Cushioning

Hello All

Cushion-making was high on my agenda when I went on leave and three cushions later my cushion needs are fulfilled. As you’ll recall I already had a flower petal cushion underway. That little flowery beauty is now cosily sitting on my sofa

One down two to go.

I originally thought I’d use the same pattern with the Herdwick from the Wool Clip

but in all its rough, hardwearing splendor it didn’t seem right for something as delicate and transient as a flower. I decided to look through my books for inspiration. I found it here

Published in 2008 (I think there is a new version) this gem of a book gives so many knitting and crochet patterns for blocks that overwhelmed I had to sleep on it before finally deciding to use the Log Cabin from the Centre chart to create the front of cushion number two.

I am not used to using a chart – I normally rely on a pattern – you can perhaps tell from the centre of the block that I got off to a wobbly start

yet once I got the hang of it I appreciated being able to play with the length of the ‘logs’ and the ordering of the colours. I was pleased with the result

and had as much fun making the back of the cushion by carrying through the colour blocks, edging in double crochet with the apple green and adding a bit of fun with a hodge-podge of buttons from my store.

Having costed up cushion inserts (up to £5!!!!) I decided to make my own from my (small) fabric stash and some donated kapok (thanks again JG)

and hey presto another plump cushion

That makes two.

Just before Easter one of my little old Cavalier Spaniels, Thomas, sadly died. Thomas was over thirteen and very frail but a great character always eager to be in the middle of things. In his last few weeks I used to wrap him in one of my old chunky jumpers ‘Big Purp’ to keep him warm at night. After he died I hadn’t the heart to throw out Thomas’ beloved sweater yet its days of being worn were over. Time for Big Purp to get the cushion treatment.

First I felted my trusty old pully. The results were ermmmmm …

…… not that promising. But after attacking it with the vacuum cleaner (it was in need of heavy duty de-fluffing) I cut out two rectangles, one larger than the other, then sewed them together with blanket stitch

The addition of a filling and a toggle made for a huggable pillow

A cuddly, cosy homage to my little old friend Thomas.

All in all a happy few days and cushions I am proud of.. is that an excuse for sit on the sofa?

NO! another project beckons….

Fan that I am of public transport I set off to see friends B and JK in Windermere.

Here comes the bus….

to take me to another platform (i.e. not Oxenholme)

to sit in the brilliant sunshine admiring the views

before hopping on a train bound for Windermere

Although I was in a bit of a rush to meet my friends I still had time to grab a few snaps of my favourite bookshop

pop my head inside the door to say hello to B’s husband R before arriving at Cafe Italia where me, B and JK happily put the world to rights before it was time to part. Here’s where the next project comes in. I did not leave Windermere empty handed.

B had been busy cutting up old t-shirts and swapped me balls of wonderful stretchy t-arn (if plastic yarn is plarn?……) for a little trinket basket I’d crocheted her. Aren’t they fabulous?