Tutorial: Ikea cushions

I finished the second (and last) Lillberg chair cushions on Sunday night. I made a mistake with the measuring of the patchwork on the bottom cushion and ended up with it vertically instead of horizontally like the others, but I think it looks quite nice. I also sewed these cushions with a 2cm seam allowance around the square edges so they are nice and snug and look much better than the first set.

I also took some photos while I was making them so I could create a photo tutorial.

What you need to make the set of cushions:
4 metres of fabric around 80/90cm wide.
2 x 90cm zip
1000m cotton thread

Cut out the following pieces for the bottom cushion:
2 x back/zip pieces - 90cm by 11cm
2 x side pieces - 61cm by 17.5cm
1 x front piece - 64cm by 17.5cm
2 x top and bottom pieces - 64cm by 74cm

Cut out the following pieces for the top cushion:
2 x back/zip pieces - 90cm by 11cm
2 x side pieces - 40cm by 17.5cm
1 x front piece - 64cm by 17.5cm
2 x top and bottom pieces - 64cm by 52cm

How to

1) Sew the zip on using the two zip/back pieces, effectively joining the pieces together.

• First pin a 2cm seam along the longest on both pieces

• Then pin a piece onto the zip - using the same pins you used to pin the seam. Make sure that you overlap the folded edge at least to the center of the zip.

• Put the zip foot on your sewing machine and sew with the foot as close to the center of the zip as possible. Continue until one piece is sewn onto the zip.
  
• To sew around the zip pull, I open the zip about 5cm, sew along about 4cm, then lift up the foot (with the needle in the fabric of course) and close the zip.
  

• 

• Repeat with the second zip/back piece
  

2) Sew the two side pieces (right sides together) onto the zip piece - using a 1.5cm seam allowance. Note: If the completed zip piece is too wide (wider than 17.5cm) then trim it using the side pieces as a guide.3) Sew the front piece onto the the two side pieces (also using a 1.5cm seam allowance) - so all the pieces are joined up into a circle/tube. Make sure you don't get a twist!

4) Pin the tube onto the top and bottom pieces, right sides together.

• Start with the front piece because it is the only piece that matches the width of the cushion cover, then continue around the tube until you have pinned it around the top rectangle piece.
  

• Sew along the rectangle, this time using a 2cm seam allowance (unless you want to top stitch or stitch in a cord).
  
• To make the corners nice, sew up to 2cm away from the edge, lift up the foot - with the needle in the fabric, turn the fabric 90 degrees left, fold fabric underneath neatly and so it is out of the needle's new path (as much as possible anyway)

• Repeat the same for the bottom cushion piece. It's a good idea to open the zip a few cm so you can turn the cushion the right way when you are done.
  

5) Optional: do a top stitch around the edge of the top and bottom pieces - you can also pin in a cord and sew the cord into the edge for a professional finish. Use the zip foot.

hot! hot! hot!

I feel strange saying "hot sack" but really have no idea what to call these marvellous things. So easy to make. Put in the microwave for 2-3 mins and lie down and relax while your aches and pains are eased.

Buy some long grain rice.
Optional: collect some dried herbs
Find 2 rectangular scraps of fabric
Sew all but 1 side of the rectangle closed right sides together and then turn inside out.
Sew a couple lines (I did three) down the breadth - but stop about 5 cms away from the edge on the one side - this makes pockets in the bag so the rice doesn't bunch.
Fill with rice, turn the raw edges of the fabric in (on the open side) and top stitch across to close the sack.

Keeping up with all your favourite blogs

How do you keep up with all your favourite read blogs? I use IGoogle as my home page. If you would like to set yourself up, read on....

Once you have signed in (if you already have a google account), it is really simple to add content. Click on the "Add Stuff" link on the right (underneath the usual google search bar). There you can search through all the typical "gadgets", like weather, clocks, or email viewers.

Once you've got the standard start page up and running, now go to your favourite blog. To find the "subscribe" link is sometimes quite challenging in amongst the flashy pictures and text, so I do a find (ctrl button + f) and search for the word "feed" or "subscribe". Click on the link, select google (usually by clicking on another button) then on the "Add to Google" page, click on the "Add to Google homepage" button. Your igoogle page then loads up and you should see your new blog feed in the top left position.

Now, if you're adventurous, you can decorate and arrange your homepage , by dragging the gadget (blocks) around, adding tabs when you have too many on one page, and using themes to add some colour.

If you like this post and want more, please leave a comment :)

tie your kanga

If you've ever wondered (like me) how to wear kangas, this website will reveal all (including this elegant dress tied with two).

Fabric necklace

When I saw this fabric necklace pattern online I knew I had to make it. Very cool and so simple. I did mine a little differently, but in hindsight, I should have sewn the fabric into a tube first to avoid the problem of raw edges and the beads peeking out the fabric.

Here are two othes tutorials:
fabric ball from Cut & Keep (great when you don't have beads)
fabric scrap necklace from craftgossip (this one is great, but you need long scraps)

What you need for my necklaces
string or thin wire for the necklace
large beads (I used 9 beads about 1.5cm/0.60" radius)
fabric scrap (mine were about 40cm/15.7" x 15cm/5.9")
necklace clasp
thread
scissors
needle

Step 1
Attach clasp to one side of string or wire

Step 1.5 (If I did it again)
Sew fabric, right sides together, into a tube and turn right side out.

Step 2
Fold one end of fabric around the string or wire (if you did step 1.5 then you would thread the string/wire into the fabric tube), fold and sew neatly so that there are no raw edges.


Step 3
Thread first bead onto string or wire, into fabric.


Step 4
Gather fabric around the bead and tie a piece of thread around so the bead is held in place.


Step 5
Repeat steps 3 & 4 until all beads have been threaded

Done

ikea + shwe shwe = awesome

This is my latest creation. On request of my friend Dave, I made a cushion cover for his Lillberg chair out of Madiba range shweshwe. I wouldn't say it is a total Ikea hack - for me this is something you can do if you've got a sewing machine, can sew, and the patience to measure 3 times over at least.

To save you the trouble, I have made my plan open source.
I am going to be making some for myself and am still deciding which fabrics... what would you do?

This is what you need
At least 100m length of cotton thread
1 x 90cm zip (35.4")
fabric, 90cm (35.4") wide, about 2m/78.7" long (3.5m and I got 4 cushion covers)

These are the pieces (2cm/0.8" allowance)







To put it together, follow these simple steps
1) Sew the zip on using the two zip/back pieces, effectively joining the pieces together.
2) Sew the two sides pieces (right sides together) onto the zip piece.
3) Sew the front part onto the other three pieces making a tube.
4) Pin the tube onto the top and bottom pieces, right sides together (sew inside out and remember to leave the zip a good bit open so you can turn it right ways in the end)
5) Turn right way and do a top stitch around the edge of the top and bottom pieces.

If you want to make the top cushion (which I will in the near future when we arrive in CT) note that it is smaller (obviously the same width, but at least 17 cm/6.7" shorter. I am not 100% sure).

My cute baby sheet

This is something I promised when I first made this blog, and finally it is here - my baby sheet. I think it's really simple, but the extra bits make it special. I made it all with the same fabric, but it would be nicer if the fabric for the hearts is nice to touch. Look at the closeup to spot the cute Elna SU duck sewing stitch. I love those cams.

This is what you need:
Sheet fabric (for a crib) 150x90cm
Thread
Ribbon (90cm)
Fabric for the hearts, cut x 2
Stuffing or batting to fill the hearts.

This picture shows more (click on it to enlarge) ...
1) place the fabric right side up and fold the top edge forward (raw edge on the right side) and the bottom edge behind. sew hems.
2) sew a ribbon over the raw edge of the top seam.
3) place the hearts together, right sides. then sew around the edge, leaving a small 2.5cm gap. turn inside out, stuff, then sew closed by hand. sew the hearts onto the sheet by sewing down the middle.

Cheaters' quilt - baby mat

I hestitate to call this a quilt, but I guess it qualifies in a very vague way.
My m-i-l makes intricate, creative and beautiful quilts, so that is why i hestitate. hopefully she opens an etsy shop soon!




I used some blue 'three elephants' shwe shwe. Conveniently I have some available in my Etsy store :D

I made the animals using an iron on paper - tracing + cutting out the shapes. Here are a selection of some african animals:

Baby changing mat

I made this bubble wrap changing mat while I was still pregnant and then again after my original mat fell out of the bottom of the pram.

It's pretty simple to make:
1) decide how big to make your mat (mine is 63 x 38 cm).
2) cut two pieces out of your chosen fabric (I choose easy-to-wipe vinyl usually used for table cloths).
3) cut one piece the same size out of bubble wrap.
4) sandwich together with the bubble wrap on the inside and the right sides of the fabric on the outside.
5) sew around the edge.
6) neaten the edges with bias binding (this step is easier if you round the edges so you can use one piece for the diameter).

This took me literally 10 minutes to make (although I do admit the bias binding is very untidy - so don't zoom in :).

Cool baby

I have a Dutch book called Cool Baby with really neat ideas like creating a kid rain poncho out of an old umbrella, or baby outfits out of t-shirts, jerseys out of scarves, or dresses from jean pant legs.

I have gotten so much inspiration... like the idea to create my brother a dreads shower cap out of a dead umbrella. There is really a gap in the market here but I must perfect my design. He says it drips cold water down his neck (brrrr).

Then I made baby C some dress from B's old and stained t-shirts. Unfortunately I didn't take any photos along the way to show you exactly how, but here is a rough guide.


I cut (roughly) along the red lines seen in the photo, measuring against another dress of hers to be sure the width and length would be good.

First I cut in the middle of the v-neck, then in a square around (both sides). Then enough to make a skirt using the right edge, and including the cute polo logo.

Then I pinned them together, criss-crossing the collar like you see in the finished dress. I cut whatever was left over once I pinned the skirt to the top and sewed around, making sure that the whole collar edge was caught in the seam.

Then, if the fabric is nice, you can use the rest to make bibs!

strapless shwe shwe dress

This pattern is a winner - it's a dress and high waisted skirt combo, and is real easy to make. Best of all no bra is necessary because the elastic in the smocking keep you snug.

As I overheard 'panels are dressmaking made simple'. Very true - if you use at the standard length, there is no need for finishing hemline seams.

All you do is take some panels, in my case I used eight panels in three different patterns. If they are still connected together, cut out panels.


Pin the panels right sides together so narrow edges are together at the top and wide edges at the bottom. Do not sew together in a circle - leave it flat as shown in the picture. Finish the raw edges using a serge stitch.


Then thread some elastic thread (used for smocking) onto the sewing machine bobbin.
Sew in straight lines starting from the top of the garment. Sew on the right side. The first three should be close together (say 1cm) then the next three at 2cm and the rest at 5cm until you have 15cm (at least enough to cover your breasts). In order to keep the elastic lines straight, I suggest marking the fabric with a removable marker (e.g. chalk). Finally sew up the two edges so you have a finished dress.


If you want to make this pattern without the standard skirt panels, use this guide to make your own: each skirt panel measures (without seam allowance)
91cm long (0.99 yards),
13cm wide (0.14 yards) at the top
25.5cm (0.28 yards) at the bottom.

For my dress I used 8 panels and I am a size 78cm (32 inches) under the bust and 91cm (36 inches) over the bust.

I have some panels available in my etsy shop:
brown spidersweb
baobab tree

Making my own cloth nappies

The cloth nappy adventure continues ...

The turning point came when I searched on Etsy for cloth nappies. Unfortunately they weren't any cheaper, but now I really knew I could make my own.

When I spent a little more time searching I came across a pattern for fitted nappies.

Great stuff. I now just had to make some choices about what fabric to use. Bamboo would have been first prize, but I didn't know how to get it aside from ordering online. Then I had to decide whether to make AIO or buy some waterproofs. I decided to try out an AIO and managed to find something called 'incontinence fabric' (used for making matress protectors) at the market - I was looking for PUL, but this was the closest I could get. Most importantly it is washable in high temperatures and is also breathable.

Cutting out the pieces is what took me the longest - the soaker pad took quite a number of layers. In total,
- 6 x soaker pad out of cloth nappy fabric
- 2 x soaker pad out of cotton quilters batting
- 1 x nappy out of cute penquins flannel
- 1 x nappy out of waterproof fabric
- velcro strips as explained in the pattern (4cm and 19cm)
- elastic, much shorter than in the pattern (12 cm for the back & 11 for the leg). I think my elastic needed to be much tighter because my nappy had to be waterproof and had to stop moisture leaking out the leg hole.

The construction was also fairly pedestrian - nothing complicated at all. I followed the instructions on the pattern, except I tried to be a little creative with the soaker pad.


- pin and sew velcro and velcro pocket covers (for washing to protect fabric from the hook side of the velcro because it must be washed undone) onto outside and inside nappy panels


- pin and sew elastic onto inside nappy panel. make soaker pad


The most important piece of the puzzle is the soaker pad. I tried a creative option of keeping it separate. This, I thought, could improve drying times and mean it could be possible to use a dryer. An advantage I didn't think of was that the soaker pads could be re-used in the bigger sized nappies. If you decide to go with this option, remember to give yourself extra seam allowance.

To make the pad, stack in a sandwich with 2 pieces of cloth then 1 piece of cotton padding and so on. If you are going to make it separate I suggest sew inside out as a tube - take two of the top layers and turn face down. sew down the long edges and then turn inside out so the two layers are now the right way). Finally serge the top and bottom edges (with an overlocker). If you make as the pattern says, cut one piece larger than the rest, serge the edges (with an overlocker), then place the soaker pad sandwich on the right side of the inner panel with the larger piece on top. Sew around the edges.

- sew inner and outer together and then serge.


- sew over the elastics with a zig zag stitch through the outside panel.