Bobby La's Beautiful Cushions

Cowboy Bee Cushion

2007-07-04T04:09:00.000-07:00

The rest is over here in the main thread...

or here at Flickr...

The Rabbit Cushion

2006-02-13T14:30:00.000-08:00

So called because I used an old rabbit fur coat my mother had owned. This cushion is supreme in decadence and lusciousness. If I take it to class and hand it to someone, they invariably hug it and put their face to the lovely soft fur. The bee embroidery is worked largely in metallic threads and filaments, with cotton, silk and rayon as well.

I am sorry for the poor little lapin, long deceased, and hope my efforts honour them in some way.

The design will be a pattern at some stage, is already a class (get some gals together and give me a ring), and if you want to buy the cushion itself you'll need to wait until I figure out how much it is. Worth every dollar.

I wrote a silly story about it, but it's too long for here, so I've stuck it somewhere and you can find it there.

'Drunkard's Path Variation' Cushion

2006-02-13T03:52:00.000-08:00

This design is very simply made and to good effect. The large size of the cushion (60cm across) makes it a beautiful centre piece and lovely to snuggle into for a well deserved afternoon movie marathon.

An added feature of self-covered buttons gives it a luscious opulence, although you can omit that detail and add a zip if you must.

I havn't photographed the back yet, but it's gorgeous, even if I do say so myself. It'll be up soon I promise.

Pattern AU$13.20 + $1.00 postage within Australia.

The Bobble Cushion

2006-02-13T03:47:00.000-08:00

Whether the style of your home is Victorian, Edwardian, Retro-Funk or Ultra Modern, the Bobble Cushion will snuggle into the mood perfectly.

Various methods of manipulating fabric have been in and out of fashion for a very long time. Most of us will remember the lush ‘Lattice Smocked’ cushions our grandmother’s made in the forties and fifties, then the brighter, modern colours used in the sixties.

My version is made in velvet, which shows up the texture beautifully. Plus, I love to snuggle into a velvet cushion . All of my cushions are velvet!

The design would work very well in shot silk, as well as most other fabrics that I can think of. Made up in an appropriate floral is surprisingly successful, although it does not photograph effectively so I can’t show you. I would like to make one in some old, metallic-looking Japanese silk I have in my voluminous fabric collection. That would be an incredibly funky bobbly cushion.

Pattern: AU$10.00 + $3.50 postage anywhere in Australia.

Op Shop Tapestry Conversion.

2006-02-13T03:39:00.000-08:00

This old daggy canvas work looks beautiful now with rucched velvet and bobble fringe. Shocking photo, sorry. My true love and I discussed what colour for the fringe, and he wasn't sure I'd picked the right colour until he saw it finished. He's good like that, you know, sharing about such a thing, because he's just as particular as I am and because it matters to him what colours we use in the caravan. Our caravan is far more stylish than our (rented) house. We deliberate over every addition. He chose the fabric I covered the couch in, this lovely blue.

I did 'Velvet' stitch or 'Ghiordes' or 'Turkey Knots', whichever you wish to call it... down the horses mane to cover a stain.
I'll take a better picture soon, and one of the back, which always must be as lovely. I've buttoned the back with old bakerlite buttons. Is that how you spell bakerlite?

And just a hint: Put the buttons to one end so you can snuggle your face into the velvet and not into hard buttons.
Just put this in to give you an idea for some old embroideries you might have floating around...

It's me still, cute as ever!

2006-02-13T03:38:00.000-08:00

When I was about twenty years old (1978), I found a great book at the library on soft furnishings. It had big lips and fluffy things and pictures and all of the weird and wonderful cushions imaginable. I got it out again and again and was inspired enough to make my own funky designs.

Cushions should be cosy, in my humble opinion, and I invariably end up using velvets. Almost invariably. Making a new set of cushions changes and lifts any interior beautifully. Forget a new paint job or a new house or an extension, just make some new cushion covers! Easy.