Tag Archives: cushion

Hunkered

Hello All

Brrr. The cold and snow and frrreeeeezing wind has kept my walking to a minimum i.e. off bus in shop in cafe back on bus. I have instead hunkered down at home and been busy crafting.

Project one: cable hat. Using the second ball of the lovely wool gifted me by No 1 ‘daughter-in-law’ – the softest and cosiest yarn to work – I again used the Anna Hat free pattern at Margo Knits which is a small enough to sustain my enthusiasm and challenging enough to keep me on my toes …. or DPNs ….

Project two: patchwork cushion. At Christmas I promised that I would make No 1 Daughter some ‘Boho’ style cushions having failed to find any I liked and could afford. The fulfilment of my promise had to await the purchase of a new sewing machine. Now the proud owner of Jolly Janome and having practised on a patchwork pillow of my own it was time to get cracking.

The colours were ready and I had great fun deciding the layout. It was even more fun for Jolly and me to sew the strips. I even enjoyed all the pressing…am I weird?

The final result was pleasingly luxurious. Front and back.

Most importantly No1 Daughter loved it but here’s the rub …. she wants more! Looks like Jolly and I will be kept busy.

Project three: dress for me. For some time I have wanted to make myself something new to wear. I had spotted a couple of those lovely Merchant and Mills patterns that looked right up my street. Meeting up with No 1 to deliver the cushion I took the opportunity to nip into Cool Crafting in Skipton (they also have a shop in Kirby Lonsdale) and pick up a pattern … or two.

All I needed was fabric. While lying awake, head busy with crafting projects, I pictured the dress in stripes. So with No1 and granddaughter Peanut we went next day to Ilkley and the lovely ‘Eme Cloth & Yarn‘ emporium run by the friendly and really helpful Emma Garry. I loved this fabric and couldn’t resist getting enough for my frock and an outfit for Peanut. I shall just have to check with Peanut (she’s advanced for two) so that we don’t wear them at the same time!

Emma drew my attention to a rather special feature of this cloth. The selvedge.

Isn’t it beautiful? On Emma’s advice I carefully snipped it from the post-pattern-cutting cloth and plan to use it as edging in future makings. Waste not want not.

Cutting done – the Merchant and Mills pattern paper is super quality – Jolly and I were ready to roll. The instructions were pretty good although I found the diagram showing the insertion of the front bib a little confusing. None of the reviews mentions this so probably just me. Common sense, a bit of experimenting and some tacking (got to love a bit of tacking I say) soon overcame my muddle. And voila I have a new cotton dress-tunic.

Apologies for this photo but I couldn’t find a good spot to ‘pose’ the finished dress. I am loathed to model it myself but despite it’s slight nurse-like appearance – I didn’t notice this echo of Call The Midwife while working on it – please take it from me that it looks great and not at all like I have arrived to administer an enema.

And see what has been delivered while I have been tapping out this post. A new adventure beckons…

Hope you are having happy adventures and crafting time of your own.

Until next we meet,

Moke xxx

Cushioned

Hello All

I have a confession. In the crafting carnage that was Christmas 2016 I ‘killed’ two sewing machines (in my defence one was pretty vintage). I have staggered on without one ever since. I couldn’t believe how often I thought or more boringly for friends said ‘If only I had a machine ….’. Yet I procrastinated thinking I would move on – after all I am a woolly craft person – but no. Eventually I cracked. So here I am introducing my new acquisition:

My jolly Janome more formally known as Janome Decor Computer DC3050. But what is a sewing machine without a project? And with lots of scraps of fabric I thought a patchwork cushion would make a good ‘getting to know your machine’ project. Who knew how difficult patchwork is?! Well I am sure you do. Yet someone not a million miles from this keyboard rushed in very much in the tradition of fools everywhere.

It all started well. I found a fabulous blog at Very Berry Handmade telling you step by step how to make a beautiful cushion. Off I set ignoring the advice about High and Low Value fabrics but somehow stumbling upon a happy combination of squares despite my chaotic methodology:

Soon I was sewing together my squares…too soon. First off I misjudged the size of the seams. Gosh half an inch is much narrower than you think. I did manage to press the sewn strips in alternate directions let’s go with that:

Then I was rather gung-ho about sewing up the strips although as you can see I was beginning to follow the instructions and line up the seams by the last couple.

Oh well I was after shabby chic heavy emphasis on the shabby and in any event I was having a whale of a time. Soon I was adding borders.

And … wonders will never cease …. quilting!

In next to no time I was whizzing up an envelope back with a contrast binding and (fanfare please) even a cheeky buttonhole.

Voila a finished cushion!

Thanks to Jolly Janome I am now snuggled up with a very plumptious shabby and perhaps not too chic cushion. I think Jolly and I are going to get on.

Until next we meet,

Moke xxx

P.S. Just in case you were wondering I will be getting my two old machines looked at. No 1 Daughter wants the old machine and as I have discovered it is always good to have a spare or one to hand for group sewing projects. Mx