Monday 30 June 2014

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MOTIVATIONAL CUSHION

by Andrea ( Bea )Vonk • 30/06/2014

Photo: Andrea ( Bea ) Vonk  Styling: Andrea ( Bea) Vonk

MODERN COUNTRY LADY-CRAFT 
 MOTIVATIONAL CUSHION-

80TH BIRTHDAY PRESENT 





I don't know about you, but I was rather stumped when I had to figure out what to buy someone for their 80th Birthday.I mean, what would you still need that you haven't got at that age ? A jumper? Or a bottle of wine? Been there , done that I reckon. The personalised cushion I made in a few posts ago went down so well that I decided to make another one for this really much older birthday boy- but then with a sort of motivational -sort of-quote - I came up with. 
I tell you, I reckon it was the best received present of them all ! Was he happy ? You can betya !
And whilst I was on a roll, and the Birthday cards for 80-years old I found were either, dull, boring or completely overpriced, I decided to make my own that would tie in with the cushion itself. No reason why you shouldn't either  !

 Here's again how to go about it.
-remember -  it's a unique way to say how much you value the person you are giving the present to.. here's my easy modern twist for a great present ! ( and while you are doing your design, you may as well make a card as well ! )


 You will need : 

white cotton or linen 
different scraps of colored fabric
 " Bondaweb" or similar iron-on adhesive for fabric 


1. Take a simple pillow slip with an envelope closing at the back as your example for a pattern .
2 .Cut your white cotton or linen according to this pattern.If you want to achieve a small rectangular cushion simple adjust the size a bit.
3.Come up with a short, positive quote, print this off  in a font you like on your printer.
4.Cut out the letters in paper then arrange on the different coloured fabric and move around till you have a combination of colours you like.  
5. Cut out the fabric letters using the paper font letters as a guide line.
6 .Iron some " Bondaweb" or other similar fabric adhesive that will attach one fabric to another on the back of the letters , then iron the letters to the cushion.If need be you can also as an extra measure, zigzag the letters to the fabric as well.
7. Add an image in fabric underneath the slogan , again using " Bondaweb".Choose a slogan that is perfect for the person you are making it for,  then gift it to the lucky friend you made it for-proudly.Always better than anything you can buy for them . 





Cushion design : Andrea ( Bea ) Vonk  Card Design: Andrea ( Bea) Vonk

1 comment:

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Bea,
Indeed a very clever thought for an 80-year old. What do they need at that age?!
Love your pillow and your card.
Hugs,
Mariette