A Button Cushion

Surfing around the internet for something interesting to make I happened upon Bugs and Fishes button cushion. This design is primarily designed for ring bearers in a wedding (DON’T DO IT!) but I loved the design so much, I decided to try making one as a “tester”.

It’s been years since I’ve sewed anything other than buttons onto shirts and trouser hems; but *blows trumpet* when I was younger I was kind of good at embroidery. I felt sure I could tackle this small cushion, and also thought that it would be a pretty good indicator as to whether my needlework skills had deserted me. (Along with my ability to drink tequila until 5am and still get up for work at 7am. This skill has definitely left the building)

I started by entering my own personal heaven. HobbyCraft. Yes, yes, I know it’s ridiculously expensive and I can get everything 60% cheaper online and, and, and…but I’m always so horribly enthusiastic about any new thing. Be that making a felt cushion or having a radical haircut. I might procrastinate when it comes to clearing out a paper-overflowering-drawer; but when it comes to something I get my heart set on? Yeah, I’m not going to wait for that.

So I bought the felt, some buttons and thread to match, and we were off.

And we

I cut out a heart template and pinned

Heart

I then arranged the buttons around the heart. Until I realised that this was a pointless exercise as there was no way I could pin the buttons and sew them all on

So after sewing the rose felt heart onto the green felt background (using overstitch) I started sewing buttons on randomly.

This design calls for different sizes and colours of buttons.

I then became horribly obsessed and found myself on a Saturday night; drinking wine, flicking through the ipad for instructions on how to sew a blanket stitch while watching Strictly Come Dancing.

I am INTRIGUED by the hairy orb over my left breast. HAIRY GHOSTS!

And so I built up the buttons until the entire piece of felt was covered.

I then attached the buttony top layer of felt to a plain piece of the same colour and committed a horrible crime of unpracticed blanket stitch upon them both. Seriously, I should be arrested by the Needlework Police (I’m trying to think of a joke here but failing – apologies)

The cushion however did not give a small shiny shit once I had stuffed it full of kapok and instead it glowed at me, like a beautiful glowing cushion of cleverness

LOOK!

So proud was I that I arranged it in lots of places, by the fireplace, by a lamp, near the kettle.

Just call me David Bailey

I settled for the mantlepiece.

It is a LOVELY cushion to be fair, and one I would definitely make again; very easy to achieve for not much outlay (if you have a button box), tactile and pretty. A perfect gift.

Give it a go.