What a hoot
Raid your stash to make Fiona Hesford’s scrap- happy owl cushions.
Raid your stash to make Fiona Hesford’s scrap- happy owl cushions.
YOU WILL NEED
■ Linen: one ( 1) 35cm square for front, two ( 2) 24cm x 35cm pieces for back
■ Print fabric, for patchwork panel: five ( 5) 5cm x 15cm strips
■ Felt or corduroy, for owl head and wings: 25cm square
■ Felt scraps in beige ( for the eyes), orange ( for the beak) and brown ( for the feet)
■ Fusible web 25cm x 50cm
■ Ric- rac trim: 25cm long
■ Embroidery thread in brown or black
■ Two ( 2) buttons, 2cm diameter
■ Templates ( see page 97)
Finished Size
■ 30cm square approx
NOTES
■ Press fabrics well before cutting.
■ Seam allowances are 6mm throughout, unless otherwise noted.
■ RS = right side.
Preparing the patchwork panel
1 Take your patchwork panel strips and stitch together along the long sides. Press your seams open. Once complete, your patchwork panel should measure approximately 15cm x 20cm.
2 Transfer the templates ( see page 97) onto your fusible web, and roughly cut out. You will need:
■ One ( 1) head/ wing piece.
■ One ( 1) body.
■ Two ( 2) eyes.
■ Two ( 2) feet.
■ One ( 1) beak.
3 Fuse each piece of web onto the back of it’s respective fabric piece. Press the body shape onto the back of the patchwork panel ( Fig 1).
4 Cut out shapes, peel off paper backing, then position on top of the linen square ( as pictured) this will be the cushion front. Tuck the patchwork body shape a little under the body piece at the top, and the feet just under the body piece.
If desired. Add a row of ric- rac along the neckline of your owl – tuck the raw edges under the head and wing piece.
5 When you are happy with the positioning press your shapes in place, the bonding web will hold the shapes in place ready for stitching.
6 On the machine, using a neutral coloured thread, stitch carefully around shapes on the machine close to the outside edge. Stitch around the head and wing section first, then along the bottom of the body piece. Sew around the feet and beak and around the outside of the eyes ( Fig 2). Stitch along the centre of the ric- rac to secure. If preferred, you can sew by hand.
7 With the hand embroidery thread, sew some long stitches at each eye, working from the centre outwards, finishing off with a button at each eye centre ( Fig 3). Tie off your thread securely on the reverse side.
ASSEMBLING THE CUSHION
8 Take one of your back pieces and press under 6mm twice along one long edge. Topstitch close to the fold to create a hemmed edge. Repeat for the second backing piece.
9 With your cushion front RS up, lay your backing pieces on top, RS together. Align the raw edges with your cushion front, with the hemmed edges overlapping in the middle. Pin in place.
10 Sew all the way around the outer edge. Finish off the raw edges with a zig zag stitch or pinking shears. Clip the corners, turn right side out and press. Pop over your cushion pad – and you’re done!