’s Marina by Makower and it came from Ebay (this is an affiliate link).

Sewing a Cushion With a Pocket

You Will Need

Half a metre of the striped fabric and 1 FQ of the pocket fabric (you will need more if you want to make a full sized cushion), bias binding (the wider the better!), piping cord, a cushion pad. A zip foot is also useful.

As I still have some old pillows knocking around that I don’t know what to do with, I upcycled one into a cushion pad. The tutorial for this will appear over the next week or 2!

Cutting Out

From the stripy fabric, cut a front piece 36 cm x 36 cm and 2 back pieces 36 cm x 27 cm. If you’re using half a metre, fold it in 3 to get the width, then measure each piece to get the length (this is what I did).

To make a full sized cushion, you will need to cut 1 piece 42 cm x 42 cm and 2 pieces 42 cm x 30 cm.

To cut the pocket, you will need 2 pieces 36 cm x 20 cm, or for a full sized cushion, 42 cm x 26 cm.

From the bias binding and the piping cord, cut 150 cm for the outside edge, plus 40 cm for the pocket. For a full sized cushion you will need 175 cm for the outside and 45 cm for the top of the pocket.

Sewing Up

1. Make your piping. Fold the bias binding in half and slip the piping cord inside. If you have a zip foot, put it on your machine, then sew the piping cord inside the bias binding. There are detailed instructions for making piping here if you need them.

2. Take the pocket pieces. Place the shorter length of piping along the top edge of one of the pieces on the right side. The piping needs to be on the inside and the edge of the bias binding needs to be aligned with the top edge of the cushion.

3. Pop the other pocket piece over the top so that the right sides and the top edges are together. Pin, then sew, taking care to catch the bias binding in the seam. Turn the pocket the right way out and press.

4. Place the pocket piece on the front of the cushion front, right way up. Check that the sides and bottom edges are together. Pin it in the centre to hold it.

5. Pin the piping to the cushion front and the pocket, on the right side. You will need to snip the bias binding to get it go round the corners. When you get back to where you started, trim the piping so that the ends meet, then overlap the bias binding with the piping inside.

6. Sew the piping to the cushion front.

7. Hem both the back pieces.

8. With the right sides together, pin the top back piece to the cushion front. Check that the sides and the top edges are aligned and that the hemmed edge is somewhere in the middle. Then take the bottom back piece and pin it to the cushion front, overlapping the top back piece and with the sides and bottom edge aligned.

9. Sew all the way round the cushion. Check the seams to make sure that the piping and the pocket pieces are caught in the seams. Trim the seams and cut across the corners. Turn out and pop the cover on the cushion pad.

Now you have a cushion with a pocket! This could be adapted so you could personalise the cushion with appliqued letters, or you could sew the pocket in half to make 2 smaller pockets.

Here’s a cosy corner all ready for somebody to curl up in with a book. Although I don’t think I’ll be letting Aidan use my new favourite mugs that came from Love the Sales!

You might also like these cushion tutorials:

Easy tea towel cushion

Quilt block cushions

Reindeer cushion

Linking up here.

How To Line a Wooden Box With Fabric

January 13, 2017 · 7 Comments

How To Line a Wooden Box With Fabric

I love a junk shop.

Ikea is fine, and it depends on what you’re looking for, but I love the idea of taking something that nobody wants and giving at a new lease of life. Even if it’s a bit tatty, it’s possible to completely transform an old piece of furniture just with a little bit of creativity.

I bought an old wooden box from a junk shop years ago, before we had the boys. It was tatty and stained, but I had plans to do something with it. In the end, I never got round to it and before too long it became home to junk.

As part of an ongoing effort to sort out the mess in my house (a battle I am not completely sure I’m winning!), I have dejunked the box so that it can be useful.

And now, 14 years after bringing the box into my home, I’ve now got round to transforming it into something nicer.

The first thing I did was paint it. For this I used Annie Sloan chalk paint in French Linen, which is a pretty shade of grey. I already had the paint as a little of this stuff goes a long way. It doesn’t need any kind of primer or undercoat, you can just slap it straight onto anything. Adding a layer of wax is recommended. I haven’t done that yet.

This is what I did if you want to line a wooden box! And please excuse the visible mess under the sofa :).

How To Line a Wooden Box With Fabric

You Will Need

Paint if you want it paint it, and a paint brush
Fabric (I used 1 m of cotton fabric)
A wall stapler. I used this one (affiliate link).
Usual sewing supplies

Instructions

1. Paint the outside of the box, the inside of the lid and around the top of the inside which will be visible. I did this in 2 stages, the outside first and then the inside.

2. Measure the box. You will need to know the width, breadth and depth. Make sure that you measure inside the box, especially if the sides are quite thick.

3. To work out the width of the fabric, add the width to the breadth, then add a couple of cm extra for the seam allowance. My box was 55 cm wide and and 31 cm broad, so the fabric needed to be 88 cm wide.

4. To calculate the length, multiply the depth by 2 and add it to the breadth. My box was 25 cm deep and 31 cm broad, so I needed the fabric to be 81 cm long.

If you are using a directional print, you will need to add another couple of cm, cut the fabric in half and turn one half round. Reattach the second half, so that when you look into the box the print will be the right way up on both sides.

5. Take your fabric and fold it in half so that the folded edge is at the bottom and the top edges are together. Sew along the sides.

6. Squash one of the corners flat so that the side seam is next to where you folded it along the bottom. Measure up the seam from the corner half the distance of the breadth of the box. So for my, the breadth of my box was 31 cm, so I measured up 15.5 cm. Pin.

7. Sew across the corner at right angles to the seam. Cut the corner off. Repeat for the other corner.

8. Hem all around the top edge. I made a folded hem as the fabric didn’t fray very much but I wanted it to look neat.

9. Pop the lining inside the box so that the wrong side is next to the inside of the box. Push the corners of the lining into the lining of the box. Starting at one corner, staple the lining to the inside of the box.

I’m so happy with how pretty my tatty old box looks now! It was a pretty quick project, even with painting it.

Linking up here.

Crocheted Cushion Cover Pattern

Crocheted Cushion Cover Instructions

Cushion Cover Front

Cushion Cover Back

Making the Cushion Pad

Finishing the Cushion

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30 Minute Storage Basket

About The Storage Basket

How To Make 30 Minute Storage Baskets

You Will Need

Cutting Out

Sewing the Storage Boxes

Tips For Making Several Storage Baskets At The Same Time

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How to Upcycle an Old Pillow Into a Cushion

Instructions For Turning an Old Pillow Into a Cushion

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How to Sew a Cushion With a Pocket

Sewing a Cushion With a Pocket

You Will Need

Cutting Out

Sewing Up

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How To Line a Wooden Box With Fabric

How To Line a Wooden Box With Fabric

You Will Need

Instructions

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