A Sunday project

I wanted to make myself a little bag to take to my quilting classes that would be strong enough to stand up open on its own so it was easy to grab what I needed.  Also just as easy to put things back when I'm finished.  Its really easy to get your things mixed up with others when everyone is using the same work space.
I saw this bag batting at the shop and I was keen to have a play with it.  Its very stiff but still flexible enough to spring back into shape if its been squashed.  There must be an easy way to work with this stuff but I have no idea how!  I don't really have much experience making bags and this batting was so bulky and stiff to get under the machine. It did exactly what I wanted it to do but what a mission!  Here I was thinking it would be done in an hour but it took a little longer.......and its pretty dodgy lol but it will serve the purpose.

I put some pockets in the side and and an elastic strap to hold my scissors and pens.  I will test drive it tomorrow and see how she goes :)

Fabric and buttons available on my website www.twomonkeysfabricshop.com.au



My little fellas quilt is finished!

As you probably already know, I struggled to finish this quilt as it never gelled with me.  I know now the problem was I never spent enough time planning the pattern.  I have learnt my lesson (one of the many I have to learn about quilting) and now understand the need for a design board.   I will put this on my hubby's list of things to do for me, I'm sure he wont mind another 'little' job to do ;)
The end result is much better than I expected! I am pleasantly surprised how well it works for a little boy.  Quilts for boys are so much harder than girls but with two little monkey men to cater for, I'm sure i will master them as time goes on.

So tell me what you think.  The back stitching was a gamble but I think it works well.

This quilt is made with my When Im Big like Daddy design.

Until next time....

The latest addition to our family

This week saw the arrival of our first three chooks.

As much as I would love to have a sprawling chook run full of chickens living the life only a caged hen could dream of, I need to be realistic and start small.  I have never owned chooks before so I have no idea what I'm doing and to say I'm a little concerned about their well being would be putting it lightly.  Needless to say I'm so excited!! I keep going and sitting outside with my coffee and just watching them, envisioning this part of the backyard alive with self sufficiency. This is the first time we have had enough space to have cooks and big vege patches and its the best feeling know what it will one day be.
So my girls are just babies, 9 weeks old so I have a few months to wait before they start laying but its a good opportunity to get them use to the kids.  The boys love them!, we got them home and about 10 minutes later Nathan yells out "Mum!, one of the chickens just laid an egg!"  I had to laugh and have to keep telling him its going to be a while before we see our first egg.  I think he will lay an egg himself when it happens.
Then we had the fun task of naming them.  If Ryan had his way they would be called Murray, Jeff and Sam.  Nathan couldn't have cared less, he just wants to collect the eggs.  So between friends and family the suggestions we a little like this; Schnitzel, Parmigiana, roast, kebab, Kiev.  As you can see we have a poor sense of humour.  And they kept coming; Crumbed, Grilled, Fired and the list goes on.  We have settled Omlette, scrambled (the spotty one) and poached :) 
At least they will know what their job is!

This is their little hutch they will stay in until they are a bit bigger.  When they are older they will get to roam around a fenced off area through the day.  One day will will build a big run and have lots of chooks but this is perfect for now.

Until next time.

Sun Kissed Hat

I don't get much of a chance to make things out of my girl designs being that I have two boys so it was nice to sew this great new Make it Perfect pattern with my Berry Munch and Floral Magic fabrics.  This is the new Sun Kissed Hat pattern and it is such a simple pattern to make and super quick!  I always try to use the least amount of fabric possible when cutting patterns as I hate to waste fabric and I managed to make this hat out of two quarter metre pieces.  The pattern states you will need 45cm of your main and lining fabrics which you will need if you make the hat larger than a medium.  I made this hat to medium and it just squeezed on a quarter metre so its really cost effective to make for the little people in your life.

Fold your quarter metre in half and cut your band and brim piece.

Open your left over piece of fabric and lay it flat.  Cut out the crown piece.  The crown piece will fit in between the band and brim piece but you only need to cut one crown piece of each fabric so cutting it folded will give you two.

This is the finished product and I think it looks super cute!  It may also have something to do with my little model as to why the hat looks so good.....

TOO CUTE!

Pattern and fabrics are available on my website. Just click on the links above.

Until next time :)

Sometimes less is best....

Wow has it really been a month since my last post!! Gosh I need to get my butt in gear and get back into it.  I have no excuses now school is back and we have settled in.  My only excuse is.....well I don't have one.
Amanda from apppleberry Kids posted a pic of  some fabric baskets made in my Owls and Ladders design.  They are so appealing and it made me just want to pick up my owls and sew!  I thought I would show how little fabric you need of your main print to make fabulous products.  I whipped up some cushions (I have a cushion fetish), one is a large cushion using both Owls and Ladders and Hoot, the other is using just a strip of Owls and Ladders with a basic calico. 

They both look great but the small cushion has used the tinest piece of main print and you still get a gorgeous end result.  I have used a high quality quilting thread on both the cushions, the large one I have hand quilted to add a bit of original detail and the small one I have machine stitched.  You can create a totally different look with the same thread just using a different technique.

So when you're out indulging in fabric shopping,  don't forget to pick up some good basics for your stash.  Also shop around for some quality threads and trims that you can add to just about anything.  A good home stash of basic supplies can make any spontaneous craft project and every little bit of scrap fabric transformed into something special.

OH!! Is that Saffron Craig's Owl quilt kit in the March edition of Better Homes and Gardens magazine siting next to those inviting cushions? Yes it is!

The large cushion consists of 30 x 6.5 x 4.5in rectangles (I measure in inches when cutting fabrics for piecing). 15 rectangles of each fabric.  You will need a 35cm cut of each fabric to make the cushion top but you will have some fabric left over. I have used calico for the back and filled with toy fill then hand stitched closed. 

The finished cushion is 76x60cm.

With smaller cushion, I used a 35cm insert and the strip of Owls and Ladders fabric is 3 x 14in.  The rest is constructed with calico.  Once again I have hand stitched closed so these covers are not removable.  If you want to be able to wash them then you will need to make the covers removable by adding an opening in the back and closing it with either a zipper or buttons.  Keep in mind you will need to allow a few extra inches in your backing fabric if this is what you want to do. 

 

Until next time......

I survived!

May I just say moving ten days before Christmas is not advisable! I can’t disclose the amount of comfort food and alcohol needed to survive but we did manage to pull it off without major dramas apart from the removalist damaging a fair bit of our stuff.  I am still recovering and like alot of you, finding it really hard to switch back into work mode but I will get there.....eventually.  I wasn’t sad to leave 2011 behind, although so many good things happened it was a really hard year and I have welcomed 2012 with open arms. 

So what’s in store for 2012 you ask?.....Where do I start!!!

Well I will start with buying a house to renovate.  Being a mum of my two monkeys and running my own business, I figured I had so much time on my hands!  For hubby and I this is house number five and Reno number three. I know crazy! and what makes it even worse is we haven’t done a Reno since we have had the kids, only built.  Now I can hear you all laughing at me! That’s ok go ahead, I’m laughing at myself too.  It will be worth it in the end; we just have to make it out the other side on one piece.  I have scored a much bigger work space in this house and it will be one of the first modifications we do (insert happy dance) to give me even more space.  There is an element of renovating that makes it so much more exciting than building and I cant wait to start but I'm not looking forward to living in while we do it :(

Here are some pics of my new work studio, pretty crappy photos taken late at night and I have only just finished unpacking but you get the idea.  If only you could see the end result pictured in my head.  May I add, I have drawn alot of inspiration from pinterest so now I can justify my pinterest time to hubby as research. Perfect!

I cant wait to get rid of the mint green carpet, apple green walls and adorable curtains!

Then we have my fabulous new range that arrived in December.  I have been so busy, I have barely had a chance to have a good stitch with it yet but I can’t wait to get stuck into it.  There will be lots of new kits available in the coming months along with new pre-cut bundles, projects and some great promos in the works too!  I am also looking at doing a few markets stretching from Brisbane to Newcastle so I can finally get a chance to get out there and meet lots of people I feel I know so well online but have never met.  I’m getting excited just writing about it!

HELLO 2012!!! What a cracker of a year you are going to be J

Until next time...

It's all happening!!

That's right!! we have sold the house :) and we have bought another one! So my life is a little crazy right now which is why I have not been getting enough facebook and pinterest to keep my satisfied, let alone sewing time! We only have just under four weeks until we settle so  I'm going to keep this short and sweet as I have so much to do but I wanted to share with you what I have found while embarking on the mammoth task I have of sorting out my house.
I opened 'the box'....you know the one we all have that we keep of little things we cant seem to part with and over the years of sorting through it, it gets smaller and smaller.  Well 'the box' for me is pretty small now I have sorted through it for the first time in eight years.  I'm not a hoarder and I cant bare to have things sitting around I don't have a use for.  This can sometimes bite me in the butt, but its not very often I regret decluttering....and considering how many times I have moved over the past six years, its happens often lol.  So anyway, this is the box that has been sitting in the mother in laws shed and I thought it was about time to go through it.  The first thing I did after sneezing a million times from the dust was smile, not just a regular smile, one of those smiles you get when you get taken back in time from possessions you have kept through your life because they have bought you so much joy.

I have letters from friends and family.  Some are so funny to read and I will cherish them forever. I even have a postcard sent to me from someone who was very important to me when I was growing up and she has since died of cancer.  I didn't even know I still had it and it bought tears to my eyes.  What makes me sad is I cant remember the last time I wrote a letter..... What makes me even sader is our kids wont have these keepsakes to treasure unless we encourage them to put pen to paper.

My now husband use to send me roses ALL the time and for no other reason but to make me smile.  Some times he would sneak up to my car and put one in my wiper blades to surprise me when I finished work.  It was quite an effort as he had a big service truck and had to come in the back way and park up the street so I wouldn't see him. You forget these things until something like this brings it all back like it was yesterday.  I have kept just about every card I got with my flowers....back in the day.  I can assure it doesn't happen now!

Once upon a time The Trading Post was printed on paper for private sellers only! My husband, like very other male in Queensland rarely missed a copy.  For some reason I tore this off the front page and have kept it.  To this day its as relevant as it was back then, just for different reasons.

My Beatrix Potter books.  These speak for themselves.



This was one of my favourite golden books when I was a little girl and it has inspired me once again...but this time its fabric inspiration!!

For now I have packed it all away in preparation for our move and I'm sure I wont open it for another eight years but I was meant to open this box and look through it.  It has reminded me to contact some dear friends I have not spoken to for a long time and also made me realise how important it is for me to keep things like this for my boys as they age.  I have been sorting and throwing books and toys if there broken and things they don't play with anymore.  If this golden book was in my stack, I probably would have put it in the lifeline pile.  As a mother of two young boys with way too much stuff, to me this looks like rubbish.  But as an adult that's childhood was a lifetime ago, its priceless.

Until next time...

3000 LIKER COMPETITION!!!

Well first of all... THANK YOU!!!!
I cant get over the amount of support I have received for my fabrics in such a short period of time. I am utterly flattered and am so excited to say this is just the beginning!! I feel next year is going to be a CRACKER!!
Lets get down to business:
To be a good girl and abide by facebook rules, I have to run this competition off my facebook page so this is how its going to work.
If you would like to win a half metre bundle of all five of my current in stock designs valued at $67.50 all you need to do is:
1. Sign up to follow this blog.  You can do this by clicking the 'join this site' button on the right hand side of the page.  My blog has been a little absent and mundane of late because of my pending interstate move at Christmas time BUT things will crank up and be much more fun in the new year, I promise!!
2. Do a shout out from your facebook page tagging twomonkeys fabric shop telling your fans about this competition.  If you dont have a business page you can do a post on your personal page by either sharing the post on my page or adding a link. It will pop up in my notifications and number of shares so I can see its been done.  I know you want to keep it to yourself so you have a better chance of winning but we need to be nice: sharing is careing remember!!
3. The last thing you need to do is comment on this blog post to tell me you have followed the steps and want to all this free fabric......!!

Make sure you comment on this blog post as that is your entry in this competition.

The competition will be ran over the next week and will be drawn on Friday 4th November at 8.30pm Brisbane time.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Terms and Conditions:

Prize consists of half a metre (50cm) each the five current twomonkeys fabrics designs:
When Im Big Like Daddy
Punch Bug
Fairy Land
Girly Parade
Night Watch
Winner will be drawn by random.org and list will be generated in order of valid comments on this post.
To be fair, I will be checking all entrants have complied with the steps to enter this competition.
If you live outside of Australia, I would love you to enter but you will need to cover the cost of the international shipping.
If you live within Australia, a $10 postage rate will apply to the winner.

Cushion Mad!!

So the past week has seen me craving a little down time and what better way to unwind than to hit the machine with simple projects that need little thought.  For me I had the urge to make a few cushions.
A few days ago, I posted a pic on facebook of a couple I made on the weekend.

Because they were so easy and there was no unpicking involved, this made them so much fun to make which gave me the need to make another one.......

I am pleased to say I think I have exhausted all my cushion mojo BUT now I have made this little Kombi motif, I have all these other ideas coming to mind :)

Until next time.....

Just to let you know.....

I am sitting here......and I don’t even know where to start.  My mind is so congested with so much going on I’m not sure what to write first.

So let’s start with this and I will get straight to the point:

I am moving. Yep packing up and heading south.  Now this is not the first time we have moved to Singleton in the Hunter Valley......it’s the third! I know, I know, CRAZY! Maybe I just love the thrill of packing! But on a serious note, we have really struggled to find the right place for our family over the past five years. I think that’s what made the decision so difficult this time because we knew this was a major decision being that Nathan starts school next year and we don’t want to keep moving once he does.  My husband works in the mining industry and the problem with living in Brisbane is he needs to fi/fo (fly in/fly out) for his job to be feasible and before we had the kids, it was never an issue, just a way of life we had grown to live with.  Now we have the boys, that lifestyle is a very hard one to go back to and if we stay here, it’s inevitable.  You see what sucks big time is it’s such a fifty fifty decision for us.  If we stay here, we sacrifice Michael being home but we have our family around us and if we move, we get a better family and work life but loose the help from our parents and the kids miss out on their grandparents. Sometimes it’s so hard to make the right decision and whatever you decide, who’s to say you have made the right choice?  So without babbling on too much, we have to do what’s right for our boys and that is to be somewhere that they can have both their parents around whenever they need them.  This has been on the cards for a long time (we really should have never moved back to Brisbane but that’s a whole other story) but we have had to make this decision so we can move after Christmas and get settled before Nate starts the school year.

So the house is on the market: oh the joy with two small children!! I just hope its sells fast so I can stop cleaning and go back to my carefree sticky floors.  All the planning has started including moving my business.  I wanted to tell you all what’s going on behind the scenes because just like you, I share the same issues and dilemmas that alot of WAHM have to deal with.  We all want endless hours and motivation to put into our business along with a faultless schedule to keep on top of everyday family life but we need to be realistic, life gets in the way.  In the past six weeks I think I may have clocked up, if I’m lucky 5 hours on the sewing machine.  It’s not that I don’t want to sew but with everything else going on and keeping on top of orders and the design and production side of my business, I just haven’t had the time.  To be honest, I don’t think I’m going to get much time between now and when we move after Christmas to sew L  By the time things settle down I will be having creative withdrawals and have to spend weeks making up for lost time! 

Over the past two months you have probably noticed I haven’t been blogging as much as I normally do and a bit absent on facebook but don’t be worried, I just have so much going on right now but I am still making time to work towards bringing you more and more twomonkeys fabrics. My new range is due late November/December and I have trade shows coming up so you will still see lots of things going on but I won’t be able to spare much time for the fun crafty stuff to share with you.  If only we could all have endless hours ......

So I will be keeping you up to date with my progress into the next few months of total chaos.  I have started preparing with increasing alcohol consumption, experimenting with the new tim tam range and I invested in an ‘extra large’ coffee cup.

So far so good J

A little peak at my second release

This is just a little taste of what is to come to twomonkeys.  This release is due November but may be a little late....will have to wait and see (fingers crossed!).

Something sweet for the girls.

and my favourite owls in an irresistible colourway.

This is the coordinating print to the boys design which is just adorable but you will have to wait and see what that one looks like :)  I have to keep something a secret and leave you in suspense.....

I hope you like!

So sweet

Nathan had a sleep over at his nannies last night (my mums) and I have to admit I couldn't wait for her to pick him up yesterday afternoon.
This is pretty much the only conversation I had with Nathan from the moment he woke up yesterday until mum picked him up about 2.30pm:
Nate: 6am "Mum, how long until nanny comes to get me"
Me: using all my strength to open my eyes and respond "Not until after lunch"
Nate: As the hours past he would ask around every two minutes "Mum, is it lunch time yet"
Me: Taking a deep breath with every response "No not yet. If you eat lunch early, its not going to make her come any sooner"
Nate: At lunch time...12.01pm  "Mum, I ate my lunch so pack my bag before nanny get here" he was very anxious.
Me: "Nathan, she is coming after lunch which means she will be a little while longer"
OMG the next two and a half hours felt like a lifetime!!! He just wouldn't stop asking because he was so excited.
When mum got here, I was the excited one:)
But as much a I lurve the peace and quite, you still miss them when they are gone. I still went to check on him before I went to bed out of habit and he wasn't there. Although I must say, I did indulge in a peaceful morning with just one child....bliss!
Mum said he was a total angel and did everything he was told, even went to bed on time! Why he can behave for everyone but me I just don't know... 
He made myself and his dad a special surprise.  It was all wrapped up and he was so excited to give it to me but I wasn't allowed to open it, he had to.  The whole present thing seems to go right over his head.  We keep trying to explain he cant open the presents he gives to others, just the ones given to him but he thinks he can open everything and he tells you what it is before you get a chance to see it! Oh so much to learn:)
So this was our gift.  He painted us a special coffee cup (I think he may have had a little help with the names) for each of us and they are so cute, I love them!  The perfect gift for two people that drink way too much coffee.  Next thing he will be hand painting me a wine glass.....

Such a crafty holiday project for the kids. Good on ya mum! :) Something to treasure forever.

Until next time:)

A little frazzled

Well it’s here... not sure where the last ten weeks went but school holidays are upon us once again. I don’t know why I’m worried about two weeks when SIX weeks of parent torture is just around the corner!! Good god, what am I going to do with him then!  I had great intentions of having caught up on my back log of work so I could just chill for the two weeks...never happened.  I have been really busy working on new designs, getting ready for the next release, organising trade shows, drafting patterns and deciding if I have enough time to add a twomonkeys handmade section to my website.  The answer to that is um...no way in the world! But I like the idea. Maybe next year when Nathan starts school.  At the moment, he only does a five day fortnight at kindy so those days are so important to me as they are the only daytime hours I get to work and I’m not a big night person...hence the workload constantly building.  If I was more productive at night and was more focused on work instead of pinterest and looking at my fave sites with style I can’t afford, like Anthropologie, I would be much more efficient! And now thanks to Janelle Wind, I am sitting her looking at Blythe Dolls!!

Anyway, enough said.  You get the picture of my lack of motivation past 8pm...

Now I have started writing this entry, I don’t even really know what it’s about. My head is all over the place at the moment, so many things going on I can’t think straight! I am the master of writing list after list to get organised.....STOP WRITING THE DAM LISTS AND JUST DO THE WORK!

This really is going nowhere.

It’s been over two weeks (yes I really have been so busy) since I last graced you with my poor attempt of creative writing so I thought I better say hi and give you an update and a sneak peek of what’s coming to twomonkeys.

This a quilt I am working on for Nathan.  The original pattern I cut out didn't work once I layed it out on the floor and I had to go back to the drawing board. This is what I came up with without wasting to much fabric I had already cut...

A colour scheme coming up in my next release :)

My little helper.....not so helpful at times :)

I have been super busy working with Pauline from Funky Friends Factory on so many up and coming things. SO excited, I wish I could tell you!

Until next time :)

Life as it is....

My Mum and Dad have one of those really fancy campers that slide on the back of a ute.  Its not exactly roughing it seeing it has air con, shower, toilet, full size queen bed and the list goes on.  And it all fits on the back of a ute (something way out of my price range for the next 50 years)!  Anyway, they have sold it because they just don’t get enough time to use it.  I did offer them the kids whenever they want and Michael and I would gladly get some use out of it for them but they didn’t think it was a great idea...I thought it was!!

They sold it to a couple in their early 30’s (my age) that are going to travel around Australia.  The couple don’t have any kids or a house. Their dream is to travel around the country and surf every beach along the way.  I was not taking this information in so well when mum was telling me over the phone with my kids going crazy in the background, I just wanted to break down in jealous frenzy and scream.

This got me thinking; why is that we all choose such different paths in life.  One persons dream could be another persons misery.  Of course we all make choices that make our lives what they are but is your life what you thought it would be?  Are you a meticulous planner and know exactly where you are going or do you ‘wing it’ like me and hope for the best?  Was it always your dream to marry, have children and a white picket fence or did you desire a life of travel and free spirit from a young age?  Did you make the choices you have made because that’s what you really wanted or was it because it seemed like the right and sensible choice. 

A friend of mine from way back in my primary school days has done nothing but travel the world working on private yachts of the rich and famous since she left school, a total free spirit.  Another is a professional performer who has danced in productions all over the world.  As kids we were so much alike, grew up over the years attached at the hip yet we couldn’t have more different lives now if we tried.  Some of my friends have chosen not to have kids and have a career, others sadly couldn’t be parents and would do anything to have a family.

Whatever we choose and where ever we are at, I think its human nature to have moments when we crave the opposite life to the one we lead.  I have a wonderful husband who is willing to support the family while I build my business, two amazing (crazy mad) little boys, a beautiful house and all the health I could ask for.  I am living the dream and doing what I love but there is always a little part of me that wonders if I would have ever chosen a different path in life.  I don’t think I would have, I think I was always destined to be a mum and a wife but I still wonder.....

This brings me to another question I have been asked about a thousand times over the past few months and that is; How did you get to do what you are doing? What made you decide to print your own fabric and how do you do it?

And the answer is:

I don’t really know! I don’t have an exact black and white answer to this question.  I'm not known for my future planning in life, as I said earlier my hubby and I are pretty good with the ‘wing it’ motto and 99% of the time it just works itself out.  It started from the determination not to go back to my old day job (pharmacy) once I had the boys.  I really wanted to build a business while they were young so by the time they started school, it would be established and profitable enough that I wouldn’t have to go back to work.  Mind you I have never worked harder in my life!!  It came from journey of ideas and trials trying to find my niche in an industry I am destined to be a part of.   It hasn't come handed to me, I have worked hard every.single.day, many a sleepless nights and I still have such a long way to go but I am loving it and twomonkeys has made a massive difference to my life.  I think the biggest thing is to make choices with your head and your heart.  Do the things you really want to do but don’t put anything you have and don’t want to lose at risk to reach your goal.  It may take you longer to get there but at least you have piece of mind if it doesn’t work, nothing is lost.   Draw inspiration from everywhere and keep yourself motivated, even when you feel its not worth it because it is.

So this brings me to the conclusion that the free spirited young couple about to set out on a journey of a lifetime to surf every beach in the country will have the time of their lives because that's their choice, the direction they have chosen, their destiny.

This is my life, my choices and the direction I have chosen; this is my destiny.  We don’t need to wish for better things or a different life, just love and accept the the things we have and we will all be much more content.

Until next timeJ

Floor Cushion Tutorial

I have seen alot of these around online so I thought I would give them a go because I just love them.  The way I have made them is so easy, even a beginner sewer could give it a crack!
This is what you will need for the size in this tutorial.  The finished size is approx 88cm.
1. 90cm of main fabric if its a one way print or 45cm if its a two way print (pattern runs either way).
*If you use a one way print like twomonkeys Punch Bug , you need the extra fabric to run the print all the same way but you will have lots of left overs.
2. 45cm of coordinating fabric.
3. 90cm base fabric.
4. One top button and one basic button for the under side of the cushion.
5. Doll needle (large needle used for doll making).
6. Upholstery thread or similar strong thread.
7. 1kg polyester fill.

This is my first tutorial so please leave comments asking any questions you like as I'm sure I need to improve my instruction skills.  My kids cant follow my instructions so hopefully you have a better chance:)

* I am very professional and use a roll of sandwich paper to cut patterns, you just need to tape three 90cm lengths together for this pattern.

May I just add, my cat it not allowed on my cutting bench. She was just being very naughty that night and wouldnt get out of the way. She got kicked off soon after so dont worry, when you order fabric it wont come with cat hair all over it:)

Opps I forgot to take a photo of this step: Lay your top piece on your base piece of fabric, right sides together.  Pin in place and cut out your base fabric.  Attach the top and bottom piece together leaving a good size hole to stuff you cushion.  If you make it too small, you will be stuffing it for ages.

Please note: If you are not familiar with the term ladder stitch, its a basic hand sewing stitch used to finish off items.  If you don't know how to do this then check out Youtube, there are heaps of how to's there.  Youtube is great when you want to learn new techniques.

If attaching the buttons seems strange, its a Jodie technique lol.  I find with things like this, its so much better to use the buttons to hold the tension as over time it will just pull a hole through the fabric otherwise.

Beware! Some may love them a little too much and want to take them to bed....

Just so you know, this template is not limited to this shape. This is an example of making the rounded top of the template bigger to give you a flower look. You could also make heart cushions so have a play if your feeling adventurous.  I didn't finish this cushion because I ran out of fill!

Well I hope you have enjoyed my first 'tut'.

Please share with me when you have made one on my facebook page,

I love to see peoples creations!!

HAVE FUN!