Most of us like to decorate our homes for Christmas, and what could be easier than swapping our usual cushion covers for a nice Christmassy one?

You could just buy one, but a basic cushion cover is fairly simple to make.

Making an envelope-style cushion cover.

The simplest way to make a cushion cover is to make a rectangle and stuff it.  You can read how to do that on the blog post Make a Cushion Using a Photo.   However, this won't be very washable.  If you want to be able to wash your cushion cover, then it needs to be easy to remove.  You can then make it to fit an existing cushion, and will only have to store the cover when the decorations come down.

To make an envelope-style cushion cover you will need:

cushion front panel the size of your cushion, plus seam allowances all round

backing fabric.  You will need the width of your front panel x the length of your front panel plus 20cms

matching thread

sewing equipment

To make:

• Cut the backing fabric into 2 lengths, one approx. 16cms longer than the other
• Hem one short edge of each piece
• Lay one piece on top of the other, both right sides up, so that the top piece overlaps the bottom by about 16cms.  Pin in position and check that the backing is the same size as the front panel

• Stitch down each side within the seam allowance, to join the 2 backing pieces together
• Put the front and back together, right sides together. Stitch all round
• Press seams and trim corners
• Turn right side out, using the envelope opening to turn through.

 

The back of the cushion cover with the cushion pad inside

For the front panel, you can use a cushion panel like the ones we have in our Market Place:

 

You can print your own, maybe featuring your family or a design you have created.  Get the children involved in this and you can make a present for Granny at the same time!

You can make a patchwork design, maybe in Christmas colours.

You can embroider the front panel.

Or you can combine some of these ideas, maybe quilting a panel or using embroidery in conjunction with a panel or patchwork.

If you want to make a cushion as a gift rather than for Christmas, you can use the same methods, but choose a design which isn't Christmassy.  

There are lots of Christmas cushion ideas on my Pinterest board Christmas.

Are you ready to make a new tradition for your home at Christmas?

Special offer

Get a free plain fat quarter to back your cushion with any cushion panel ordered from our Market Place between now and  October 25th.  This can be your own design if you make it public.  (You will have to order first, but make it public as soon as you receive the confirmation email.)