A mini heart cushion for Valentine's Day

This month I have partnered with Brother Sewing to create a Valentine's Day themed sewing craft. I decided that I would use some of the pieces of pink patterned fabric in my stash to make a mini patchwork cushion with a heart theme.

You need:

* Pieces of fabric in a variety of complementary colours and patterns. Each square on my cushion measures 10cm x 10cm and you will need a larger piece in one fabric 30cm x 30cm to make the back of the cushion (or you may choose to make the back of the cushion as a patchwork piece too). I used a selection of pieces of patterned fabric from my stash.

* Heart themed embellishments - I used two heart shaped buttons and scraps of felt, you could also use ribbon, lace or beads

* Stuffing for the cushion

Instructions:

First prepare all your pieces of fabric. For one side of the cushion you will need nine squares of fabric, each measuring 10cm x 10cm. Cut the patchwork pieces to size and then experiment with different arrangements until you find one that you are happy with.

It's a good idea to take a photograph or do a rough sketch so that you don't forget your layout!

Begin the patchwork side by sewing the squares together in three strips of three. Take two squares that will be next to each other, place them so that the right sides are facing inwards, and sew down one side.

Then turn right side up and press flat. Repeat with the third square in the strip. Make sure to follow your pattern closely so that you keep the arrangement correct, it requires a bit of concentration to make sure that you get all the pieces in the correct place!

When you have made three strips you can sew the three strips together. Again, place the two right sides facing inwards and sew along the side. Take care to align the seams as closely as you can so that the squares will line up.

Press flat when finished. My finished piece of patchwork measured about 27cm x 27cm square.

Next think about which embellishments you'd like to use on your cushion. I decided to use a large felt heart and some heart shaped buttons, both of which were stitched on by hand. When planning the position of embellishments, make sure that you don't place them too close to the edges as you need to allow room for the outer seam. Then cut the piece of fabric that you are going to use for your backing to the correct size.

Place the patchwork piece and the backing piece together with the right sides facing inwards. Sew around the outer edge, leaving a gap of around 6cm at the bottom for turning and for stuffing the cushion.

Turn the cushion the right way out, using a knitting needle or similar to push into the corners to make sure that they are square. Press flat, being careful to avoid the embellishments.

Stuff the cushion firmly, making sure that the stuffing is distributed evenly throughout the cover.

Finally, sew up the remaining gap by hand, and your cushion is finished!

This mini cushion makes a lovely gift for Valentine's Day, or a pretty seasonal decoration for your sofa or bed.

This post was written in collaboration with Brother Sewing.