Love crafting for kids? Bloggers Laura & Tia show us an easy craft using our children's fabrics... read more
Here at Laura Ashley it is well known we have gorgeous fabrics, but did you know our children’s fabrics are equally as amazing? They really are perfect for crafting for kids and we wanted some talented bloggers to showcase them. Step forward Laura & Tia from Little Button Diaries who have shown us how to make some super easy giant cushions for kids to enjoy.
We’re Laura & Tia from www.littlebuttondiaries.com and we’re so happy to be writing a guest post for Laura Ashley with their absolutely beautiful fabrics. We’re going to show you how to make a giant floor cushion, which is great for throwing into reading nooks or play tents. This pillow is a massive 70cm square but you could make it any size you like if you adjust the measurements accordingly. We used Laura Ashley’s Treasure Island and Esme fabrics to make two pillows – both are thick cottons making them great for cushions. This method of adding a zip to fabric is really simple, satisfying and gives a really neat finish.
For 1 pillow you will need:
- 1 x 70cm square pillow form
- 1.5m heavy-weight cotton fabric
- 60cm long matching zip
- 280cm of large matching ric-rac
- tailor’s chalk
- stitch ripper
- Sewing machine & matching thread
Step 1
Begin by measuring and cutting out the fabric. Cut one 73cm square piece and two 38cm x 73cm pieces. Make sure the pattern on the fabric runs the same direction on each rectangular piece. Give them a good iron to press out any creases if need be. Pin the two rectangular pieces right sides together along the long the edge.
Step 2
Take the length of zip and place it in the middle of the pinned edge. Mark with tailor’s chalk where the ends of the zip are.
Step 3
Using a normal stitch length on your machine, begin sewing along the pinned edge with a 1.5cm (5/8in) seam allowance. When you reach the chalk mark, stop and adjust your stitch to the longest (basting type) stitch on your machine. Continue until you hit the second chalk mark, then switch back to a normal length and continue to the end of the fabric.
Step 4
Press the seams out with an iron. With the fabric right side down, place the zip on top of the seam, face down and lined up with the chalk marks. Pin carefully in place, making sure that the teeth of the zip are perfectly lined up with the seam.
Step 5
Sew neatly around the zip from the right side of the fabric. When you reach the zip fastener, pull the fabric taut to ensure you do not get too much of a curve to your stitch line (but if you DO this can always be unpicked and resewn afterwards so don’t panic!)
Step 6
Use a stitch ripper to unpick the long stitches above the zip. Now open the zip half way – if you don’t do this you won’t be able to turn the fabric out and will have some really frustrating unpicking to do later!
Step 7
Place the other, zipless, piece of fabric right side up. Use the tailor’s chalk.to lightly draw out a 70cm square in the centre of the fabric (i.e. 1.5cm from the edge) and pin the ric-rac all the way along these lines. Sew in place.
Step 8
Pin the two fabric squares together. With the un-zipped fabric on top, sew together along the previous (ric-rac) stitch line.
Step 9
Turn out and press flat, making sure all your corners are turned out. Insert the pillow form, place your child on top and glow with pride at your feat of domestic goddessness.
For more baking, crafting and sewing tutorials, hop over to our blog www.littlebuttondiaries.com
A big thank you to Laura & Tia for this wonderful tutorial. Which is your favourite print? Let us know below or on Twitter @LauraAshleyUK