Well, I did promise a meanding path through different things that I do and make and here is one idea for the upcoming Father's day celebrations (OK, maybe not celebrations as such, but the opportunity for cake and a glass of the fizzy stuff never goes amiss!). I have been into up-cycling, to coin a term, for a while. I just love the idea of making stuff with stuff that you have lying around the house!
So this idea was born from 2 things:
1. I have loads of old clothes (now that I'm losing weight) lying around ... well in a sack in my sewing-cum-craft room. OK, the top attic bedroom which has a desk in it with my sewing and cricut machines on it! Geez!
2. I'd bought some iron-on transfer paper that, 6 months down the line I'd still not used, which if you ever come to know me you'll understand that that is strange to start with! Very unlike me, normally if I buy something it's because I want to use it right away!
So as I was looking around my "office" - most idea's tend to come to me when I'm working and dreaming about doing other things (sorry Jane if your reading. Jane is my manager and lovely she is too!) and I came upon one of my favorite photos of me as a toddler; me and my Dad in his family home in Agnano, Naples. He's all super dooper young with hair, toned body and fab '70s vest top. Me in a pink baby grow ... funny how things are pre-witten as your destiny!
Gosh, these posts are getting worse, meandering on about all sorts ... get to the point! Well .. to cut an even longer story short, I thought "Wouldn't it be fab to make some sort of memory cushion type thing. Print the photograph onto the transfer paper, iron it onto some fabric and sew it onto a cushion.
I found a nice pale green linen shirt that i'd never wear again, so I cut out the front two panels and trimmed it down, giving me two rectangular pieces of fabric approximately 10 inches by 15 inches.
I found a nice pale green linen shirt that i'd never wear again, so I cut out the front two panels and trimmed it down, giving me two rectangular pieces of fabric approximately 10 inches by 15 inches.
I decided that I wanted a zip on it too, a) because i'd just bought a bag full of zips from our local scrap store (do a good deed and all that) and b) I can always do with the practice!
So to make this cushion all you needs is:
1. Some fabric of your choice - plain on one side at least is best I find if you are going to put a picture on it as your focal point.
2. Stuffing material (or cushion pad). I tend to use hollow-fill for stuffing which is available in most haberdasheries or craft stores
3. Photograph or picture in a digital format (that means scanned onto your computer)
4. Iron-on transfer paper or printable fabric
5. A zip (optional)
6. Sewing machine and/or overlocker.
Dimensions really are up to you if you are stuffing it as I did which is perfect if you are using up odds and ends of material. Or, you can make it to fit a standard cushion size, for example and 18inch x18inch. I always make my fabric 1 inch smaller than the cushion, including seam allowances, which I normally set at 1/2 inch (or around 2cm) for ease of calculating. I am TERRIBLE at math and therefore things have to be mega simple. The reason I do this is that I like my cushions to appear full rather than saggy and limp (horses for courses) so it's up to you!
First of all I decided that I didn't want to print the photo in full colour as I thought that wouldn't look right with a muted fabric, so I turned it sepia and that just seemed to work better. I then printed it onto the iron-on transfer paper. I got mine from Tesco but it's widely available. Once I had that, I followed the instructions on the packet and ironed it onto a piece of white cotton. I then cut that down and placed it in the centre of a rectangle. I decided to attach it to the panel using a satin stitch in green thread, thus creating a border at the same time!
I then took my two rectangular pieces and ran one short edge on each through the overlocker, then put the zip in using a normal sewing machine. After that I wizzed the other sides together using the overlocker. You can use a sewing machine to do it and just sew up the remaining sides, but I like the finish with the overlocker, no messy seams! Oh er misses!
Finally I stuffed it with the fibre fill and voila! A lovely cushion in pride of place in my lounge. I hope i've inspired you to give it a try ..... but if you don't feel up to the challenge then contact me. I will also be putting it onto my Etsy shop soon. I think I may make one this weekend with a lovely photo I took of the doggies so stay tuned.
So to make this cushion all you needs is:
1. Some fabric of your choice - plain on one side at least is best I find if you are going to put a picture on it as your focal point.
2. Stuffing material (or cushion pad). I tend to use hollow-fill for stuffing which is available in most haberdasheries or craft stores
3. Photograph or picture in a digital format (that means scanned onto your computer)
4. Iron-on transfer paper or printable fabric
5. A zip (optional)
6. Sewing machine and/or overlocker.
Dimensions really are up to you if you are stuffing it as I did which is perfect if you are using up odds and ends of material. Or, you can make it to fit a standard cushion size, for example and 18inch x18inch. I always make my fabric 1 inch smaller than the cushion, including seam allowances, which I normally set at 1/2 inch (or around 2cm) for ease of calculating. I am TERRIBLE at math and therefore things have to be mega simple. The reason I do this is that I like my cushions to appear full rather than saggy and limp (horses for courses) so it's up to you!
First of all I decided that I didn't want to print the photo in full colour as I thought that wouldn't look right with a muted fabric, so I turned it sepia and that just seemed to work better. I then printed it onto the iron-on transfer paper. I got mine from Tesco but it's widely available. Once I had that, I followed the instructions on the packet and ironed it onto a piece of white cotton. I then cut that down and placed it in the centre of a rectangle. I decided to attach it to the panel using a satin stitch in green thread, thus creating a border at the same time!I then took my two rectangular pieces and ran one short edge on each through the overlocker, then put the zip in using a normal sewing machine. After that I wizzed the other sides together using the overlocker. You can use a sewing machine to do it and just sew up the remaining sides, but I like the finish with the overlocker, no messy seams! Oh er misses!
Finally I stuffed it with the fibre fill and voila! A lovely cushion in pride of place in my lounge. I hope i've inspired you to give it a try ..... but if you don't feel up to the challenge then contact me. I will also be putting it onto my Etsy shop soon. I think I may make one this weekend with a lovely photo I took of the doggies so stay tuned.
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