Make cushion covers from blankets :: free sewing pattern :: cushion cover

Country Living has teamed up with designer Sarah Moore to bring you a series of step-by-step inspiring craft creations.

'Give old blankets a new lease of life with these easy-to-make cushion covers. Combining two or three colours is particularly effective – you could dye sections of one large piece of fabric in different shades (see below, far right) or arrange a sewing session with friends and swap materials. The satin trim not only looks lovely but means that there is no need to hem the edges.'

You will need

● paper
● rectangular cushion pad
● tape measure or ruler
● fabric and paper scissors
blankets, one to dye or two or three different coloured ones
● sewing machine and thread
● tailor’s chalk
● pins
● iron

1 Cut a pattern out of paper the same dimensions as your cushion pad, adding 1.5cm for a seam allowance.

2 For the one-colour side of the cushion cover, chalk around the pattern on your fabric, then cut this shape out.

3 To create the two-panel side, fold the paper pattern over one-third of the way in. Chalk around this square shape on two different coloured materials, making sure at least one of these is from the edge of the blanket with the satin or stitched trim.

4 Lay out the main panel, right side up, on a flat surface. Position the two other pieces on top, ensuring that the best sides of the wool are facing inwards and the raw edges are lined up around the outsides – the satin or stitched trims should be in the middle, as these will form the hemmed opening for your envelope cushion cover. Pin in place and sew all the way round using running stitch, leaving a 1.5cm seam allowance
and removing the pins as you go.

5 Snip across the corners to remove some of the bulk of the fabric, then turn the cover the right way out, iron flat on a suitably low heat and stuff with the cushion pad.

Dyeing wool blankets

The fabric will need to be coloured, dried and washed before sewing. Dylon has an extensive range of colourings or, for vibrant results using natural dyes, try www.wildcolours.co.uk. Weigh the sections of blanket first to ensure you have enough dye to permeate all the fibres evenly and be careful to follow the instructions carefully. Also, wear gloves at all times – I recently went to a wedding with bright pink hands and blue flecks across my cheeks after colouring some fabric that morning.

Tip: For a plump-looking cushion, make your cover 2-3cm smaller overall than the feather or fibre pad.