This fabulous collection is all about patchwork, combining pretty prints and bright colours to produce stunning home accessories. Sophia Palmer’s striking cushion allows you to experiment with appliqué and free machine embroidery, or if you prefer something simpler, try Corinne Bradd’s reusable sandwich bags stitched from cotton and oilcloth and a practical block quilt.
Happy Home Set
Appliqué cushion
1 Download and print the templates from sewmag. co.uk. Cut two orange 20cm x 32cm panels and one 22cm x 32cm rectangle. Trim three 12cm floral squares. Iron interfacing on the back of the larger rectangle. Draw each flower onto adhesive web, snip out roughly, and iron onto the reverse of the bright scraps. Cut all the shapes out carefully using fine snips.
2 Remove the paper backing, arrange the pieces on the interfaced rectangle and iron in place. Trace the floral designs onto tear-away stabiliser and place between the adhesive web pieces. Use a quilting foot and free machine embroidery to sew the traced flowers with white thread, then rip away the paper. Repeat to sew the adhesive web flowers with black thread, adding any extra details.
3 Sew the fabric squares in a long line, using a 1cm seam allowance, then join to the side of the large orange rectangle. Iron the seams open. Sew a rolled hem to the longest edges of the small orange rectangle for the envelope back. Lay these on the front of the square piece, right sides together. Sew around the four sides, turn right sides out and press.
Sew a block quilt
1 For each block, cut one 11cm square of A, four 11cm squares and two 6.5cm squares of B, plus four 11cm squares and four 6.5cm squares of C. Cut each of the 6.5cm squares in half diagonally. Finger press square A into quarters, fold each corner to the centre and finger press the diagonals.
2 Lay a triangle of B face down in the centre of square A so the long edge lines up with a pressed diagonal line. Sew in place on the long edge with a 2mm seam allowance and fold out so the corners match up. Topstitch the seam.
3 Repeat for the remaining corners to make the centre square. Use the same method to add triangle four squares of B to make the petals of the flower. Press all the squares and sew together in strips of three with a 5mm seam allowance. Sew
