www.ashford.co.nz/wheel28

Lynn has created four gorgeous cushion covers using our Merino and silk/Merino fibre.Her French Knot and Misty Dot Cushions feature in Issue 28 of The Wheel. Here are her patterns for the Stitched Grid and Horizontal Circles Cushion Covers.

BY LYNN HEFKEY, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Stitched Grid and Horizontal CirclesYou will need:Stitched Grid 36cmx36cm (14x14ins):

Ashford White Merino Natural approx. 50gm (1¾ozs)Ashford Vanilla silk/Merino approx. 60gm (2ozs)Ashford Liquorice Merino (black) approx. 25gm (1oz)Ashford Tekapo 3 ply cream Wool

Horizontal Circles 36cm x 55cm (14x 21½ins):

Ashford White Merino Natural approx. 90gm (3ozs)Ashford Vanilla/ silk Merino approx. 100gm (3½ozs)Ashford Grey Merino approx. 20gm (¾oz)Ashford Liquorice Merino (black) approx. 20gm (¾oz)

Equipment Bubble wrap 75x75cm (30x30ins) for 36x36cm cushions, bubble wrap 75x95cm (30x37ins) for 36 x55cm cushions, bottle with holes in lid for soap and water, liquid laundry soap, a bar of soap, tulle netting, plastic tray or favourite rubbing tool, pool noodle, medium size wooden rod, thin plastic same size as bubble wrap, plastic for resists, scissors, needles, paper for templates, a small brass brush or similar to scratch up backs of prefelts, a sander to help work multiple layers, black thread, rotary cutter and cutting board.

Templates and Resists36x36cm cushions: cut out 2 paper templates 36x36cm (use for drawing design) cut out 2 paper template enlarged by 5cm each side = 46x46cm use as pattern under bubble wrap, ( this will give enough room for shrinkage and trimming to give a firm edge for sewing).

36x55cm cushions: cut out 2 paper templates 36x55cm ( use for drawing design) cut out 2 paper template enlarged by 5cm each = 46x65cm, use as pattern under bubble wrap.

Horizontal cushion: for resists cut out centre circles, 1 plastic 11cm diameter, 1 plastic 7cm diameter and 1 plastic 2.5cm diameter. Cut out 24 plastic resists approx. 2cm diameter - for 12 grey and 12 black dots.

PrefeltsStitched Grid cushionLay out 4 layers perpendicular to each other in Liquorice Merino (black), approx 20x25cm (8x10ins). Wet down and work as felting instructions to a very firm stage. Cut 8 strips approx. 17 x 1.5cm (6½ x½ins).

Felted Cushions

Horizontal Circles cushion cover

It’s important to scratch up one side of the prefelt so it will attach to the felt.

Horizontal circle cushionMake prefelts in Liquorice (black) and grey Merino in 2 layers for the centre circle as 4 layers is too thick. Must be well worked and firm. For the dots you can do 2 or 4 layer depending on effect. It’s important to scratch up one side of the prefelt so it will attach to the felt.

Stitched Grid cushion cover

1. Felted Cushions

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Making cushionsInstructions for laying out1. Lay enlarged template on the table, lay the bubble wrap on top with the bubbles facing down, lay thin plastic on top of bubble wrap. This will hold embellishments in place till attached to the felt. Before you start, decide in which direction you want the last layer to finish, horizontal or vertical.2. Divide the white merino for 2 layers by weighing.No1. Lay horizontalNo2. Lay vertical3. Divide silk/ merino for 2 layers by weighing and leaving 10g for finishing.No3. Lay horizontalNo4. Lay vertical4. With the 10g Silk/ Merino gently open up and gently pull out strips of silk and lay on top of the 4th layer in the same direction as you have finished.

Instructions for Felting1. Remove template from under the bubble wrap, as it will get wet and you can use for future cushions.2. Cover with net and wet down with warm soapy water, pressing down with hands.

It’s important to scratch up prefelt lines. Remove thread. Adjust grid.5. Follow felting instructions from No3 to No16.

When wet thoroughly, gently rub with tray in circular motion to form a skin. Lifting the net often as not to attach the wool to the net. 3. Pull edges in to the centre with soapy fingertips, this helps to firm up the edges. Replace the net and rub again, repeat a few more times.4. Remove net and replace with thin plastic sheet.5. At this stage I like to use a sander. Make sure all excess water is soaked up with a towel. If you don’t have a sander see out the section on rolling.6. Place the sander on the plastic sheet for a few seconds, pick up and move overlapping the last spot where the sander was placed, pick up and move the sander over the entire surface. Repeat entire surface several times. Work for approx. 10 minutes.

7. As surface starts to felt you can slide the sander around, sliding in the early stages can move embellishments. 8. Pick up felt with the layers of thin plastic and flip over and work as the other side approx. 10 minutes, checking often and flipping the felt over a several times. 9. Remove the thin plastic and sand with

Techniques for each cushion

Stitch Grid Cushion1. Follow laying out instructions from No1 to No4. Remembering if you want to change direction, start with horizontal for a vertical finish and vice versa. Remove template.2. Wet down as in felting No1 to No2. Removing net.3. Lay down thread to work out centre of cushion.4. Lay out 8 cut prefelt strips using a little soap as glue, 4 in one direction and 4 in opposite direction, now you have a grid. You can weave the lines if you want.

bubble wrap directly under the sander with bubbles down, on both sides of the felt.10. Do a pinch test, if the fibres pull apart, sand a few more times each side.11. Once firm you can start fulling. Roll up with bubble wrap on noodle or large wooden rod (as I prefer) and roll for approx. 5 minutes each side, checking often. 12. Do the pinch test, there should be little or no lift in the wool.13. Remove bubble wrap and roll felt around rod for a few minutes each side. If not enough keep rolling. Keep checking.14. Now roll up between 2 dry towels in each direction, you will see shrinkage. Work till there is very little movement when pulled in different directions. Making sure that the centre is well felted where the wool is thicker with embellishments.15. Rinse in warm water with a dash of vinegar. Spin in a washing machine.16. Roll around rod or rub with tray to smooth out the felt then press with an iron.

RollingIf you are not using a sander:1. Work from No1 to No4. in instructions for felting.2. Roll up with bubble wrap on the noodle, roll for approx. 5 minutes each side, checking often. Repeat a few times.3. Once the embellishments are starting to attach, remove the thin plastic from both sides then roll with noodle and bubble wrap for 5 minutes each side.4. I like to change from the noodle to my wooden rod and bubble wrap for more rolling, doing the pinch test along the way.5. Now refer to felting instructions from No 13 to No 16.

2. Felted Cushions

6. Trim cushion to suggested size.7. Sew a running stitch with the 3 ply wool in the centre of each black line, working in one direction, then the other direction.

www.ashford.co.nz/wheel283. Felted Cushions

FinishingAttach a backing to the cushion front, fill with fibre and secure.

Horizontal Circles1. Follow laying out instructions from No1 to No2, (2 layers only). Remove template.2. Now you have 2 layers, lay net over and wet down with soapy water, rub with tray and remove net.3. Lay thread down to work out centre lines in both directions.4. It’s important to scratch up the back of the large black centre circle and the centre of its front, same with grey centre circle and 1 side of black centre circle.5. Lay large black circle in centre of cushion, wet down with soapy water, lay grey circle on top of black circle, wet down, lay black circle on top of grey circle, wet down. 6. Lay out all other circles randomly, mixing up black and grey.7. Now lay plastic resists on all circles and use the large plastic resist to cover centre circle making sure there is plenty of soapy water under the layers. Remembering to remove thread.

8. Continue to lay out last 2 layers of the silk/ merino as in the laying out instructions No3 and No4.9. Follow felting instructions from No2 to No14.10. To remove the resists, cut all circles open carefully and trim back with sharp scissors. 11. Work the edges with fingertips, soap and water till firm.12. Once firm continue to No16. 13. Trim to suggested size.