50
60
70
On the edge
A brightly coloured piped edging helps to
finish off this cushion a treat. Pick a colour
from the design – in this case we went for
a vibrant orange, as this colour appears
more towards the centre of the cushion,
so the piping helps to balance it out.
Fiesta flowers
Dahlias were grown as a food crop by
the Aztecs and are native to Mexico –
they were declared the national flower
in 1963. It’s no surprise, then, that these
bright blooms have a fun, festival feel
to them when presented together!
AMANDA GREGORY’S
Designer Secrets
Dahlia cushion
How to make
the cushion
cover
1
Trim your
stitching,
leaving a 4cm
(1½in) border
around all sides.
2
Cut two pieces
of backing fabric
measuring 33x23cm
(13x9in) for the envelope-opening back
panel.
Sew a 2cm (¾in) double hem along one
long edge of each piece.
3
Pin piping to the front of the stitched
piece, with the sewing on the piping
aligned with the 1cm (½in) seam allowance.
4
With right sides facing, place the back
panels over the front, so the raw edges
match and the hemmed edges of the
panels overlap in the middle to create an
envelope-opening.
5
Pin and sew all the way around the edge
of the cushion, using a 1cm (½in) seam
allowance. Trim the corners, then turn the
cushion cover through to the right side and
press. Insert your cushion pad to finish.
Let your needle
hang to untwist the
threads every so often,
for best coverage
of the fabric
Stitch tip