Vintage Wedding Cushion

My friends Kerry and Al got married this year and Kerry was going all out with her handmade wedding touches - right down to home-made white chocolate fudge in a little vintage jar as a favour! YUM YUM

So I wanted to add the same crafty flare to their wedding present and decided to make something myself.

I had just got my Cricut cutting machine and was busy trying it out when the idea for this cushion hit me! It's a really simple way to make a personalised gift for the happy couple and it's something they can have out in their home for years to come.

For other fun tutorials, check out www.craftalavista.com

Nicole @ Crafta La Vista

What you will need:

• Natural Coloured Linen (depends on the size of your cushion but I used 1/2 a meter)
• Cushion - mine was 12" x 18"
• Zipper - size depends on if you want it on the side or bottom (I used 25cm on the side)
• Cricut Machine (to find out how to get a discount on yours click here) or a craft knife
• Vinyl (any colour it's just a stencil)
• Black Fabric Pen
• Sewing Machine & Thread
• Sewing machine zipper foot - I bought one for my Janome sewing machine

Take your piece of linen and make sure its big enough to fold over the top of your cushion and wide enough that you can add a small hem

Next you need to hem the side you want to put your zip on - I wanted the zip on the side of the cushion so I had to hem one of the longest sides, but if you want it at the bottom then you will need to hem the two shortest sides.

Lie your material down so the outside of your cushion is facing up the way, then fold the material in half.

Open up your zip, take the side you want to attach the zip to and pin it along the edge of the material, but just on one layer of the material - don't pin them together.

Sew the zip along where you have pinned. This is when you use your zipper foot so that you can have the foot flat on the material without it getting stuck on the zip.

Fold your material in half again the same way as before and this time close your zipper. Then on the layer of material you have not sewn the zip to yet, pin it on so that you keep it straight with the other side.

Again you need to sew your zipper to the material but it's easier to do if you unzip the zipper again.

Now that your zip is attached, make sure the outside of your cushion is still facing inwards and then pin along the remaining two sides. REMEMBER TO LEAVE THE ZIP OPEN!

I placed my pillow back on the material to see where I needed to pin the material so it would have a tight fit.

Sew along the remaining sides, and close up any gaps on the zipper side, so that only in between the zip is left open.

Turn your cushion cover inside out, put the cushion inside and zip it up, making sure that it fits correctly.
If you have made it to big then you can turn it inside out again and sew a bit further inside your previous line.

Next you need to make your Stencil.

I created mine using the "Folk Art Festival" digital font but you can also use a free font OR just cut out your own design with a craft knife

Take the backing of vinyl stencil and place it on the front of your cushion so it is centred.

Open the zip up on your cushion and place a piece of cardboard inside it so none of the pen leaks through to the other side and then colour inside the stencil until there is no blank space left.

Remove your stencil and put the cushion back inside the cover

Stand back and admire your work!

There are so many designs you can use with this method so it really is a great way to make a unique present for any occasion!!