Update your soft furnishings for summer with this no-sew cushion cover
Recently I did a little clean out and re-organisation of my home studio and discovered a large supply of fabric that I haven't touched in a long time. Rather than leaving it to take up space, or give it away, I've been thinking of ways that I can use it around the house – saving money, materials, and giving me more storage space in the studio. I've been especially looking forward to using some beautiful fabric that was a wedding gift from a lovely friend – what a great gift idea! I'm only sorry it has taken me longer than two years to do anything with it!
Also sitting (so lonely) in the studio is a sewing machine that my parents generously gave to me for Christmas over two years ago now. Since I was a teenager I've been using my mum's 80's sewing machine, even taking it with me when I moved out ten years ago. So using a new, fancy, totally electronic sewing machine is a little daunting, and sadly it still hasn't made it out of the box! Oops... sorry mum!
I know I'll teach myself to use it at some point, but for now, I've discovered a way to make a cushion cover without a sewing machine!... and it won't take you too much longer than the length of one episode of Gilmore girls to finish.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Cushion insert (any size)
2 pieces of fabric, at least 7cm longer than the cushion insert on all sides
Scissors
Sewing pins
Sewing tape measure
Fabric chalk
Measure and mark the outline of your cushion insert in the centre of one piece of your fabric using the tape measure and chalk. I wanted my cushion insert to fit snuggly inside the cushion cover so I measured a few centimetres smaller than my cushion insert (I used a 46cm x 46cm insert but measured a 41cm x 41cm square on my fabric)
Pin the two pieces of fabric together, one on top of the other. The piece of fabric that you have made markings on should be on top so that you can see the markings.
Cut strips of fabric from the outside in to where you have marked the outline of the cushion insert. Strips can be cut up to 3cm wide.
To cut around the corners, cut one piece directly at the corner and trim the rest away as the image below shows.
Continue to cut strips all the way around the pieces of fabric.
Going around, tie the bottom and top fabric strips together, on three sides only.
Place the cushion insert inside the (almost finished!) cushion cover, and finish tying the strips together on the fourth side to fully encase the cushion insert. You may like to go around the cushion and double tie all your ties to secure in place.
...and style to suit your fave spot!
With the white cushion I added some detail by hand-sewing some black stitching a few centimetres from the edge of the cushion before encasing the insert by tying the final side of strips.
