Three tiered lavender-filled cushion - TUTORIAL

Yay! This is my very first tutorial. I'm going to show you how to make the lavender cushion you see above. This project is suitable for beginners with some sewing experience. Don't worry - it's not difficult. A little handsewing will be necessary toward the end, but it shouldn't be a problem ;-) I took quite a number of photos; I hope Blogger will not cause me any problems. So, let's get started shall we? Basic tools you will need: Sewing machine Sharp fabric scissors Ruler, cutting mat and rotary cutter (you can use scissors, if you don't have one) Needle, colour-coordinated thread, straight pins Magic Marker Pen (ink disappears and leaves no trace on fabric) Round-tipped chopstick (for pushing out corners) Polyfill Fibre (stuffing used to make soft toys, plushies etc) Dried lavender (store bought or homegrown, if you have the time) Plastic funnel (optional) Your choice of fabric. I find 100% cotton works best. You can mix and match colours or use only solids. Here I used a lavender-themed combination: script, fine line and solid. You will also need some matching ribbon to tie up the cushions later on. Start by making three templates for each size cushion. Unfortunately it's not visible in my photo, but the cushions are three different sizes, the largest (bottom) measuring about 10 x 10 cm (approx. 4 inches) when finished. As you can see in the photo below, I have added a small tab on one side. This is the opening for turning and for filling up with lavender later on. I find the little extra bit of fabric helps when sewing up the opening, because when filled the cushion will be 'puffy', so you have a little fabric to hold on to.

Large - 11.5 x 11.5 cm (approx. 4.5 inches) Medium - 10.5 x 10.5 cm (approx. 4.1 inches) Small - 9.5 x 9.5 cm (approx. 3.8 inches)

Fold the first fabric in half, right sides facing. Now draw the square including the tab onto the reverse side like this: Now cut out the shape through both layers using your rotary cutter or sharp fabric scissors. Next pin the edges, still with right sides together, like so: Start sewing from one tab point (backstitch here) all around the entire square up until the other tab point (backstitch here). I used a narrow seam of 0.5 cm (approx. 1/4 inch) Turning fabric at corners - leave the needle lowered in fabric and lift the foot. Turn, lower foot. Continue sewing: When finished, remove all pins. I like to pull one loose thread onto the other side and secure with a knot, but you can skip this step. I just like it tidy, that's all :) Next, use a pair of sharp fabric scissors to cut off the corners. This reduces bulk when turning and makes neater corners. With the aid of your chopstick or other blunt stick turn your cushion right side out carefully. Make sure to push in the corners to make a nice shape: Iron your cushion on a cotton setting. Now comes the fun part! You can start filling your cushion with little bits of Polyfill fibre. Push into the corners and along the sides, but leave some space in the middle. Aim for a soft shape - don't overstuff: When you are satisfied with your shape, you can start filling it up with dried lavender. You can buy this in most craft shops, in the garden center or online. Fill up your cushion with the help of a funnel or use a small spoon. Seal off with some fibre on top: Now comes the tricky bit. You will need to slip stitch the opening closed. See? This is why you need that tab! Just go slowly and you'll be fine. If you still find this bit too fiddly, you can always use a simple overlapping stitch. Proceed in exactly the same way for the medium and small cushions. Now you have your three cushions ready to be stacked one on top of the other. Using your favourite ribbon (about 1 meter should be enough) wrap up your cushions like a parcel and tie with a bow on top. Finished! These make great gifts and smell wonderful! Keep one in your bathroom, on your bedside table or in your wardrobe to keep away moths. I hope you liked this tutorial. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to help. Just email me at dunibagz (at) freenet (dot) de I had so much fun doing this tutorial. I'm planning some more in future, for intermediate and advanced sewers. Hope to see you back!