The Duck cushion part 2

I am not sure if I have blogged this embroidery and I am snatching time here and there to update my sewing while doing the annual write out of Christmas cards...

When I was at the Sew Craft Retreat in August I bought a second embroidery from Kristen Doran Designs. Very 70's and reminds me of the wall in Hilda Ogden's front room on Coronation St (the second picture). I have a friend (who I hope doesn't read my blog) who I think this will appeal to and while I can imagine it framed on a wall I would prefer to make it into a cushion. And I have one last cushion left from the pack I bought for the baby cushions I made earlier this year! I can see it on her couch either at her home in Newport or at her holiday home in Scotland. It was stitched at OT and swimming over the course of a few weeks using a veriagated brown and green DMC thread. I really like how it has turned out!

I had made some piping using ribbon a few months ago one sewing weekend when my regular teacher wasn't there and the fill in teacher was more interested in comparing Grandkids stories with the class and tooting her own trumpet about what she was learning at the TAFE she was going to than actually imparting any sewing knowledge to those who were struggling. Needless to say, I came home in tears and unpicked 3 hours of work and cursed the $30 I had spend on ribbon and cord and the wasted lesson. I pushed it to the back of the sewing pile and promised myself it would be done before Christmas but needed a few nice finishes to get my sewjo back!

Under the guidance of my sewing teacher Chris, I learned just how to get the machine to stitch really close to the piping. She also put some wadding behind the peices to give it a bit of 'lift'. Moral of the story, wait for Chris before tackling difficult projects!

It isn't finished but will be in a months time (next lesson) ready for giving over the Christmas break. I have green piping put on the cushion edge and a medium pinky/brown fabric to go on the back from the French General (I think!). Still deciding how to finish the back, a zip, buttons or a simple envelope. I am leaning towards zip because I don't want a gape (and I like the way Chris teaches to put zip's in!)