Day 17 Creativity - Sewing a Round Cushion

We are so fortunate in having an entrance hall in the 'new' house which is the size of a small room. ( I can easily have one or two knitting machines working in there! ) We are trying to make this hall more welcoming without redecorating it yet, as we are in the middle of 'doing' the sewing room and a spare bedroom. We started off swapping the shoe rack for a painted cupboard. This is so much better than everyone who comes to the front door seeing our shoes- how welcoming is that?
We are now looking for a matching coat cupboard !
With some furniture rearrangement I have room for my mother's Lloyd Loom style cane chair. However, the square cushion doesn't work in terms of shape or colour!

I have found a spare square cushion pad and 40 cm of some different Laura Ashley fabric from 'way back' in olive green - a great colour for the room. So I decided to make a round cushion for the chair. It sounds simple but it turned into an epic job.
Why is life so contrary? The spare cushion pad is uncomfortable compared to the square cushion, so taking apart the pink cushion was needed. Then I decided to make the cushion lining and circular cushion pad first. Problem one was drawing an accurate circle. My pair of compasses only stretched to 17 and a bit cm and need more. So I made a circle straight onto the lining material and cut a bit bigger. I then needed to cut the square of wadding to be a circle- a physically difficult job. It all seemed to work until I placed it on the chair. This had turned out to be a disaster in two ways and a classic case of more haste than speed!
So back to the drawing board and start again and do it properly....
1. Make an accurate circle of 20 cm diameter using a large piece of paper, ruler, string and drawing pin.
2. Check the radius carefully all round the circle.
3. Cut out the circle in the actual cushion material as 40 cm is my maximum measurement.
4. Stitch 2/3 way round the cushion taking a small seam allowance.
5. Press the material to get the best finish possible and place on chair - to check!
6. Looking good so now to make a lining the same size, not smaller.
7. Remove pad from previous attempt - this took ages as I had sewed it in so well - grr!
8. Complete cushion pad in its's cover.

9. Place cushion pad in cushion cover and complete stitching round by hand invisibly - no more taking shortcuts!!!
10. Result a cushion I am proud of.

 

As you can see the base of the chair is woven beautifully and I would like this to be on show, but the chair does need a cushion for comfort

 

 The weaving around the edge hints at the weaving under the cushion and I will be more than pleased if any of my weaving friends ( or other friends) look underneath at the intricate chair seat.
As William Morris said :