The no drama llama cushion!
Cushions are the perfect way to update your interiors – they’re quick, easy and most of all can be used to add pops of colour to your décor. Cushions are also a really cost-effective way to express your personal style throughout your home.
This clever project brings together the versatility of the ScanNCut, with the fun of your sewing machine to create a truly customisable cushion cover. With cute decals accenting the llama, this is the perfect project to use up any scraps of felt you’ve got left over from other projects, such as the Nature Journal or Birthday Bunting.
Materials needed:
- Downloaded patterns
- 45 x 45cm cushion pad (or whichever size you like)
- Cotton measuring 130 x 50cm to sew the cushion cover (if you change the size of the cushion pad you will need more/less fabric)
- An assortment of colours of felt for llama, cactus and word decals
- Iron on appliqué paper
- Pins
- Tailor’s chalk
- Ruler
- Sewing thread
- Embroidery/sewing thread in a selection of bright colours
- Stick on toy eyes
- USB memory stick to transfer patterns to ScanNCut (if your model does not support WiFi)
Equipment needed:
- ScanNCut
- ScanNCut Rotary Blade or AutoBlade
- CanvasWorkspace (if you want to edit the pattern to fit a larger/smaller cushion pad)
- Iron
- Sewing machine – we used the Innov-is A80
General instructions relating to ScanNCut:
- Always choose the correct mat for your material. The material should stick to the mat securely. Test a small piece on a corner of your mat to make sure you can remove it again without damaging the material. You can find our handy mat and blade guide for ScanNCut DX models here, and the ScanNCut CM models mat and blade guide here.
- We recommend that you do a test cut before you cut your design.
- Patterns can be transferred to your ScanNCut via USB or WiFi, depending on your model.
Step 1
Cut your cotton material into three pieces. The first piece will be for the front of you cushion. Cut this to 50 x 50cm.
The second piece is for the ‘envelope’ back of your cushion. Cut this to 80 x 50cm. Then cut it in half down the middle.
Set to one side.
Step 2
Print out the llama pdf and place on your ScanNCut mat. Make sure there are no bubbles, and it is completely flat. Using the direct cut scanning function on your machine, scan into the ScanNCut.
Step 3
Once you’ve scanned the llama in, use the resizing function on your ScanNCut screen to make the llama 25cm tall.Step 4
Iron appliqué paper to all the felt pieces that you will use for the llama and shapes you’ll decorate your cushion with. Remove the paper backing of the felt you’ll use for the llama and place glue side onto the mat.Cut out the pattern of the llama and remove from the mat carefully, so the glue stays on the felt.
Tip: an easy way to remove the small felt fibres left behind on your cutting mat, is to lightly wipe your mat with a non-alcoholic baby wipe and let your mat dry before you use it again.
Step 5
Transfer pattern A for the pattern decals to your ScanNCut. Place the felt you’re using for the decals onto the mat and cut them out. If you need to, background scan the felt and then move your cutting pattern to make sure it fits. This is especially useful if you’re using up scraps of felt for this project.Tip: even though the cut outs are all on one pattern they don’t all need to be of the same colour. Place your scraps of felt onto the mat and use the background scanning function to position your designs.
Step 6
Transfer pattern B for the wording to your ScanNCut. Place felt on mat and cut the two pieces.We’ve gone for the words ‘No Drama Llama’, but you could customise the cushion by writing your own text in CanvasWorkspace or onto the screen of your ScanNCut.
Step 7
Iron the letters, llama and cactus onto the front of the piece of cotton that will be front of the cushion, as shown in the photograph.Tip: to make sure you don’t catch the front decoration in the seams when you sew your cover together, make sure everything is at least 3cm away from the edge. It’s a good idea to lay the piece of cotton on the front of the cushion and place the pieces on top of it, so you can make sure the layout works.
Step 8
Thread your sewing machine with your choice of brightly coloured embroidery or sewing thread.Select a topstitch on your sewing machine and sew round the edges of the llama pieces, cactus and text, as per the photograph. You can also choose to use decorative stitches – keep them the same, mix and match, it’s up to you!
Tip: instead of using brightly coloured thread, why not experiment with metallic, glittery or other creative threads?
Step 9
Take the back two pieces of cotton and hem one of the longer sides on each piece with a 2.5cm seam allowance. Remember to sew a few backstitches at the beginning and end of each line of stitches to secure your work.Tip: pressing the seam will help keep it in place when you sew. You can also ‘finger press’ and pin it into place.
Step 10
Place the front piece of the cushion and the two back pieces right side together. The back pieces should overlap in the middle, with the hemmed edges where the overlap is.Pin in place and sew round the outside of the cushion with a 2cm seam allowance. Remember to sew a few backstitches at the beginning and end of each line of stitches to secure your work.
Step 11
Cut the points off the cushion corners (be careful not to cut through your stitches!) and turn the cushion cover the right way round, through the overlap opening in the back of the cushion cover.Using your finger or the back of a crochet hook, gently push the corners into points and smooth flat. Gently iron flat.
Step 12
Insert your cushion pad and get comfy.
