TO SAVE TIME BUY READY-MADE EPP PAPER TEMPLATES – WE’VE USED ½IN AND ¾IN HEXAGONS
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Fold one side of fabric down along the edge of one hexagon paper template. Hold in place with a binding clip or plasticcovered paper clip (Fig 2).
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Working in an anti-clockwise direction, fold the next side of the hexagon down around the paper template (Fig 3). Finger press in place.
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Thread a needle with 10–15in of thread (these stitches will not be visible, so feel free to use any colour you happen to have to hand) and tie a knot in one end. Stitch through the folded corner, passing the needle through both layers of fabric, but not the paper template underneath (Fig 4). Backstitch to hold the corner fold in place. Leave your needle threaded, ready to securely sew the next corner. 7
Continuing in an anti-clockwise direction, fold the third side of the fabric down around the paper template. Again, bring the needle through the two fabric layers, taking care not to pass through the paper template (Fig 5). Backstitch to secure.
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Repeat for the remaining corners (Fig 6). Return the needle to the original corner, backstitch and then tie off (Fig 7).
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Repeat with the remaining pieces to baste all sixty eight hexagons.
MAKING THE CLOUD
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Trace the cloud template onto the fusible web. Attach the fusible web to the wrong side of the fabric. Carefully cut out the cloud shape along your traced line.
QUILTING THE BACKGROUND
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For this cushion, the quilting is done before the appliqué pieces are added. Make a quilt sandwich by layering up the backing fabric right side down, then batting and the quilt top right side up. Baste together using pins or spray adhesive.
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Lay out the hexies in the rainbow shape so that the points of each hexie in a stripe just touch. The colour stripes should be 1 in apart. Using either pins or a disappearing marker, mark the points at each end of the colour stripe. For the pink stripe, also mark the points where each hexie meets the next (Fig A).
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Quilt the curved lines to form the rainbow shape, using the marks as a starting point. Begin with the top stripe, quilting from mark to mark. Then use a quilting guide set to 1 in to stitch each of the other five lines.
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Now quilt a line in either side of those lines using silver metallic thread. All of these lines need to go further than the last hexie, stopping at some point under where the cloud will be. Quilt the remaining area with diagonal lines at 45 degrees (Fig B).
ASSEMBLING THE DESIGN
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Remove the papers from the hexies and give them a press. Pin or fabric glue the hexies in place along the stitched lines. Edge stitch in place (Fig C). Repeat for all rows.
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Fuse the cloud in place, and topstitch
1/8in from the edge.
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Set your machine to a satin stitch, with a very short width (around 0.2). Using colourful threads, stitch ‘raindrops’ of varying lengths (½in to ¾in) below the cloud, following the quilted lines.
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Trace the embroidery template onto the tearaway stabiliser and pin this onto the cloud. Hand embroider the words using black embroidery thread. Carefully tear away the stabiliser, using tweezers to remove any stubborn bits.
FINISHING
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Trim off excess batting and backing fabric, and trim to 20in square. Zigzag stitch along all four sides.
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Prepare the two back pieces of the cushion by sewing a ½in double fold hem onto one long edge of each piece.
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Layer the front and backs wrong sides together, aligning raw edges. One backing piece is at the top of the cushion and the other at the bottom of the cushion, positioned landscape. The hemmed edges should overlap in the centre to form the envelope closure of your cushion. Pin in place and sew carefully around all four sides.
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Sew the binding strips into one long length, using diagonal seams. Press seams open. Fold the binding in half along the length, wrong sides together, and press.
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Sew the binding to the cushion, mitre the corners and then hand stitch the binding to the back of the cushion to finish.