How adorable is this baby? Who wouldn’t want to make her a cute giant cushion to rest on?
This month I looked at my stash of Jodie Carlson’s “Backyard Circus” fabric and knew I wanted to make something bright and cheery. Very quick and easy to cut and sew and makes a perfect background for any baby photoshoot.
Materials
- AQ55438 GO! Hexagon – 4 ½in sides
- AQ55429 GO! Equilateral Triangle 4 ½in sides
- 19 x 25cm (10in) Assorted co-ordinating print squares
- 50cm (5/8 yard) solid bright yellow fabric
- 6 x Assorted co-ordinating print fat quarters
- 5m (1 1/3 yard) backing fabric
- 2 x 1kg bags of polyester filling
- 30cm (12in) matching zipper
Cutting Instructions
- From each of the co-ordinating 10in squares
- Cut 19 hexagons using AQ55438 GO! Hexagon
- From the solid bright yellow fabric
- Cut 36 triangles using AQ55429 GO! Equilateral Triangle
- From the six co-ordinating fat quarters
- Cut one, 4 ½in x 21 ½in strips creating six strips.
Sewing Instructions
- Using the photograph of the finished cushion as a guide, layout the 19 hexagons and 36 equilateral triangles into five rows.
- Beginning with the first hexagon in the top row, stitch the two yellow triangles to the two top opposing sides of the hexagon and press the seams towards the yellow triangles. (see photograph to the right)
- Continue adding two triangles to the hexagons in the rest of the top row, stitching one to the top right side and the other to the bottom left and press the seams as before. (see photograph to the right)
- Lay the stitched hexagons back into the row, then stitch them together into the completed row abutting seams as you go.
- Continue stitching the hexagons and triangles into rows to complete the five rows.
- Stitch the rows together to form the large hexagon cushion front, abutting the seams as you go and pressing the seams in one direction.
- Fold the hexagon cushion in half lengthways, then using a large piece of paper, trace around the outer edges to create a paper pattern. Add ¾in to the centre fold. (See photograph to the right). Tip: I used an old roll of Christmas paper to make my pattern.
- Use this paper pattern and cut two from the backing fabric for the cushion back. With cushion backs right sides together, measure the zipper from the zipper pull to the zipper end, then mark this measurement in the middle of the centre seam. Stitch the seam with a normal stitch length to the first mark, then increase the stitch length to the largest basting size and stitch to the second mark, reduce back to the normal stitch length and complete the seam.
- Press the seam open and lay the zipper face down between the marks then pin to hold in place. Use a zipper foot and matching thread to stitch around the zipper, making sure to move the zipper pull out of the way as you stitch. Remove the larger basting stitches to complete the cushion back.
- Mark a point ¼in from each corner on all six 4 ½in x 21 ½in side strips. Pin a strip along one edge with right sides facing and stitch between the marks securing with a reverse stitch or two. Pin the next strip in place along the second edge and stitch between the marks as before. Continue until all six strips have been added.
- Stitch the 4 ½in edges together with right sides facing, between the marks securing at each end as before.
- With right sides together stitch the cushion back in place in the same way as for the cushion front, stitching between the marks on all the side strips.
- Turn the cushion right side out through the zipper and fill with polyester filling as desired.