Don’t throw out last season’s knitwear. Here’s how you can DIY a cushion cover out of that cosy woollen jumper in six easy steps
Here’s how to make a DIY cushion cover out of your old jumper
You don’t have to be a knitter to enjoy cuddly woollen cushions when you can repurpose surplus knitwear into other forms.
Materials:
Woollen jumper
Linen or another fabric remnant
Scissors
Sewing cotton
Pins
Sewing machine
Method
Step one:
Sort through your wardrobe for woollens you no longer wear or go hunting at your local charity store or recycle boutique and match the knitwear with a fabric remnant.
Step two:
Lay out the garment and decide the size of the cushion. Depending on the jumper size you may get 2-3 cushions sides from one garment. Handmade woollens can often be unpicked at the seams. If that is not possible, pin a line in the garment where you want to cut. Zigzag either side of this line leaving a gap of about 3cm in between. Remove the pins and cut between the two lines.
Step three:
Lay the woollen square out flat and add any extra woollen panels as needed to fit the size of your intended cushion. Use pins to guide the sewing of straight lines and square corners.
Step four:
Cut two pieces of backing fabric the same size as the woollen square. Take one square of backing fabric and zigzag along one edge. Fold this edge over twice to create a wide flap. Iron flat. Repeat with the second piece of backing fabric. Lay the woollen square right side up. Place the two pieces of backing fabric on top, right side down, aligning the outer edges with the woollen panel and with the two fabric flaps overlapping generously in the middle. Pin all three pieces together around the edges.
Step five:
Sew along all four sides, removing pins as you go. Zigzag along all four seams. Trim any extra fabric, especially at the corners, taking care not to snip the seams.
Step six:
Turn the cushion cover the right way around and ease the cushion inner into place. Trim any loose threads to finish.
Extract from Upcycling with Style by Sarah Heeringa published with permission by New Holland Publishers New Zealand, RRP$39.99, Available now here.
As featured in Good.
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