What Are You Stitching?

There is nothing more inviting than a comfortable sofa piled high with cushions, and they’re even better when they are handmade. Although we might love stitching cushions, there are plenty of us who are horrified at the thought that someone might sit on our beautiful work! Whether you stitch cushions for sitting or you stitch them for show, they are always a popular project. Here are a few to delight:

‘Your magazine and newsletter have been inspirational for me for a long time now, but never more so than during this enforced lockdown.’

‘I’ve stitched Sweet Repose from Inspirations issue #107 using different colours and a few beads. I hope my stitching passes muster!’

It certainly does, Margaret! It’s wonderful to hear that you find inspiration in our publications and we look forward to seeing more of your gorgeous creations as this version of Sweet Repose looks fabulous. Well done.

‘I have been working on this DMC William Morris cushion since February and finally finished it. I am very happy with the finished piece and am now looking for my next project. Perhaps something with a little less long and short stitch!’

You should definitely be happy with it Charmaine – it is a lovely finish. A little too much long and short stitch you say? Well it looks like you have certainly mastered that technique.

‘This is a wedding ring cushion that I finished recently, just in time for a wedding that finally happened this last Saturday. The flowers in the needlepainted section are based on the bride’s bouquet – peony, rose, willow and eucalyptus. The darker pink section with the cream floral is based on the lace pattern on the bride’s dress and the whole thing was designed in their colour scheme. We were able to watch the ceremony via Zoom.’

‘This next project is a Hardanger scatter cushion that I also finished recently. It was adapted slightly from a Permin of Copenhagen table centre pattern. I just missed off the outer edging and sewed it up into a cushion cover. It’s now on our sofa.’

Two fantastic cushions for two very different purposes! Thank you so much for sharing your work, Elizabeth and for your wonderful contributions to the newsletter. We always love reading your emails.

‘I found my Jacobean embroidery in the back of a cupboard when we were moving two years ago. I had embroidered it when I was 12 whilst spending a lot of time off school ill. I’m now 70 and so I thought it was about time I made it up into a cushion. It now sits in pride of place on my settee.’

‘Looking at it brings back so many memories; some good, some not so good. I do still have the pattern and maybe one day I’ll make another one to match.’

What a beautiful cushion Joan and it’s amazing how much history has been in embedded in those threads when you consider the passage of time from the first stitch you laid to the last. If you do stitch another cushion to match, we’d love to see it!

Do you love stitching cushions? Are you happy for them to become comfortable parts of the furniture or are there signs all around them saying ‘don’t sit here’?! Perhaps there are other kinds of home furnishings you like to stitch? Whatever it is you like to stitch, we’d like to see it. Send us a picture of your work with a bit of information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com