Patchwork Cushion // Sew The Lining To Your Patch Work Cushion Tops

A little later than scheduled (I know you are probably all weeping over the extra wait so sorry about that ;) ) but for today's tutorial we are going to be lining our cushions tops (that we made here and here). We need to line them so that the seams, which are unfinished, will be protected from fraying. You'll need to get your lining fabric ready for this. You should have one metre of fabric, it won't be quite a metre square as the width will either be 115cm or 150cm. You need to cut this length of fabric in half, make sure you cut starting on the shorter side, so you end up with 2 rectangles of lining fabric 50cm by either 115cm or 150cm.

Each of these rectangles will provide enough fabric to line the cushion cover and make the cushion back (this part will be next week). Let's start with lining the checkerboard cushion cover. You can put this cover onto your lining fabric, lining up one side of the checkerboard with one short end of your rectangle, and cut yourself a square of lining fabric the same size as the checkerboard.

When you have two squares, one your patchwork checkerboard and one your lining, put them together with the 'wrong side' of your lining fabric and the back of the patchwork with all the seams on the inside. Pin them in place.

Take them over to your sewing machine and stitch a line down the centre seams, in between the patches. We call stitching along the seams 'stitching in the ditch'. It take a little bit of practice to get it nice and straight but it doesn't matter too much of you stray over. When you have done the centre seam, work out towards the edge of the cushion 'stitching in the ditch' along every other seam until you get to the edge.

Then turn your cushion top around and again starting in the centre seam, stitch in the ditch along all the seams in the other direction. When you are down the lining side will show all your stitching but from the front you won't be able to see much of it at all.

Repeat these steps with your 'half square triangle' cushion top. Stitch in the ditch along all the seams, you don't need to sew the diagonals on this one. Start in the centre and work
your way out towards the edge.

When you have done both you are all ready to start making your patchwork cushion tops into a cushion cover. The final part of these tutorials will cover how to make it into a simple envelope cushion so come back and have a look. Zoe x