Head Down and Working -- on Cushions!!

Tomorrow I'm going to the Chelmsford Community Pop-up Shop to take in the new cushions I've made.

Here's a sneak peek for my lovely blog followers.

A 1940's Crinoline Lady one end of a table runner with vintage doilies. Machine embroidery embellishments.

 Back of above, used vintage 1950's jacquard curtain fabric, part of a doily and a bit of embroidery. Have now sewn the buttons on.

Crinoline Lady from other end of the table runner, again used doilies. These ones had quite heavy cream tape sewn on, so machine embroidered a few of the flowers to lift it. I've tried to use similar colours to those in the original embroidery as it just ties the whole design together.

Back of the above with a bit of lace. Just spotted my deliberate mistake. The material is reversible, darn I've reversed the bottom bit. Oh well just adds to the vintage chic!!!

1937 Coronation cushion. A very special one  because you are never going to get another. Various doilies and some extra special Belgian lace, cut work hankie and crochet doilies. All hand embroidered. A couple of stubborn stains on the original embroidery material so I've machine embroidered a few flowers on to hide them.

Back of the above, fabric bought at the Chelmsford mobility shop :-), bit of left over from a patchwork project and lace to match the edging. All measure 16x16 with an 18 inch cushion inner so they are lovely and plump.

I think its really important to have well finished backs to cushions as they could end up wrong side out on your furniture. But they will still look lovely. Also the inside is lined with cream curtain lining to hide the back of the embroidery and edges are over sewn too.

Hope these fly of the shelves as I have had a big spend on more embroidery, doilies and fabric. Its been such a joy to make these. Oh and my house is a mess, thread and bits of fabric every where.

New Cushion Designs in Vintage Fabrics

My house is bursting with cushions!!!!

Sold these two to my friend - yay for friends who buy your craft stuff.

Then I've made the first one from the green/blue 1950's curtains. Lucky my button and trimming hoard had just the right colour piping cord and vintage buttons.

Next starting on an embroidered and crochet cushion. There will be stitching on top of the crochet. Also got some lovely shabby chic flower fabric for the back.

Close up of the 1937 tray cloth centre, the outside was stained so I've cut the middle out. Been sitting stitching it now I'm off to bed.

Cushions and more cushions

Up to my ears in making cushions. Recently bought some tin trunks at auction, to my surprise when we opened the one at the bottom of the stack it had some old curtain in it. These got washed and had to air outside for several days, in the sun, as they stunk of moth balls. They were made up into cushions which have sold well at the Chelmsford Community Pop-up Shop and also to my friends.

Above is a fabulous Zoffany Chintz Cotton from 1984, my friend Val found this in the Pop-up Shop. There was a very large amount of fabric for just £7.00 - a real steal. So far I have got 3 cushions in the above style and 9 of the patchwork ones below. Zoffany's 1st year of designing fabric and wallpaper was 1984. They are still in production today and make for Sandersons and other top companies.

They are not finished yet as I am waiting on braid and zips from eBay. Then I have to buy cushion inners so they are nice and plump.

Today I went to Braintree, met up with Val and we did a tour of the charity shops. I bought this wonderful Apple Green and Pale Blue 1950's set of curtains in the RSPCA shop.

Then into the Helen Rollason shop where they had a large trunk of fabrics. I bought a selection, tartan, white poly cotton, white shimmer fine fabric, floral Sanderson and a 3 metre piece of 1960's crimplene  complete with Paisley pattern. That was so popular in the late 1960's early 1970's as I remember making a blue dress trimmed with Paisley!!!

Best thing was I bumped into Julie Howe and her friend Stephanie Moss so we just had to stop for a coffee and chat.

Welcome to the new faces on the followers gallery. I'm popping over to see what you are up to on your blogs.

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