Project by Sarah Holliman at SJStitchery
Create a beautiful Kissing Bunnies Quilted cushion and toys in time for Easter. These would make a lovely gift during the Spring season.
You will need:
Fat quarter Selection Pack
Half metre of backing fabric for the cushion
Cushion filler measuring 50x50cm
Quilt batting of your choice
Small piece of iron on interfacing for the bunny templates
Rotary cutter and Ruler
Pins/Thread/Needle
METHOD
1. Lay out your selection of fabrics you would like to use for your quilted cushion front.
2. You will be starting in the middle of the design, using 2 different squares of fabric, so choose a combination you would like to use.
3. Using a rotary cutter and ruler, cut 4 squares measuring 5.5 inches, (these will become 5 inch squares when sewn together). Cut 2 squares of each colour, so that you have 4 central squares in total.
4. Choose a pair of squares and with right sides together, stitch along one edge with 0.25 seam allowance. Press seam flat with an iron.
5. Repeat with the other 2 squares.
6. Sew all four squares together, making sure all the corner points of your patch meet in the centre.
7. Press seams flat with an iron. You now have a four patch.
8. For the next part of the cushion you are going to add some strips to your design. Decide which fabric you are going to use and cut 4 strips of fabric 14 inches long by 1and 3/4 inches wide.
9. With right sides together, and using 0.25 seam allowance, sew the strips to all four sides of the four patch.
10. Press seams flat with an iron.
11. For the outer border of the cushion, use the rotary cutter to cut 24 2.5 inch squares (cut at 3 inches as this includes the 0.25 seam allowances). If you are using a repeating pattern, make sure you cut enough of each colourway.
12. When you have cut all your 2.5 inch squares, sew all of the pieces together in strips, using 0.25 seam allowance throughout. You should have two strips of 6 squares and 2 strips of 7 squares.
13. Press seams flat with an iron.
14. When you have all four strips, pin them right sides together onto the cushion front and sew into place.
15. Your quilted front pattern is now complete.
16. Cut a piece of quilt batting roughly the same size as the cushion.
Smooth the panel over the top of the batting and baste into place.
17. Quilt the batting as you desire. You could hand quilt or just add a minimal amount of machine quilting to add extra definition to your cushion.
18. To add the Kissing Bunny pattern to the front of the cushion, cut out a template of a rabbit. Use this to cut out a design in fabric.
You can add some interfacing to your design at this point to give the fabric some stability.
19. Stitch or iron the bunny templates into place. You can machine stitch or I have chosen to hand stitch my design onto the cushion.
20. Make an envelope back for your cushion.
21. For my 50x50cm cushion, I cut 2 pieces of fabric for the back, measuring 50x35 cm each.
22. Sew a narrow hem along the flap edges.
23. Take your cushion front and batting and place your cushion backing, right side facing onto the cushion front, on the top.
24. Pin into place and sew around all four edges of the cushion.
25. Turn the cushion inside out through the envelope back and make sure all the cushion corners are neatly turned out.
26. Press with an iron
27. Add the cushion inner to finish your cushion.
Happy Easter!
To see more from Sarah, visit her on Instagram @sjstitchery
Made by Sarah Holliman for The Craft Cotton Company 2021