A cushion to knock the spots off all others...

I love cushions (expect them to be a recurring theme).  A cushion is a small canvas on which to inject some personality, to have some fun with and take the risk of being a bit bolder, of trying something a bit different.

I wanted to create something special to give to a friend for her birthday.  Knowing she’s a fan of red and white spots I quickly decided that I would make her a cushion on this theme.  But I felt it needed something more.  A sprinkling of buttons might just be what was needed to lift this cushion to be a little bit special.  A quick raid on my and Mum’s button boxes supplied a good variety of red and white buttons.  Then it was just the small matter of finding the fabric.

My need to constantly make the “right” decision makes choosing fabrics for any project tricky, especially when I am making something to give as a present.  I have to work hard to remind myself that there is no right and wrong when it comes to fabric choices!

The initial idea in my mind had been plain red with perhaps a white fabric with small red spots.  However, it is rare that you will find exactly what you are looking for, and you need to enter a fabric shop with an open mind; flexibility is your friend here.  Enter with an open mind and time invested browsing the aisles of a well-stocked fabric shop can reward you with a winning combination of fabrics you would never have imagined walking away with.  Having pulled out various fabrics, holding up different whites to various reds to try to find that elusive “perfect” combination, I eventually made a decision.  A red/purple tinged stripe and an off-white with purple spots was not what I had planned on buying at all, but that was the combination that struck a chord.  I think it works; the patterns contrast but do not clash and I think it adds another layer of interest to the overall look of the cushion.  But judge for yourself…

First the planning:

I started by planning the size of the spots and laying these out with the buttons.  Once I had settled on the size of the spots, I could cut the fabric.

Then the assembly:

The spots were pinned and tacked in place before being machine appliquéd.  The buttons were sewn on by hand.  I then machined three and a bit sides of the cushion cover (correct sides together) before turning through, easing over the cushion pad and then hand stitching the fourth side closed.

And the finished cushion:

This is a cushion that is all about its looks.  And, perhaps surprisingly for a cushion adorned with buttons, it doesn’t scrimp on comfort either.  Most importantly, my friend seems to love it.

I went with a sprinkling of buttons to give this birthday cushion an extra little something; but what would you have adorning your ideal cushion?  I’d love to hear your ideas.