Try your hand at English hand-pieced patchwork and sew your own colourful cushion
Have you always thought patchwork is too complicated? Well think again! All you need is a little time and patience. Start by making a template by drawing a diamond, cut a stack of paper pieces – you’ll need 30 for a 40cm x 40cm cushion. Then follow our 3 easy steps below!
You will need:
Moda Bella Solids in six different colours, £2.75 per fat quarter, eBay
Pins & iron
Needle & thread
Sewing machine
Stitch unpicker
50cm Blue fabric, £16 per m, John Lewis
41cm x 41cm Ecru Duck Feather cushion pad, £3.99, Dunelm
Step one
Using the paper template, cut five diamonds of each colour apart from the last colour of which you will need four, allowing 1cm extra for a seam. Pin a template to the wrong side of each, fold over the excess and tack in place.
Step two
Oversew six different pieces together to make a star and use this as your central piece. Work out which coloured diamonds should go next to these pieces, avoiding two of the same next to each other. Oversew each in place to make a patchwork front piece 42cm x 42cm (you will have excess material due to the shape of the patchwork pieces).
Step three
Put on a worktop and unpick your tacking stitches and remove the paper. Press. Cut the blue fabric into two back pieces H32cm x W42cm each. Hem 1cm along one 42cm side of each. With right sides facing, pin these back pieces on top of your patchwork front to form a 42cm square. Machine stitch around. Trim away any excess from the front piece. Turn the right way, press and slip in your pad.
