I love the way this looks on the couch!

Pretty pleased with myself for sewing a zipper in, too!

For the first time ever…

Usually I would just sew the cover closed around the cushion, but I really wanted this one to be removable for cleaning when necessary. So I just unpicked the zip from the original cover, and handstitched it into this new one…

Here’s a link to the ‘pattern’ details

Remember that cushion I started working on a while back?

I loved the way it was knitting up, but man – it took forever to get through! I thought I was never going to get it finished…

Then I was so fed up with it, once I finally had it off the needles… I packed it away and started something new.

Well – now is the time. This week I will be finishing the cushion, and putting it to use on the couch. There’s not an awful lot to do. Just add a zipper and finish the bottom seam. More than likely I will be trimming the tassels a little, but I’ll decide that for sure as the week goes on.

Best thing of all?

This one isn’t going to require much thinking – unlike that exasperating bag from last week which drove me insane.

Check back on friday for the finished results.

Here they are… the thirteen different yarns which I am using for this cushion cover. It felt like more than that when I was working with them!

In answer to your questions, I am using 4mm knitting needles, and have cast on 77 stitches – which measures approximately 30cm, making up the width of the cushion. I’m working in moss stitch (also known as seed stitch, depending on where in the world you are) and changing colours every row. There is no pattern to my colour changes. I just grab whichever ball takes my fancy.

My plan is to knit the cover in one piece, so I will be making a rectangle which is the same width as the cushion, but twice the height. Then I will fold the rectangle in half and tie the ends together along each side. Come on now… you KNEW that I wasn’t going to be weaving in all those ends, didn’t you! Click here to see my accidental hat, where I used this technique along the top edge.

The final touch will be to add a zip along the open end. Cushion covers at my place MUST be removable! My little goldfish can be absolute grubs at times… so the covers will definitely need regular laundering. I’m thinking that I will re-use the zipper from the current cushion cover, which will be just the right size.

But it took me forever to get started!

I knew I wanted something casual and fun… nothing that would grubby up too easily… perhaps something colourful, but not necessarily bright… definitely nothing gaudy… you get the idea…

A bunch of comfy cushions which would sit nicely together, but not ‘match’… no two will be the same.

And of course they would have to be made from recycled yarns.

So finally I have started…

Can you guess how many different colours of yarn I am using?

So a gift with a child’s name on it, always goes down a treat. Something that is clearly just for them. Not for sharing… MINE… MINE… MINE… MINE… MINE…

This cushion makes for a simple gift idea. I have used a ready made cushion with a removable cover, but if your sewing skills are up to it, you could make it from scratch.

It’s just as easy as it looks. First I cut my stars from some scrap fabrics. Then I embroidered the name on to the large star. I used some iron on interfacing to position the stars on the cushion cover, then worked a blanket stitch edging around the outline – securing the star in place.

It’s really that simple!

I’ve made quite a number of these… sometimes I’ll cut the individual letters from scrap material and sew them on to the cushion… just for something different.