The Sewing Room

Monkeynut

Hi all - little newbie to the sewing room thread squeezing in

I'm wanting to attempt a cushion cover, and have ideas for the design, but just want to know what's best for the actual cushion cover material, like the background part of the design?
Can I just use the normal cottons / polycottons? Or is it best to be something more substantial / thicker?
Thanks

[Deleted User]

Monkeynut I think that you will really need furnishing fabrics for a cushion. You can usually get a remnant fairly cheaply which is large enough to make a cushion.

I also use furnishing fabric remnants to make tote bags

Monkeynut

Thanks oneworm.
Would this be the case if it's only really intended as a decorative cushion, like to put on a bed/chair that's not really used, rather than as a functional cushion that's used as such?

Where is the best place to get good value furnishing fabrics / remnants?

[Deleted User]

Using a furnishing fabric you get a crisper/firmer finish. I am sure that you could use a lighter weight fabric but it would look softer but that might be the effect you want. You would need to consider what you were going to put inside the cushion becuase the fabric would be more see through although there would be no problem with a cushion pad. If it is just decorative give it a go!

Monkeynut

It would just be a cushion pad.
At the risk of sounding completely dense what else does one put inside a cushion?!? Do you mean like doing a lavender cushion or something?? As I said, I'm a bit of a beginner at all this, so trying to get as much info as possible, and don't want to miss out on something obvious because I haven't thought of it

gibson123

Monkeynut, MSE'rs are just as likely to make our own cushion pads from old pillows, quilts, redundant and scruffy soft toys, wadding, foam or many other recycables. We would probably use cotton or sheeting to make the pad case. I agree thicker material for a cushion, cotton unless it is chintz or pretty patterned can look very cheap as a soft furnishing.

Monkeynut

I see - fab ideas. Old pillows and quilts - what a brilliant idea. Think I will definitely have a play around.
I've found some cheap and cheerful cotton / polycotton fabric to buy online, probably not the best quality, but nice and cheap that I can have a practice with and see how I get on, rather than ruining the nicer material.

The cotton material I was planning on using is a pretty pattern, so maybe ok. Again, I think I will just have to give it a go and see how I get on.

Actually, thinking about it with the practice fabric, I've just remembered I got a couple of duvet covers from a bootfair for £1 each that I bought for that very purpose. Must dig those out, then nothing to lose really when / if I go wrong.
What type of material would things like duvet covers be called? I know most of them are a polycotton material, but they are thicker than the type of fabric that sewing shops sell meters / FQs etc of.
Is this what you mean by furnishing fabric?

[Deleted User]

Monkeynut. If you go to a fabric shop (unless it is a specialist) the fabrics will be dress weight cottons, poly/cottons, linen, wool, viscose ... perhaps with a few furnishing fabrics.

Furnishing store will have fabrics similarly made from cotton, wool, linen, poly/cotton etc but they are heavier/thicker and will be labelled furnishing fabrics and they will often specify if they are suitable for just curtaining or for upholstery. Upholstery fabrics tend to be more expensive than dressmaking fabrics.

It is a matter of choosing the right fabric for the project. Dressmaking fabrics are not so heavy so they can be "moulded" or draped to fit a body. The furnishing fabrics are heavier so they hang nicely and you can get a firmer finish and they will take more wear.

If you look online at http://www.candh.co.uk/ for example you will see how they divide up their fabrics for dressmaking or soft furnishing. The online shops often mostly dressmaking fabrics unless they state otherwise.

As for duvet covers material someone will probably be able to help you. The only polycotton sheeting I have bought was more suitable for sheets than duvets.

pennib

Monkeynut; For my cushions I love linen or calico and I always use an envelope back....no buttons or zips:T

Monkeynut

Thanks again oneworm for all your help and info. I've had a look on the C&H website, and will pop into my local store at the weekend and have a look. Whenever I've been in there before I've only really looked at the dressmaking fabric department, so will have a proper look downstairs at the furnishing ones.
And Pennib - I was definitely planning on an envelope back too Looks like I should be able to manage that But won't try and run before I can walk even thinking about zips etc. I do quite like when people pop a couple of pretty buttons on the back so that it looks like they are used to fasten it, when in fact they are just decoration!