Patchwork Cushion

I have a bit of a thing about cushion pads, they have to be feather-filled.  I have got a few that are foam filled but they just don't do it for me, I really really prefer the squashiness and plumpness of proper old-fashioned feather-filled pads.  But those darn things are really expensive, even if you can find them in charity shops or at car boot sales (and I never can, or not at a price I want to pay!) 

So I was really pleased when a nice feather-filled cushion pad ended up in our skip the other week.  We had a bit of space left over in the skip after we'd filled it with the garden waste we had and I asked my next-door neighbours if they had anything they wanted to get rid of in the skip too.  They didn't, but suggested I phone the lady who cuts our hair, and who only lives round the corner.  Now she was very pleased to be offered a bit of skip space as she and her husband are having to clear her father-in-law''s house.  Five minutes after the phone call her husband arrived with an old cane chair, some other bits and bobs and an old cushion.  As soon as he had gone again I had a good investigation of the cushion and found that inside the rather tatty cover was a lovely feather-filled pad.

So I'd been mulling over what sort of cover to make for the cushion when I decided I wanted to make something patchwork but very simple. 

This is what I ended up with.  Nine whole strips of fabric plus one strip made up of some smaller bits of material.  Three of the strips were made from leftover bits from my pillowcase totes, four were actually made using new fabric (including some I bought at the Vintage and Handmade Fair), one was from a very pretty (but tiny) skirt I got at a car boot sale (I'd only bought it for the fabric), one from some lovely fabric I got from a blog giveaway and one from some patchwork pieces I got in a charity shop with a very small piece of Kaffe Fasset fabric in the middle.

The back is made from a very nice M&S shirt I got for P in a charity shop but once I got it home I discovered the collar and cuffs were totally shot (that'll teach me not to check things properly before I buy them).  It works really well as the backing fabric and the buttons mean the cover can easily be taken off and washed.  I could quite get into making these cushion covers, I just need to find some more feather-filled pads somewhere cheap.

Comments

[joanne]

What a gorgeous cushion!! I keep meaning to make some cushion covers myself, but haven't gotten around to it! And what a fab idea to use a shirt for the back, using existing buttons and holes!! I would never have thought of that idea! Now I need to scour the charity shops for old mens shirts :) Thanks for the idea :) :)

[Jeanie Senior]

The cushion back is INSPIRED! I was admiring the top, saw the back and thought oh, dear, buttons are wonderful but I don't do buttonholes. What a great idea!

[RubyRed]

Love the cushion, very pretty! I prefer feathers too,foam just goes flat after a while.Have you tried Dunelnm Mill? I bought feather ones for about £2 each!
Rachel x

[Shoestring]

Beautiful cushion cover - such a great idea. I'll have to learn how to use a sewing machine one of these days :)

[stacey]

Wanted to make a cushion using my daugters brighly coloured sleepsuits that no longer fit as a lovely keepsake for her. This has made me want to do it even more. She needs to have a quick growth spurt so i can cut more up! Will be searching charity shops for a lovely coloured mens shirt now as thats a brilliant idea.