| Designing and creating a cushion cover is great fun | | | | fabric with tailors chalk or draw/measure design on |
| and very rewarding. There are a number of steps to | | | | paper and cut shape(s) out. |
| go through in order to get from the raw materials to | | | | 2. Pinning: Pin pattern pieces onto chosen fabric(s) so |
| the finished product. You need to consider who the | | | | that the pin heads are facing out and areperpendicular |
| product is for (stakeholder) and how you are going to | | | | to the edge. ( only applicable if using pattern pieces) |
| create the product. | | | | 3. Cutting: Cut around measurements or pattern pieces |
| Stakeholder: | | | | using sharp sewing scissors and long evenshapes. |
| This person can be you or someone else. | | | | Remove pattern pieces. Label sections with tailors |
| Creating the Product: | | | | chalk. |
| This involves a series of steps | | | | 4. Design feature(s): Create design features as |
| 1. Planning: You will ask your stakeholder some | | | | indicated in the final design. For any appliqued shapes |
| questions. | | | | follow steps 1-3 above and then pin onto fabric and |
| - What shape would you like? eg square, rectangle, | | | | sew using a desired stitch. A tight zig-zag stitch works |
| circle. Please note that stars are more difficult to do | | | | well. |
| and would not suit a beginner | | | | 5. Fastenings: Apply zip, velcro, buttons. |
| - What size would you like? | | | | The following is an example of putting a zip in the |
| - What colour fabrics and threads would you like? | | | | middle back. |
| Colours give information and a sense of emotion. | | | | Please note that at the planning stage the back needs |
| Show the range you have available. | | | | to be about 4cm longer than the front |
| - What design feature(s) would you like? Will they be | | | | toaccommodate the zip. |
| on back or front or both? EG applique - pieces of | | | | - fold the back in half |
| fabric sewn on, added notions such as buttons, | | | | - iron fold |
| sequins, ribbon - applied by hand or machine stitch as | | | | - cut on the fold to get two sections the same size ( if |
| appropriate. Designs painted on with fabric paint | | | | you want zip in a different place on backfold and cut in |
| - What would you like to close the cushion cover with- | | | | desired place ) |
| zip, velcro, buttons | | | | - on each of the cut sides fold over 1 cm , iron, fold |
| - Where will the zip, buttons, velcro be placed eg | | | | over another 1cm and iron. |
| middle back or sides? | | | | - pin each side of the zip underneath the fold such that |
| You need to give the stakeholder criteria eg available | | | | the zipper teeth and fold are even. |
| notions, restricted sizing between 30 - 60 cm square | | | | - sew a 0.5mm seam allowance along the length of |
| or equivalent. | | | | zip and each piece using a zipper foot. |
| 2. Designing: Designs are all around us in the form of | | | | - keep zip open |
| colours and shapes. You need to sketch at least three | | | | 6. Construction: |
| designs using the answers from the stakeholder | | | | - place right sides of fabric together and place a pin |
| questionnaire. Remember there is a front and back. | | | | every 4 cm all the way around. |
| The stakeholder then needs to choose their | | | | - sew a 10 mm seam allowance remembering to back |
| preference or ask you to modify one or more of them | | | | tack at beginning and end. Cut threadends |
| and then chooses again. Once a choice is confirmed | | | | - turn inside out. Please note that if your zip is at the |
| you need to draw a neat copy of the design for | | | | ends miss out the first three steps in 5. above. You will |
| reference in the creating stages. | | | | only have three sides to sew. |
| 3. Creating the Cushion Cover: Seven steps | | | | 7. Iron |
| 1. Pattern: either - measure dimensions straight onto the | | | | Voila!! a finished product! |