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| Calico Cats Cushion
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| This beautiful cushion uses all of your favourite techniques to create a stunning adornment for any home. Running stitch, french knot, satin stitch and many others all combine to make this beautiful project something all your friends will be talking about! Designed by Karen Weaver for Coats Crafts UK.
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download diagram and key (pdf)
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materials required |
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Note: Pre-wash all fabrics before commencing your project
Rowan 100% Cotton Patchwork Fabrics:
Main Fabric:
1 piece 50cm x 114cm of Exotic Check "05 Pink". Following cutting diagram, cut into pieces thus: 1 piece measuring 29cm x 51cm for Back of Cushion, 2 pieces measuring 29cm x 12cm for Front Side Panels and 12 pieces measuring 13cm x 13cm for Border Triangles (numbered 1-12)
Contrast A:
1 piece 10cm x 114cm of Shot Cotton "Rosy". Following cutting diagram, cut into pieces thus: 10 pieces of Shot Cotton "Rosy" measuring 10cm x 10cm for Border Triangles and 1 oddment for Cat B detail
Contrast B:
1 oddment of Shot Cotton "Sunrise" measuring 10 cm x 6 cm for Cat A detail
Contrast C:
1 oddment of Shot Cotton "Slate" measuring 10 cm x 6 cm for Cat C detail
Calico:
1 piece measuring 30 cm x 75 cm. Following cutting diagram, cut into pieces thus: 1 piece 29cm high x 31cm across for Front Centre Panel; 2 pieces 29cm x 12cm for Backing for Front Side Panels and 1 piece of calico sponged with tea, measuring 29 x 15 cm for diamond motifs on Front Side Panels
1 piece of Coats Cotton Batting measuring 29cm x 51cm for Centre Panel and 2 pieces measuring 29cm x 12cm for Side Panels
Anchor Stranded Multicolor:
1 skein each of Sunrise 1304, Iris 1325 and Flame 1315. Use 2 strands throughout.
Anchor Stranded Cotton:
1 skein each of Parrot Green 225, Peat Brown 359 and Mauve 871. Use 2 strands throughout.
1 pack of Vilene Bondaweb
Prym Crewel needle No. 6
Prym Rotary cutter
Omnigrid ruler and cutting mat
Details "Watercolour Brite Flower" coated brads (purchased by designer): 1 pack of item ref: 22664 - see www.makingmemories.com (or substitute with small buttons or charms).
Coats Cotton sewing thread: 1 spool of 516 Old Rose
Prym dressmakers' carbon paper and tracing wheel
Anchor 8" Embroidery hoop
Coats Polyester cushion pad to fit (purchase on completion and adjust to correct size)
1 skein of Anchor Quilting Wool
Large bodkin
Paw-prints stamp (purchased) for side panel detail
Brown Dylon Fabric Paint (purchased) for Paw-prints detail
Teabag and sponge for staining Calico |
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instructions |
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How to work the cushion
Cut out all fabrics as requested, following diagrams.
To tea-dye the Calico, boil water and pour a small amount into a container with the tea bag. Leave to infuse then dilute as necessary with boiling water.
Immerse fabric and leave to stew until desired colour. Remove from dye and allow to dry. Steam press using a hot iron.
How to work front centre panel
Note: 1cm seam allowances will be used for seam allowances unless otherwise stated.
Baste the appropriate-sized pieces of cotton batting to the front centre panel and the front side panels using the Sylko thread and large basting stitches.
Mark the centre of the front centre panel by working another line of basting stitches centrally horizontally and vertically. The centre of Diagram 1 is indicated by small black arrows that should correspond to these lines of basting stitches.
Transfer the design by placing dressmakers' carbon paper face down on the right side of Panel then place the design centrally on top face-up, matching arrows with lines of basting stitches. Using a tracing wheel carefully follow the lines of the design. The design is worked using Whipped Running Stitch, Running Stitch, French Knots and Satin Stitch.
Apply Vilene Bondaweb to the reverse of the 10 cm x 6 cm oddments of contrasts A, B and C, following manufacturers' instructions.
Trace the body motifs from Diagram 1 onto paper, cut out then pin onto right side of relevant Contrast A, B and C fabrics. Cut out the fabric pieces, arrange on front centre panel where indicated on Diagram 1 and iron in position.
Following the "Appliqué on Cats" Diagram, embroider the Body Motifs using Straight Stitch, Running Stitch and French Knots.
Using Diagram 1 and Key to Diagram 1, work the outlines of Cats A, B and C using Whipped Running Stitch. Using 359 work the Whiskers in Whipped Running Stitch then the nose in Satin Stitch. Using 225, work the Eyes in Satin Stitch.
Attach the flower brads if desired (you could use small buttons or charms instead).
How to work front side panels
Quilting front side panels - Transfer Diagram 2 onto the main fabric front side panels, matching arrows with basting stitches. With right sides face-up, place Calico Backing underneath front side panels. Baste layers together.
Work Running stitch around inner line of Diamond shapes and Whipped Running Stitch around outer line of Diamond shapes. Working from the reverse and using a large bodkin threaded with Anchor Quilting Wool doubled, stuff the channels made between the 2 rows of Running stitches with Quilting Wool.
Diamond Motifs
Cut the tea-stained Calico into quarters. Transfer the whole Diamond motif onto paper. Cut out around outer edge. Pin onto each piece and cut out.
Trim the paper diamond template to the inner line. With right side face-down and template centrally on top, fold the outer edges of one piece of fabric one at a time over the edge of the paper template and press with steam iron to form seam allowance. Remove template and tack all round seam allowance. Work the other pieces to match.
Using the paw print stamps, decorate the centre of each piece. Press gently on reverse.
Place diamond motifs in position inside inner diamonds of each front side panel and slip-stitch in place. Place cotton batting behind side front panels and baste through all layers. |
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make up |
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With right sides together, sew Front Side Panels to Centre Front Panel. Trim excess batting from seam allowances. Press seams outwards.
Border Triangles
Using Diagram 3 as a guide, work each Triangle separately as follows.
A - Fold each fabric square in half from top to bottom. Press fold.
B - Fold the top outer corners down to the centre front at lower edge (shown by red dot) to form a triangle.
C - Press flat so that the folds at centre front are sharp and touching each other, then baste raw edges together along lower edge.
Matching raw edges to outer edges of front of cushion, arrange triangles in position on all round outer edges of right side of front panel. Pin, then baste in position. With right sides together, pin front to back of cushion and sew all round outer edge, leaving a short side open for turning.
Clip corners and press seams. Turn to right side and insert cushion pad. Slip-stitch opening (or insert zip fastening if desired). |
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stitch instructions |
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Running Stitch
Insert the needle in and out of the fabric at even intervals along the line of the design. Do not pull the thread too tight.
For Whipped Running Stitch, work a rows of Running Stitch first, then take a second thread, starting at one end, insert the needle under the first stitch (without piercing the fabric) from top to bottom and continue to do this with every subsequent stitch, always working from top to bottom to the end of the stitching line.
Satin Stitch
Work regular Straight Stitches from one side of the shape to another, keeping stitches parallel and smooth. Always work in the same direction.
French Knots
Bring the thread out to right side. Hold thread in left hand between thumb and first finger and with needle pointing towards left hand wrap around the needle point twice. Insert needle back into same point, keep it there, then pull thread wrapped around needle down shaft to touch fabric. Now pull needle through to wrong side. |
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quilting channels |
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From the reverse side of the cushion panel, make a small snip in the backing fabric only in the channel between the two rows of stitching in at each corner.
Thread the bodkin with Anchor Quilting Wool. Leaving a 1cm length of Quilting Wool at the beginning, insert the bodkin needle at one corner, thread it through the channel created by the two layers of fabric along to the next corner and bring it out.
Re-insert the needle where it has just emerged and take to the next corner. Pull the Quilting Wool through, leaving a small loop at each corner as shown. On completion, leave a 1 cm end of Quilting Wool. |
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