Cushions how we love them!
Square ones, round ones, plain, multicoloured they support the backs of the world! They give a colour pop to our sofas, garden furniture and beds, like pieces of art brightening up our homes.
A cushion is a wonderful thing. As my husband put it “what is it with women and cushions?” Well, he’s the first one to bolster himself up with a morning cuppa in bed, so I think that men secretly love them just as much as we do!
Anyway down to business…..
HOW TO MAKE A SQUARE ENVELOPE CUSHION
Here is a tutorial about how to make an envelope cushion. To make a 16″ square envelope cushion you will need:
50cm of main fabric, a reel of thread, two 25mm buttons (optional) and a cushion pad inner (polyester or feather).
You can get pads here on ebay
You can make a cushion from all sorts of fabric. Ive made these ones in Ankara fabric, commonly known as African Dutch wax, which I think look great in simple patchwork squares and triangles. With their bold clashing patterns and vibrant colours they cheer up any room up no end!
By the way, I also have a small video on Facebook and Instagram showing you my fabrics in my Funky Kitchen and Lounging around showing you my cushions in situ. Just saying!
So you have a good pair of scissors and a ruler, you need get cutting out the pieces.
For a 16″ cushion you need to:
Cut out one piece 43cm x 43cm (front) and two pieces 43cm x 35cm (back).
*With the two back pieces, fold over and press 1cm then again 2cm at one long edge on each piece. 
Pin, then sew close to the inner fold to make two back pieces with hemmed finished edges.
If you would like to insert a buttonhole and button fastening, do so at this stage after making the back hems. 
You may have a one step buttonhole attachment – see below for the different types.
Here are links to You tube video tutorials about how to make a one or four step buttonholes:
How to make a one step buttonhole
How to make a four step buttonhole
Not sure which one you have with your machine? Well if you have an attachment like this in pic 1 its a four step:
Or a one step buttonhole attachment looks like this…..
If you don’t have either, it’s possible your machine doesn’t buttonhole, in which case, leave your cushion opening open on the back, thats no big deal!
So, place one or two buttonholes on the back, I like to place one centrally on the hem or two approx 15cm apart. The buttons are stitched on at the end.
If you don’t want to add buttons, just skip this stage.
Now to sew the cushion together.
With the right sides of the fabric together, matching the raw three sides, place one back piece at each side on top of the front piece so that the hemmed sides overlap at the centre. Pin all around.
Sew all around the outer edge with a 1cm seam allowance, drop the needle into the fabric at the corners when pivoting at the corner to avoid losing your place.
Zig zag the raw edge all around to stop fraying.
Trim across the seam allowance corners, this reduces the bulk and makes the corners more pointy.
Turn inside out and push out the corners with a poking tool, a knitting needle, chopstick or scissors end are all good but take care not to poke a hole in your corner! (been there done that!).
Press and insert a cushion pad. Let your cushion relax into its pad and then mark the button position through the centre of each buttonhole. Sew on the buttons in position.
Enjoy! **
HOW TO MAKE AN 18″ SQUARE PATCHWORK CUSHION
Now who fancies making a patchwork cushion? Heres an 18″ one I made from African fabric.
To make a patched front (I like to have a plain linen back) but you could also patch the back too.
To make an 18″ patch cushion you will need to cut:
FRONT PIECE: 9 squares of different fabric 16 cm x 16cm (6 1/4″)
BACKING: one piece 47cm x 47cm (18.5″ x 18.5″) (linen, cotton fabric is good) if you are putting a zip in or two pieces 47cm x 35cm for an envelope style backing. Repeat in Batting* if you would like to quilt your fabric
BATTING*: use a bamboo one for eco friendliness heres a good one, Polyester or cotton thin batting would also work. EBAY BATTING SUPPLIER 
PATCHING TOGETHER THE PIECES
Arrange your squares in the formation you require and in 3 rows of 3.
With the right sides of the fabric together and the raw edges aligned, pin pieces 1 & 2 together and sew with a 1/4″ (6mm) seam allowance. Then sew piece 3 to the piece 2 you have just sewn. Press the seam allowance to one side. Repeat for the remaining 2 sets of three squares so you have 3 sets of 3 altogether. Tip: press your seam allowances in opposite directions on each band.
When you have completed three strips of 3 squares, join the first band to the second and then the second to the third, again with the right sides of the fabric together and raw edges aligned.
If you would like to quilt your front piece this is the stage to lay your batting to the reverse side of your front piece and back piece(s). Pin or fuse with fabric spray glue if you have it.
Quilt the front piece (and back too if you would like more stitch detailing) as required, you may need to insert a walking foot on your machine to ease the flow of the fabric.
Press. Now continue with the instructions for constructing the cushion same as the envelope cushion above * to **
Now, if you would like to make a cushion with half triangle squares (its the one shown above at the back) just cut out 9 slightly larger squares 6 1/2″ (16.5cm). Make your triangles by following this video tutorial…
HOW TO MAKE HALF TRIANGLE SQUARES
When you have your 9 half triangle squares completed, patch them together as shown in the previous tutorial for the patchwork cushion.
Then follow the instructions as before for making the envelope cushion as from * to **
Now to make a circular cushion with segments like this one
HOW TO MAKE A ROUND SEGMENTED CUSHION
To make a cushion like this one you will need to download and print off two copies of this file for the template, make sure you print at 100% scale and check the 5cm measure on the file:
Cushion Segment Template download
You need 6 pieces of different fabric prints 25cm x 25cm (10″ x 10″), backing fabric 50cm x 50cm, two 25mm-30mm buttons, one round 18″ cushion pad. Ebay cushion pad shop.
From the constructed template cut out one piece each in the different fabrics. Sew two pieces together with the long sides aligned and the right sides of the fabric together*. Press. Then sew on the third segment to the two part piece so you have two pieces of 3 joined segments.
Then sew the two semi circle pieces of 3 segments together, aligning the longest edges with the RST* Press. You can add batting to the reverse side if you would like.
Finally with the RST, pin the circle piece to the square backing piece. Stitch all around the curved outer edge 1cm from the edge but leave one section unstitched for inserting the cushion. Insert the cushion. Stitch up the opening with a small slip stitch. Sew on the buttons at the centre either side, passing the needle from one side to the other and pulling tight so that it pulls the cushion in at the centre and covers the corner bits.
Pop inside a round cushion pad and give it a squidge!
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