Patchwork cushion

It's a ta-dah post today!

I started this cushion quite a while ago now, back in July when I started basting the hexagons on a train journey into London.
I'm quite new to patchwork but really wanted to have a go at making a modern-ish cushion. I have noticed that there is quite a debate about modern patchwork, and what makes it so: is it the colours/contrast within the quilt? the layout? or something else? I am equally drawn to both, I generally tend towards the more muted colours (I'm just not brave enough to play with lots of bright colours/contrasting prints, I worry too much about it just looking wrong!) but I like the modern spin on things. So I thought I'd give it a go.

I used a charm pack that I'd picked up on holiday to make my hexagons, which is quite a muted palette and I was keen to have a go at some hand stitching too. After a bit of pondering, I got to thinking the hexagons in the shape of a heart motif could look good. But it didn't work out...
In retrospect, if I'd rotated the hexagons it would have been much easier to make a heart shape, so it might be something that I revisit at some point, but by the time I'd realised that I'd fussy cut some of the pieces and sewn too many together to consider unpicking it all!!!

After putting it in the naughty corner for a little bit I eventually kept adding hexagons until I had a rectangle before appliqueing it on to some backing fabric and doing some running stitches around the outer hexagons in a dark brown perle cotton.
This took me a l-o-n-g time! I'm still not sure that my stitches are completely even but I did my best and I think that it really is a case of practice makes perfect so I'll just have to keep on doing more sewing!

I don't know what it is with making cushions, but I always feel that they look more finished if they have piping or something around the border. I still had over half the charm pack left and looking at the measurements of the cushion a scrappy binding seemed to be the perfect solution.

So the other Sunday after a big roast dinner and with miserable weather outside, the Littlie were more than happy to sit and watch a film which gave me the perfect opportunity to sit at the dining room table, piece together my binding and sew my cushion together. Ohhhh, it was perfect: listening to the Littlies giggling at the film (Puss in Boots) whilst sewing and looking out at the garden.
It didn't take long to do the binding and have it all finished.....Ta Dah!!!
Patchwork cushion by fabric&flowers



I need to get a bigger cushion insert to make it a bit more pouffy I think, but am so happy with how it's come out. The colours are definitely truer in the pictures below. 

I fussy cut some of the hexagons, especially as some of them say 'buttons', 'threads' and 'spool' which seemed somewhat appropriate! 



So there we go, my attempt at a modern patchwork pillow with traditional colours. I'm not sure that it's necessarily achieved true modernism but I think it has a little bit of a modern spin, what do you think?

And just to let you know, I'm finally all caught up with my sky blanket (if we ignore all those pesky ends!). Yipppeeeeee!!!! I did do a little dance and for the past couple of days I've only had to do one row at a time.....unfortunately, they've been mostly drab and miserable colours!


See you soon,

S x

Todays sky ● grey, wet and miserable again

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