Thursday 24 October 2013

Easy Peasy Half Hour Cushion Cover

Last Friday evening, I was really pleased as I had a bit of spare time to whip up a couple of cushion covers.



They are for my son, George, as I'd promised to make him some for his student house in Cheltenham (it was looking a bit sparse on home comfort front!)

I knew this fabric was perfect for George as he has visited all the featured cities...New York, Paris, London, Rome.....twice as many as me!!



I had been out shopping (and lunching) with my mum and sisters on Friday daytime (it's a hard life!) and picked up a couple of nice cushion inners.

The method of making these cushion covers is so quick and easy I thought I'd show you how......

This is my very first tutorial so please bear with me.....

Gulp!

My cushion inners are 20"/51cm square and the tutorial is based on this size. It can easily be adapted to other sizes by adjusting the measurements slightly. It works best with sizes of 16"-20".

Do you remember my Cushion Cover on a Whim post in the summer?

This was the method I used then.

 It's so great for a quick and easy solution to brightening up a dark or dull corner with a new cushion in next to no time ( about half an hour).....



To make an easy cushion cover, you will need:

20"/51cm length of full width (44"/110cm) fabric
Thread
20"/51cm Cushion inner
Sewing machine
Rotary cutter/scissors
Ruler/Measuring Tape
Pinking shears (optional)
Basic sewing machine skills

I like my covers to be slightly snug so this cover will measure 19"/48cm square when completed.

Take your fabric which should measure 20"/51cm by approximately 44"/110cm.



Now depending on how easy you want to make this, here you have a choice. I like the selvedges of some fabrics. And some fabrics have a pattern that goes right to the edge of the fabric so that you can hardly see the selvedge. 

If you like the selvedge or you have a fabric with a selvedge that doesn't show, you can just leave them as they are. 

If you don't like the selvedge or don't want them showing, you can sew a simple hem by folding the selvedge over and sewing in place.

Fold the selvedge over and sew in place


The fabric I used for George's cushion covers has one 'unsightly' selvedge and the other one is good. I will place the 'unsightly' one on the inside so it won't be showing so I'm not going to worry about sewing them.

Good selvedge


Put a pin in the centre of the longest edge of your fabric. This should be about 22"/56cm from the selvedge (may vary slightly depending on the width of your fabric and whether you've sewn a hem on the selvedges).

Mark the centre with a pin

Press your fabric.

Lay the fabric right side up on a flat surface.

Lay the fabric right side up


From your centre pin, measure 9.5"/24cm  towards one of the selvedges and mark with a pin (my pin is the white one)

Measure 9.5"/24cm from central pin and mark with another pin



Then measure 9.5" from the central pin towards the other selvedge and mark this point with another pin (turquoise pin).

Measure 9.5"/24cm from central pin to the other side and mark with another pin


Remove the centre pin. The length of fabric between the remaining 2 pins (white and turquoise) should be 19"/48cm.

19"/48cm between remaining pins


If you are leaving the selvedges unsewn, fold the selvedge that you want showing on the back of the cushion over towards the centre..........


Fold over towards the centre

................so that the fold is at the nearest pin.

Fold at nearest pin


 Straighten and smooth so the fabric edges line up.

Line up the fabric


(If you have sewn the selvedges, it doesn't matter which side you fold.)


Repeat this process with the other side.

Fold at pin and line up fabric


The width should measure 19"/48cm.

Width across 19"/48cm

Remove the 2 marker pins.

Pin the openings at the top and bottom.

Pin the openings at the top and bottom.



Sew along the top and bottom using a half inch/1.25cm seam removing pins as you sew.

Sew top and bottom


Finish the raw edges of the seams with pinking shears if you like!

Pink the raw edges


Turn the cover the right way round.........

Turn cover right way round


and push the corners out gently from the inside with a blunt object.

Push out corners gently


Press.

Pop your inner inside the cover and le voila!!


I told you it was quick and easy!


You can now sit back and enjoy your new cushion!

After making George's cushion covers, I made another one to brighten up our sofa!


I hope my tutorial made sense!

Maggie xx

9 comments:

  1. Perfect cushions Maggie and what great fabric, I'm sure your son will love them, your's is very pretty too. Thank you for a great tutorial. :)

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  2. Thank you so much, I'm so going to make a cushion following your really clear tutorial. As someone who wishes she could sew, I really appreciate this :) xx

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  3. Those are really pretty, well done!

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  4. good cushions for the well traveled student! great tutorial, Heather x

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  5. Very nice! I really like the bird fabric on the final pillow!

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  6. Sweet! Thanks for sharing and making it look so easy.

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  7. Congrats on your first tutorial, Maggie!:) thanks for sharing!!

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  8. Excellent Maggie. I do not like to sew, but you make me want to try again!

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  9. Lovely pillow. i didn't read your tutorial as I've made mine "envelope" style for years and you are right...nothing like anew pillow to give a facelift to a room! He'll love them!

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