Project by Rebecca Cole
Time to Make:
2-3 hrs
Skill Level:
Adventurous Beginner
You Will Need:
Female Superheroes FQ pack (x2) or 1m pieces
Cotton Plains in red, yellow, blue, and white
6.5m x 20mm navy blue bias binding
Heavy weight iron on interfacing
Bondaweb
Sewing machine
Complimentary sewing thread
Straight pins
Tape measure
Ruler
Fabric Pen
Pencil
Fabric scissors
Iron and ironing board
40cm square cushion pad
Introduction to the Project:
Female Superheroes have been a huge part of the women’s rights movement ever since the 60s and 70s, but they have been around much longer than that! With these fabulous DC licensed fabrics, we can celebrate three of the greatest – Batgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman – in their full action hero glory! Embodying all the style and fun of the comic books in which these characters first originated, these cushion covers will brighten up any room! These instructions will show you how to make the ‘KAPOW!’ cushion. To make the WHAM!’ cushion just repeat the process with the different templates.
Step-by-Step Project Copy:
1. Firstly, decide on your fabrics. Which one would you prefer to have as your background and also for the text. Select the colours for your sound shapes. Use black to create a shadow shape.
2. Apply bondaweb to the back of the fabrics that you will be using to form your text and sound bubbles. Use the paper templates to trace around onto the paper backing of the bondaweb. Make sure to use your templates reversed otherwise your shapes and text will read backwards! Fussy cut out all of the shapes with sharp scissors.
3. To cut your fronts, cut 1 square 40cm x 40cm. This will create a nice full cushion cover. Apply interfacing to the reverse of the fabric square. This will help support the fabric while you are appliqueing.
4. Each applique layer is applied and stitched in place before the next one. Start with the black explosion shape. Peel off the backing paper for the bondaweb and position it where you want it to be, just off centre. Fix in place using your iron.
5. To applique, set your sewing machine to a zigzag stitch. For this project I set my stitch width to 2.5 and my stitch length to 0.2 as this created a nice thickness of line to emulate marker pen outlines. Have a play with the settings on your machine and decide what works best for you and your project.
6. Position the fabric under the foot so that the line between the applique patch and the base fabric sits in the middle of the foot. This will ensure the stitch sits evenly over both fabrics and gives you a handy guide to follow. Stitch all the way around the shape. Do not push the fabric through, it will move slowly as we have selected a short stitch length. If you push the fabric through it will cause gaps in the stitching.
7. TOP APPLIQUE TIP: If you are stitching around an outside corner (turning the fabric anticlockwise to continue) finish the edge with the needle to the right before turning your fabric at the corner. If you are stitching around an inside corner (turning the fabric clockwise to continue) finish the edge with the needle to the left. This will ensure neat corners on your applique.
8. Peel the backing paper from the red explosion shape and position over the top of the appliqued black shape. Set it slightly up and to the left so that the black shape creates a shadow. Adhere with the iron and applique in place in exactly the same way as you did previously.
9. Repeat this process with the smaller yellow explosion shape.
10. Finally, repeat this process with the wording. Appliqueing around the letters is far more challenging than the shapes, especially the smaller areas such as the inside of the P, so take your time.
11. To create the envelope back of your cushion, cut 2 rectangles of fabric 40cm x 26cm. Stitch a narrow roll hem along the two inside edges. This is done by turning the fabric under 5mm and then again 5mm and topstitching in place.
12. Place your cushion front face up and lay one of your stitched rectangles on top, right sides together, lining up the raw edges. The hemmed edge should lie off centre. Pin in place. Next position the second rectangle over the cushion front lining up the raw edges on the other side. The hemmed edge should cover the underneath one. Pin in place. Stitch all the way around with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving no gaps. Remove the pins.
13. To turn through the corners without weakening them, push your thumb up inside the corner, fold over one side and then the other. Supporting this between you finger and thumb, turn the corner through to create a perfect point. Turn the whole of the cushion through and press. Your first cushion is complete. To create the ‘WHAM!’ cushion, repeat the process with the different shapes.
Templates:
To see more from Rebecca Cole, follow her on Instagram @becky_cole_sews.
Made by Rebecca Cole for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.