Challenge Number 3

Today is 'show and tell' day for the monthly textile challenge I take part in. I've mentioned it before here.

There are 3 of us in our little group, my lovely friend Lesley who I met when I enrolled on a textile course at Beverley College in 2005. Sarah, who is a friend of Lesley's, and then there is little old me! We are all quite far flung, so don't get to meet up and inspire each other. That's where the monthly textile challenge comes in. We all have quite different but busy lives, so there is never any pressure to take part if we've got too much on. I think the fact that there are only 3 of us compels me to make the effort and have a go, where as, if there were many more in the group, I would feel that no-one would notice if I sneakily missed a couple of challenges!

Anyway the challenge this month was to make two small or one large cushion cover, using a piece of fabric you had dyed yourself and to incorporate some ribbon. So this is my offering, (only one small cushion I'm afraid)

I've had the fabrics for a few months now and I knew I wanted to make a cushion cover for the little cushion I use on my sewing chair in the attic. So this particular challenge couldn't have been better!

Now I haven't done much dyeing in the past and consequently don't have much in the way of dye laying around the house. I do however have copious amounts of tea in the kitchen, so a brew was made and the centre panel was cut from a vintage linen pillowcase (cos the quality was fab!) A few minutes of dipping and stirring produced a lovely soft, creamy, beige colour.

A lot of rummaging later and I'd found a few bits of sheer ribbon to embroider into little flowers.

I put a couple of little Velcro straps on the top,

and HEY PRESTO! A cushion that hangs in just the right spot on the back of my chair!

You can check out Lesley's gorgeous cushions at her new blog, http://www.lesleyscreations.blogspot.com/ you won't be disappointed, we both have very different styles!

It's my turn to set the next challenge, so I best get my thinking cap on.

Fi x