Reconstructive Surgery & Lessons Learned

Oh dear!  Now that I know how it should have been made, it really is time for some reconstructive surgery on my son's floor cushion.  Several years ago when I tried to reconvene my long-abandoned sewing skills I had a go at making my little boy a floor cushion.  Inspired by some boyish cross stitch designs (hurrah) and my friend's encouragement to use old clothing scraps, I made up a simple 9 patch block with the personalised cross stitch at the centre.  The patches were cut from old shirts worn by his dad and me and the denim pockets and log cabin border came from an old pair of jeans.  Being zip-fitting ignorant I opted for a "simpler" envelope backing to the cushion cover only to discover it wouldn't stay closed without the aid of buttons.  This meant I had to add button holes and while I didn't really do a good job, I was quite impressed I managed at all!

BEFORE "surgery" - doesn't look too bad from the front...

At the time we were all very pleased with my efforts, but time and experience have revealed the many flaws of this project and recently I decided that this much loved cushion was in need of a little TLC and reconstructive surgery if it's going to last much longer!

BEFORE - not so great from behind...

BEFORE - Oh dear - warts and all.  That really is sad!

Lessons learned: -

• watch how you use fabrics of differing weights as heavier ones will pull at the seams of lighter ones (hence the interim star applique patches on the front to protect ripping seams)
• stretchy fabrics should be outlawed!
• adding wadding behind the patchwork adds structure and increases the durability of the patchwork (yep!  when I made this I didn't even know what wadding was, let alone think to use it!)
• actually quilt the patchwork to stabilise and protect it better (without wadding I had nothing to quilt to)
• zips are not as hard as they appear
• mismatched buttons are not always cute/quirky (they can be, but mine weren't)
• if you have a project you love and a little reconstruction would really help it survive longer, DO IT!

So two nights ago I set about doing what should have been done in the first place!  I know it's hard to tell from the photos but the difference is remarkable.  What's so great about this little venture is that it has reminded me just how much I have actually learned in the last year, and now the patchwork in the cushion is much more stable and much more likely to withstand being lain on, rolled over, dived upon and all the other things that might happen to it by a 9 year old boy with ants in his pants!

AFTER - cushion with a facelift and better botox (ie filler) job!

AFTER - zip neatly fitted to discreetly replace sagging envelope back -
wonder would discreet zipping help my sagging parts?!