Need a quick gift that's made by you and is modern? Or maybe you have a friend or family member that you want to make something for but they are not quite at quilt giving status? I've got you covered with this tutorial on how to make a simple and modern Euro size cushion (60cm x 60cm / 24" x 24"). Bonus- i've got kits in all sorts of colours that include all the 100% linen fabric, batting and notions you need - you can find them here.
I love the hand quilting effect which makes it extra special but this step is totally up to you- feel free to machine quilt if this is your preference.
You need:
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Batting (28" x 65" or 70cm x 165cm)
- Basting spray or basting pins
- Hand quilting supplies (optional)- DMC thread or Sashiko Thread, Needles
3 different fabrics:
- Fabric A (Highlight Fabric)- in my example this is the pattern (the string colour)
- Fabric B (Main fabric)- in my example, this is the rust/ brown colour
- Fabric C (inside fabric)- I used calico. You can use any fabric for this one as you won't see it as it's inside the cushion.
I used linen for my cushion cover- if you do choose to use linen, you may want to check out these tips and tricks for using linen.
Fabric amounts:
| Fabric | 53" Width of Fabric (WOF) | 44" Width of Fabric (WOF) |
| Fabric A (Highlight Fabric) |
Fat Quarter (FQ) OR |
Fat Quarter (FQ) OR |
| Fabric B (main Fabric) | 1.1 yards ( 1 metre) | 1.5 yards (1.2 metres) |
| Fabric C | 5/8 yard ( 60cm) | 1 yard (1 metre) |
Now you've got all your supplies, let's get started!
Cutting
You will need to make the following cuts:
| Fabric | Cuts |
|
Fabric A (Highlight Fabric) |
(3) 7" x 7" squares |
| Fabric B (Main Fabric) |
(3) 7" x 7" squares |
| Fabric C (Calico) |
(2) 26.5" x 18” rectangles |
You can use the following cutting diagrams:
If your fabric is a 53" WOF:
If your fabric is a 44" WOF:
We will start by making the main cushion design.
Take one Fabric A 7" x 7" square and one Fabric B 7" x 7" square and pin directly together on top of each other, right sides together
Sew around the four edges using a quarter inch seam.
Cut your sewn squares into four pieces by making two cuts on the diagonal (corner to corner)
You now have four half square triangles!
Press your triangles open- you can either press your seams open or to the side. At this stage, your triangles will be roughly 4.6"
Trim each half square triangle to 4.5". Use the 45 degree line of your ruler to make sure your points stay perfect.
The corner of the ruler should match up with where the two colours meet. Trim two sides then move your ruler to trim the other two sides.
Repeat the above steps using your other 7" squares (2 of Colour A and 2 of colour B) to make 12 half square triangles in total.
Next, sew together each of our pieces to create our cushion top:
First we will sew together our rows:
Row 1:
(From left to right: 4.5" x 5" // HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST // 4.5" x 5")
Row 2:
(From left to right: HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST )
Row 3:
(From left to right: HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST )
Row 4:
(From left to right: 4.5" x 5" // HST // 4.5" x 1" // HST // 4.5" x 5")
Then sew all the rows together, including adding the divider pieces between each row and edge pieces at either end:
Sew your two side pieces (26.5" x 4.5") on to either side:
Your cushion front is done!
Next it's time to baste the cushion top and cushion back
Make the cushion top sandwich with three layers:
- Completed cushion top
- Batting ( 28" x 28" )
- Backing fabric (28" x 28" Fabric C)
You can either use safety pins or a basting spray to attach the layers together
Quilt as desired. NB: In my example, I hand quilted it using a hera marker to draw the lines and DMC Perle 8 in Ecru with Tulip needles.
Trim the excess batting and backing fabric to the same size as the quilt top (26.5" x 26.5" total).
Next is making the two cushion back pieces. The quilt will have an envelope backing which means you won't need a zip :-)
Take (1) Fabric B 26.5" x 18" rectangles piece and (1) Fabric C 26.5" x 18" rectangles piece and pin on top of each other, right sides together. Sew a 1/4" seam along one of the long edges. Repeat with the other two pieces of Fabric B and C.
Press the seam open and then invert the fabric so the seam is on the inside. Press flat.
Next up is making the quilt sandwich. Place your piece of batting between these two layers making sure it goes to the seam. Baste using either pins or basting spray. You will have some excess batting around three sides
Quilt as desired
Cut your two quilt sandwich pieces to size, making sure to only cut from the three sides without a seam. Each piece should be approximately 26.5" x 18" but place on top of your cushion top to ensure they are the same width:
There will be an overlap between the two back pieces- this keeps your cushion insert snug and secure!
Place your cushion top and one of the back pieces right sides together (eg the pattern side of the cushion, and in this example, the rust side of your cushion back together. Make sure the finished edge of your back pieces are facing towards the middle.
Sew each back piece on individually. Pin the first piece on to the cushion top, right sides together, with the finished seam in the middle. Sew around three edges:
Repeat with the other piece. Back stitch where the fabric doubles up
Now it's time to turn your cushion in the right way. Make sure to properly push your corner out.
You can stop here however I highly recommend this final step for a really polished look and it doesn't take too long, I promise!
If you choose to not do this final step, inside your cushion, your seams will currently look like this:
Once your cushion is turned out the right way, give it a good press.
For the final step, sew around the outside of the cushion with a 5/8" seam
This gives it a nice border and also tucks in those unfinished seams. Your inside seams will look like this- so professional!
And your cushion cover is done! Stuff with a cushion insert and relax and admire your handiwork :-)
P.S. I've got kits to make this exact cushion using 100% linen plus some other colour ranges too- you can find these here.
Happy sewing!