Love Gnome Valentine’s cushions
Declare your feelings by sewing our Love Gnome cushions!
With appliqué centre pieces, they’re framed with an easy patchwork border that’s infused with a flurry of kisses (Xs) and hugs (Os).
Change the appliqué letters on the hearts to your initials, or leave them out if you want to keep the gift a secret – the choice is yours!
Notes
Finished size: 65 x 65cmPlease note: This pattern has been designed in inches. We have given the relevant metric measurements but we strongly suggest that you use the imperial measurements.
Materials
For the appliqué
- Background fabric – 1 x fat quarter cream or white – we used a white on white pattern, but can be blank
- 2 x pieces medium weight fusible interfacing: 16” (28cm) square
- 1 x roll of Brother Appliqué Support Sheet (double sided fusible)
- Quilting fabric for appliqué:
For Babe (male gnome) – fat 8ths in dark purple, lighter purple, yellow
For Honey (female gnome) – fat 8ths in medium purple stripe, heart motive print, magenta, a scrap of flesh colour
For both: 1 x fat quarter of bright red - Fur for Babe’s beard – 20 x 20cm piece with a pile of 4-5cm
- Knitting yarn (DK or Aran/Worsted weight) in desired colour for Honey’s plaits
- Felt –
1x A4 sheet light pink (noses)
1 x A4 sheet white/cream (letters)
1 x A4 sheet of dark grey (Babe)
1 x A4 sheet dark magenta (Babe)
1x A4 sheet of dark lavender (Honey) - Matching sewing thread
For the patchwork border (quantities per cushion)
- 30cm x 30cm bright red fabric – (match to appliqué fat quarter)
- Magenta: 30cm
- Light blue 1: 20cm
- Light blue 2: 20cm
- Charcoal or navy blue: 2 x strips of 14 ½”/36.83cm x 1”/2.54cm and 2 x strips of 15 ½”/39.37cm x 1”/2.54cm
To finish cushions
- 70cm backing fabric of your choice – we used a pretty pink damask heart design
- 60cm invisible zipper
- 65 x 65cm cushion inner
Equipment
- ScanNCut DX
- Fabric mat
- Rotary blade
- Pen holder and water-soluble pen tip
- Sewing machine
- Invisible zipper foot, J foot, open toe foot, ¼ inch piecing foot
- Sharp scissors
- General ScanNCut, quilting and sewing supplies
- Water soluble tailor’s pen
How to
Step 1
Prepare the background for the appliqué. Cut a piece of white/cream backing fabric to 15.5 inches/39.37cm square.
Tip: this gives you 1”/2.54cm extra space – fabric can distort while you appliqué, so it’s always good to give yourself a little extra space so your piece does not end up too small. You can trim it back after the appliqué is done.
Step 2
Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the backing fabric. Mark the centre of each side (7 ¾”/19.5cm) and connect across to divide the fabric into quarters. This will help you place the pieces accurately. Draw these lines with a water-soluble pen and quilting ruler.
Step 3
Download all four of the cutting files and transfer and save them to your ScanNCut machine.Click here to download
Please note. For each gnome there is one cutting sheet prepared with all the felt pieces, and one with all the fabric pieces needed. The pieces are arranged into colour groups to make cutting easier.
You will also notice that there are dotted lines on some of the pieces – these are drawing lines, showing overlapped parts. When there is a dotted line, the area between the line and the cut edge is placed under the next part. In the case of the sleeve and belt, the dotted lines are placement lines.
Step 4
Prepare your fabrics. Using the screenshots of each mat layout below, cut fabric and felt to size needed and fuse double sided fusible to the wrong sides. Remove the paper and place the prepared fabric or felt in place onto the mat. Once you have all the different colours in place, load the mat into the machine.Mat A (fabric): Babe gnome
Bright red (hearts): 6 x 7”/15 x 18cm
Dark purple (body): 4 x 7”/10 x 18cm
Yellow (belt): 1.5 x 7”/4 x 18cm
Lighter purple (hat and sleeves): 5 x 10”/12.5 x 25.5cm
Light pink (nose): 2 x 2”/5 x 5cm
White or cream (initial): 3 x 3”/7.5 x 7.5cm
Dark grey (shoes): 4.5 x 2”/11.5 x 5cm
Dark magenta (hat edge, gloves): 3.5 x 3.5”/9 x 9cm
Magenta stripe (skirt): 3 x 6”/7.5 x 15cm
Heart motive print (apron): 3 x 6”/7.5 x 15cm
Magenta polka dot (hat): 5 x 7”/12.5 x 18cm
Flesh colour (face): 2 x 6”/5 x 15cm
Bright red (hearts): 5 x 6” /12.5 x 15cm
Light purple (sleeves): 5 x 2.5”/12.5 x 6.5cm
Light pink (nose): 2 x 2”/5 x 5cm
White or cream (initial): 3 x 3”/7.5 x 7.5cm
Dark lavender (hat edge, gloves and shoes): 5.5 x 4.5”/14 x 11.5cm
Step 5
Call up the corresponding file to the mat you have loaded. Scan the mat and make sure all pieces are on the relevant fabric. Move if needed.
Step 6
Load the pen holder with the water-soluble pen tip into the machine. Select draw. The overlapping lines will be drawn.Step 7
Change to the rotary blade, choose cut and cut all fabric (not felt) pieces first. When done remove them from the mat and set aside.
Step 8
Repeat with felt pieces, adding a letter or monogram of your choice from the fonts on the ScanNCut machine. Scale it to 6.5cm (2.5”). Cut all pieces and set aside.
Step 9 - Instructions for Babe gnome
Step 9A
Cut the beard
Print the beard template (print at actual size) and cut out.
Download the PDF here
Step 9B
We have mirrored the beard image already. Place the template on the wrong side (the flat/fabric side) of the fur, making sure the pile is lying in the same direction as the arrow on the template. Trace around the template with a permanent marker. Cut the shape out – use sharp pointed scissors and cut only through the fabric, not the pile.Step 9C
Use the beard trimming guide to trim the areas where the nose and heart will overlap the edge of the beard (trim between the cut edge and the dotted line).
Step 9D
Using the drawing below, place the Babe gnome appliqué pieces. Use the centre as your reference, not the edges of the fabric.First place the hat, heart on the hat, shoes (remember to tuck their tops under the coat) and coat with belt. Pin loosely in place. Then add beard and trim to check spacings. Remove beard and hat trim. Fuse the first layer and sew blanket stitch around the edges.
Step 9E
The second layer is the heart and hat trim. Place the hat trim, but only fuse the very top of it, where it overlaps with the hat. Place the heart, overlapping the coat and hat trim. Lightly fuse the far-right side of the heart. Sew all around, but leave the area starting from the point up to the top of the hat trim unsewn.Step 9F
Place the beard.Slide the trimmed edges of the beard under the heart and hat trim. Pin in place. Add the nose, sliding part of it under the heart too. Sew around the visible part of the nose, and then complete the outline of the red heart, fixing the beard in place.
Step 9G
Fuse the two arm pieces together, inserting the mitten part in-between. Satin stitch all around the sleeve, but not the mitten. Move the beard aside and lay the prepared arm – right side facing down. Sew in place with a zig zag stitch. Fold the arm over the beard and place the mitten on the heart. Pin and sew in place with blanket stitch.
Step 9H
Fuse the sleeve and mitten on the right-hand side of the heart and sew in place with blanket stitch.
Step 10 – instructions for Honey gnome
Step 10A
Make the plaits: cut a piece of card to 30cm and wind the yarn around six times. Take off and knot one end to keep all the strands together (you should have 12 strands). Plait, and tie with a piece of yarn and then a ribbon, about 4cm from the end. Measuring from the ribbon, place a pin at 8cm. Sew over the plait a few times to flatten it and secure the strands in place. Cut above the stitching. Using the rest of the plaited piece, make another plait, about 5cm long from ribbon to stitching.
Step 10B
Using the drawing below as a guide, lay the first layer of elements: the hat, heart on the hat, face, skirt and shoes. Pin in place, then lay the heart, apron and hat trim over to see that your elements are placed well. Adjust if necessary. Remove the heart, apron and hat trim, fuse and sew around the visible edges of layer 1.
Step 10C
Place and sew the apron.Step 10D
Slide sleeves onto heart – see the video.Step 10E
Place heart, and tuck the right plait under the edge of heart. Pin in place. Fuse heart and sleeves. Fuse mittens and initial. Sew around all these elements with a blanket stitch and suitable thread.
Step 10F
Place hat trim, with right plait tucked under. Pin and fuse, sew around.
Step 10G
Lastly, place nose. Fuse and sew.
Step 11
Square off the centres. Press the backgrounds well. Trim the centres to 14 ½”/36.83cm square.Tip: measure your original markings. If the piece is still square, you can trim the excess all around – for example if it is now 15”/38.1cm square you can just trim 1/4”/0.635cm on each side, to bring it to 14.5”/36.83cm square. If it’s not square any more, measure from the centre marks outward and draw new lines to cut on.
Step 12
Add the charcoal border as in image below. Press all seams well.
Step 13 – patchwork edge
All of the Xs and Os are made from the same block.Download and print the foundation paper piecing (FPP) patterns. Photocopy or print eight sheets of each. Make sure to print or copy actual size (do not fit to print or scale). Each sheet contains the pattern foundations for four small blocks, making up a big block. Cut each sheet into four.
Tip: For these motifs we used the same bright red as the heart, and the purple polka dot we used for Honey’s hat. The background is a light blue, and we opted to use two prints that read the same. You can also opt to use a solid or semi-solid fabric, and use the same fabric for all backgrounds. If using prints, the effect is more pleasing if they are slightly different.
Step 14
Cut your red, magenta and blue fabrics into 2”/5cm strips.Step 15
Cut red and magenta into 4 ½”/11.5cm sections. Cut the blues into triangles – cut on 45 degree angle every 4”/10cm.Tip: these are just to make your piecing easier – they do not have to be accurate.
Step 16
Sew, using the foundation paper method (see our beginners guide here) following the numbers as shown in the diagrams below. This will ensure that your blue patches alternate and that your seam allowances face the right way without you having to even think about it!
Step 17
Sew the following foundation piecing blocks:
- Red centres: 32 per cushion (64 in total).
- Magenta centres: 32 per cushion (64 in total).
These blocks should all be identical (apart from having either a red or magenta centre). Make sure each foundation piecing block has a Blue 1 and Blue 2 piece, and that the seams are all pressed in the direction of Blue 1.
Step 18
Sew your blocks together to form the X and O blocks. The final size of each individual X and O quilt block will be 5 ½”/14cm. You need eight of each X and O.
Step 19
Sew the top and bottom strips of the cushions by piecing five blocks together, alternating X and O blocks.
Step 20
Sew three blocks together for each side strip, making sure the pattern is flowing correctly around the cushion. Press all seams neatly. You should have two longer strips and two shorter strips.
Step 21
Sew the two shorter strips to the sides of your appliqué centres. Then sew the longer strips to the top and bottom. Repeat for both appliqué cushion centres. The front of your cushions are now complete.
Step 22
Complete the cushion covers with a back and zipper or buttons.
If you’d like to sew some more cushions why not check out the following free projects on our blog?
If you’re feeling festive you could sew and embroider some Santa’s sleigh cushions. Or you could use your ScanNCut to cut and add a merry mistletoe heat vinyl decal.
More of an upcycler? Give these upcycled tea towel cushions a go. Easy to sew, they’re a great wet weekend project.
Want more quilting? Check out the Quilt Club section of our blog for free projects, how tos, inspiration and all your patchworking needs!
