An experiment....

As you may have read in one of my recent posts, I wanted to try and spruce up some cushions I have in my rocking chair which sits in the conservatory. The chair came out of storage when we moved to England and, I could only find a couple of very plain cushions to put in it (heaven knows where the original cushions went!!)

Last weekend I spent moments here and there browsing through my large collection of needlework books for ideas for my new cushions.  All the books are so inspirational and every time I look at them I want to make so many different things. 

A technique I have been keen to try is raw edge applique and I decided to be a little bit experimental with my new cushion covers and try this technique combined with some embroidery.  

I measured, cut and pressed a piece of background fabric in cream. Sorted out some pretty scraps of fabric from my scrap box which I could use for flowers, butterflies and leaves.  I then drew the various applique shapes I wanted onto the paper side of some fusible web, cut them out roughly, fused them to the wrong sides of the various scrap fabrics and cut them out precisely ready to fuse onto the background fabric.  

The shapes were fused into place on the background and I then tacked some lines of running stitches between the shapes to form stems and tendrils.  I then secured the applique shapes using a tiny straight stitch close to the raw edge of the shapes.  

I have basted the front as it is so far to a piece of batting and my next step will be to add some embroidery using some beautiful Stef Francis variegated silk threads that I have had in my possession for some time.  All the tacked running stitch stems and tendrils will be unpicked and replaced with embroidered stitches as well as the flower stamen and some extra stitches for decoration here and there.

When the embroidery is complete, I will add some quilting stitches to the background.  I think it is shaping up quite nicely so far and I'm looking forward to working on it some more later on today!

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a lovely day!!