SEW, SEW SIMPLE
Sewing really doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, if you can sew a straight line of stitches, then you can make a surprising number of items for your home – curtains, throws and cushions, for starters.
Liberty has always been a byword for style and luxury. Progressive yet traditional, Liberty Art Fabrics are unique in marrying the timeless with the contemporary, a quality reflected in The Liberty Book Of Simple Sewing, which lets you add a touch of Liberty style to your interiors through 24 simple projects.
The Liberty Book Of Simple Sewing, by Lucinda Ganderton and Christine Leech (Quadrille Publishing, £20).
Appliqué is a quick yet effective technique for producing decorative effects using fabric. Graphic shapes that are not too fine, like this leaf silhouette, work best.
For a large cushion you will need
Cutting out from black linen
For a small cushion you will need
Cutting out from gold linen
For both size cushions you will need
Templates
Make a template of the design of your choice (we chose leaves). Cut out the small cushion leaves and large cushion leaves pattern pieces (remember to scale them to the size of your cushion). The cushions are made in the same way, regardless of size.
1 Cutting out the appliqué leaves
Cut out your template and trace the outline on to the paper side of the fusible bonding web. Roughly cut out and iron the adhesive side on to the back of the floral fabric, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Neatly cut out along the pencil line.
2 Fixing the leaves to the cushion front
Gently peel off the backing paper and position the leaf across the cushion front. Fuse it in place with a dry iron, using a pressing rather than a gliding action so that it doesn’t distort.
3 Neatening the edges
Set the machine controls to a narrow blanket or zigzag stitch. Using sewing thread to match or contrast with the floral fabric, sew all the way around the outside edge of the leaf motif. Carefully follow the contours to conceal the raw edges.
4 Joining the back panels
Pin one long edge of the narrow strip to one short edge of the wide back panel, with right sides facing. Machine stitch 2cm from the edge for 3cm at each end of the seam, securing each with a few extra stitches at the start and end. Tack the centre of the seam together, where the zip will go.
5 Adding the zip
Press the seam open. Lay the right side of the zip centrally across the seam allowances so that the teeth are in line with the join and tack the zip securely in place.
6 Fit a zipper foot to your machine and thread it with matching sewing thread. Working from the right side, stitch around the zip, 8mm from the join. Carefully unpick the tacking stitches and open the zip.
7 Making up the cover
Pin the front and back covers with right sides facing and corners matching, then machine stitch all the way round, 10mm from the outside edge. Trim the seam back to 5mm and neaten the raw edges with an overlock or zigzag stitch. Turn the cover right side out and lightly press. Insert the cushion pad and do up the zip.
You will need
Sizing note
The pattern is designed to fit most standard domestic sewing machines. Copy and enlarge the side panel template you will find overleaf and check the size against your machine, adjusting the width and height if necessary. You may then need to alter the length of the main cover accordingly.
Templates
Copy the template overleaf and enlarge it by 400 per cent. Cut out the side panel and pocket and draw a reverse sewing machine motif (make the handle and cotton reel separate objects) and cut out.
Cutting out from calico fabric
From Liberty Tana Lawn main print
From Liberty Tana Lawn contrasting print
1 Cutting out the appliqué shapes
Trace the reversed sewing machine, handle and cotton reel on to the paper side of the fusible bonding web with a sharp pencil and roughly cut out the three shapes. Iron the sewing machine shape on to the back of the main print fabric and the handle and reel on to contrast print fabric.
2 Cut neatly around each outline and peel off the backing papers. Position the sewing machine shape on the main calico cover, 7cm up from the bottom edge. Press in place, then add the handle and cotton reel.
3 Stitching around the shapes
Using an air-erasable pen or chalk pencil, draw in the swirling line of thread. Using a narrow satin or blanket stitch, machine stitch around the edge of the sewing machine shape using a thread to match the fabric. Change to a contrasting sewing thread, then stitch around the handle, the cotton reel and along the thread line.
4 Edging the lining
With right sides facing, pin a lining edging strip to each short end of the calico lining. Tack in place, then machine stitch 1cm from the edge. Press the seam allowance over the Tana Lawn.
5 Edging the pockets
Fold the pocket edging in half lengthways with the right side facing outwards. Pin the folded strip centrally to the wrong side of the pocket, along the top edge, matching the raw edges. Machine stitch, leaving a seam allowance of 1cm, then turn the edging over to the right side and press. Trim the ends in line with the side edges of the pocket.
6 Joining the pockets to the panels
Fold the side panel in half lengthways and mark the centre top. Pin and tack the completed pocket to the panel, matching the side and bottom edges.
7 Making up the main cover
Fold the cover in half crossways and mark the centre of each side edge. With right sides facing, pin on one of the side panels, matching up the centre points and the corners. Tack the two together close to the edge and machine stitch, leaving a 6mm seam allowance. Add the second side panel in the same way. Turn right side out and press lightly.
8 Assembling the lining
Make up the calico lining in the same way, but leave a 15cm gap along the edge of one side panel. Press back the seam allowance on both sides of the opening.
9 Sewing the lining to the cover
With right sides facing, slip the lining inside the main cover. Matching up the four seams, pin the two bottom edges together. Tack and machine stitch 1cm from the edge. Turn right side out through the opening, then slip stitch the gap to close. Push the lining back inside the cover. Press the bottom edge so that 1cm of the lining projects beyond the seam line. Machine stitch along the seam to stabilise the hem.
Liberty has always been a byword for style and luxury. Progressive yet traditional, Liberty Art Fabrics are unique in marrying the timeless with the contemporary, a quality reflected in The Liberty Book Of Simple Sewing, which lets you add a touch of Liberty style to your interiors through 24 simple projects.
The Liberty Book Of Simple Sewing, by Lucinda Ganderton and Christine Leech (Quadrille Publishing, £20).
Leaf cushions
Appliqué is a quick yet effective technique for producing decorative effects using fabric. Graphic shapes that are not too fine, like this leaf silhouette, work best.
For a large cushion you will need
- 60cm x 40cm Liberty Tana Lawn in the print of your choice (we used Wiltshire in colourway P)
- 62cm x 42cm old gold linen, for the cushion front
- 70cm x 45cm black linen, for the cushion back
- 38cm zip u 60cm x 40cm fusible bonding web
- 60cm x 40cm cushion pad
Cutting out from black linen
- one wide back panel 53cm x 42cm rectangle
- one narrow back panel 13cm x 42cm strip
For a small cushion you will need
- 45cm x 30cm Liberty Tana Lawn in the print of your choice (we used Lodden in colourway D or Felix And Isabelle in colourway D)
- 47cm x 32cm black or olive green linen, for the cushion front
- 55cm x 35cm old gold linen, for the cushion back
- 25cm zip
- 45cm x 30cm fusible bonding web
- 45cm x 30cm cushion pad
Cutting out from gold linen
- one wide back panel 40cm x 32cm rectangle
- one narrow back panel 11cm x 32cm strip.
For both size cushions you will need
- a sharp pencil
- matching sewing thread
- contrasting sewing thread
- a sewing machine
- sewing kit
Templates
Make a template of the design of your choice (we chose leaves). Cut out the small cushion leaves and large cushion leaves pattern pieces (remember to scale them to the size of your cushion). The cushions are made in the same way, regardless of size.
1 Cutting out the appliqué leaves
Cut out your template and trace the outline on to the paper side of the fusible bonding web. Roughly cut out and iron the adhesive side on to the back of the floral fabric, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Neatly cut out along the pencil line.
2 Fixing the leaves to the cushion front
Gently peel off the backing paper and position the leaf across the cushion front. Fuse it in place with a dry iron, using a pressing rather than a gliding action so that it doesn’t distort.
3 Neatening the edges
Set the machine controls to a narrow blanket or zigzag stitch. Using sewing thread to match or contrast with the floral fabric, sew all the way around the outside edge of the leaf motif. Carefully follow the contours to conceal the raw edges.
4 Joining the back panels
Pin one long edge of the narrow strip to one short edge of the wide back panel, with right sides facing. Machine stitch 2cm from the edge for 3cm at each end of the seam, securing each with a few extra stitches at the start and end. Tack the centre of the seam together, where the zip will go.
5 Adding the zip
Press the seam open. Lay the right side of the zip centrally across the seam allowances so that the teeth are in line with the join and tack the zip securely in place.
6 Fit a zipper foot to your machine and thread it with matching sewing thread. Working from the right side, stitch around the zip, 8mm from the join. Carefully unpick the tacking stitches and open the zip.
7 Making up the cover
Pin the front and back covers with right sides facing and corners matching, then machine stitch all the way round, 10mm from the outside edge. Trim the seam back to 5mm and neaten the raw edges with an overlock or zigzag stitch. Turn the cover right side out and lightly press. Insert the cushion pad and do up the zip.
Sewing machine cover (pictured top)
Liven up your sewing machine when it’s not in use by making this functional, slip-on dust cover.You will need
- 120cm x 115cm heavy calico fabric
- 135cm x 30cm Liberty Tana Lawn in the print of your choice for main fabric (we used Manuela in colourway E)
- 135cm x 10cm Liberty Tana Lawn in the print of your choice for contrast fabric (we used Marco in colourway A)
- 30cm x 20cm fusible bonding web
- a sharp pencil
- an air-erasable pen or chalk pencil
- matching and contrasting sewing threads
- a sewing machine
- sewing kit
Sizing note
The pattern is designed to fit most standard domestic sewing machines. Copy and enlarge the side panel template you will find overleaf and check the size against your machine, adjusting the width and height if necessary. You may then need to alter the length of the main cover accordingly.
Templates
Copy the template overleaf and enlarge it by 400 per cent. Cut out the side panel and pocket and draw a reverse sewing machine motif (make the handle and cotton reel separate objects) and cut out.
Cutting out from calico fabric
- one 45cm x 70cm rectangle for the main cover
- one 45cm x 68cm rectangle for the lining
- two side panels
- two pockets
From Liberty Tana Lawn main print
- two side panels
From Liberty Tana Lawn contrasting print
- two 45cm x 3cm strips for the lining edging
- two 25cm x 8cm strips for the pocket edging
1 Cutting out the appliqué shapes
Trace the reversed sewing machine, handle and cotton reel on to the paper side of the fusible bonding web with a sharp pencil and roughly cut out the three shapes. Iron the sewing machine shape on to the back of the main print fabric and the handle and reel on to contrast print fabric.
2 Cut neatly around each outline and peel off the backing papers. Position the sewing machine shape on the main calico cover, 7cm up from the bottom edge. Press in place, then add the handle and cotton reel.
3 Stitching around the shapes
Using an air-erasable pen or chalk pencil, draw in the swirling line of thread. Using a narrow satin or blanket stitch, machine stitch around the edge of the sewing machine shape using a thread to match the fabric. Change to a contrasting sewing thread, then stitch around the handle, the cotton reel and along the thread line.
4 Edging the lining
With right sides facing, pin a lining edging strip to each short end of the calico lining. Tack in place, then machine stitch 1cm from the edge. Press the seam allowance over the Tana Lawn.
5 Edging the pockets
Fold the pocket edging in half lengthways with the right side facing outwards. Pin the folded strip centrally to the wrong side of the pocket, along the top edge, matching the raw edges. Machine stitch, leaving a seam allowance of 1cm, then turn the edging over to the right side and press. Trim the ends in line with the side edges of the pocket.
6 Joining the pockets to the panels
Fold the side panel in half lengthways and mark the centre top. Pin and tack the completed pocket to the panel, matching the side and bottom edges.
7 Making up the main cover
Fold the cover in half crossways and mark the centre of each side edge. With right sides facing, pin on one of the side panels, matching up the centre points and the corners. Tack the two together close to the edge and machine stitch, leaving a 6mm seam allowance. Add the second side panel in the same way. Turn right side out and press lightly.
8 Assembling the lining
Make up the calico lining in the same way, but leave a 15cm gap along the edge of one side panel. Press back the seam allowance on both sides of the opening.
9 Sewing the lining to the cover
With right sides facing, slip the lining inside the main cover. Matching up the four seams, pin the two bottom edges together. Tack and machine stitch 1cm from the edge. Turn right side out through the opening, then slip stitch the gap to close. Push the lining back inside the cover. Press the bottom edge so that 1cm of the lining projects beyond the seam line. Machine stitch along the seam to stabilise the hem.