Vintage Blooms Make for Happy Homes....

Do NOT chuck out your Chintz!

The fabulous world of vintage takes a lot of influence from current fashion trends, so a spot of catwalk and people watching tells us that florals are blooming everywhere right now. We also know that where clothing fashions go, home-ware styles follow. So with tops, dresses, bags and skirts tiptoeing through the proverbial daisies, now is not the time to chuck out your Chintz - hang on to it!

Eclectic mixes of colours and styles will work very well and are bang on trend and adding in a few pieces of vintage china, an old chair back cover or a vintage print can give your home an instant hit of vintage summer.

If you’re feeling a bit adventurous and want to excercise you creative talents, why not make a cushion or two?

Vintage fabrics, floral pillow cases, old table cloths and mats and even pieces patchwork are perfect and can often be found a very little cost and up-cycling worn out clothes, in pretty fabrics into a new cushion is a great way to sprinkle summer around the place without blowing the budget.

HOW TO: Make a Cushion.

Decide what shape and size of cushion you want to make and gather enough fabric pieces for it. You could use several small pieces stitched together – it’ll give a pretty patchwork effect. Wash and iron your fabric taking note of the different types of fabric, which may need different wash and ironing temps.

Make a paper pattern or template for your cushion in your desired shape and size. Use sticky tape to build it from plain paper if necessary, but, don’t be tempted to use newspaper, it is bigger, but it will mark pale fabrics.

Place the paper pattern on the fabric and if fits with 1 – 2 cm to spare, then pin the pattern to the fabric.

Next cut out your fabric, leaving an additional 1 – 2 cm around the edge of the pattern.

If you are using small pieces then you will need to sew them together and press the seams, until you have made a piece big enough to take your paper pattern, with an additional 1 – 2 cm around the edge.

Once you have got two fabric cushion shapes cut out, place them together, with the outsides of the fabric facing each other and the wrong sides showing and pin them together.

Stitch around the cushion shape, leaving an edge of 1 – 2 cm and an opening for stuffing of about 10 cm.

Turn the cushion right side out and iron it.

Stuff the cushion with stuffing. An old pillow is great for this, (it can be machine washed at 40 degrees. The pillow does need to be a modern fibre filled one, not feather or foam. Cut open the pillow and pull out the wading and pull it apart with your hands until it gets all fluffy and then stuff the cushion, use plenty and if the cushion looks a bit lumpy, then pull the wading more and add a bit extra.

Once your cushion is stuffed, just fold under the raw edges of the opening and stitch it up.

A few vintage buttons or some left over beads from your button box, stitched on will finish it off nicely.

STOP PRESS: As this article went to be published I had a brainwave (Yes quite rare)! A very quick and pretty cushion can be made from a vintage nighty or pyjama case. All of the cutting out and most of the sewing is done for you, you’d just need to stuff it as above and then stitch up the opening! Brilliant!

Make your home blooming lovely!

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