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Cushion Materials

As well as the fabric for your cushion,you will need to choose thread, a typeof fastening and trimmings or otherdecorations. Experiment with dressingup cushion covers with the manyfastenings, threads and trimmingsavailable to ensure that the result isunique to you and your home.

Bias binding: buy this ready-made or make your own. Cut on the bias (orcross) to give stretch, these narrowstrips may be used to make piping androuleau loops.

Braid: this woven ribbon is used fortrimming and is available in manycolours, weights and widths.

Buttons: available in many colours andweights, buttons can be used bothdecoratively, as part of a design, and toclose a cushion.

Cotton balls: available from specialistcraft shops, these are used to shapefabric tassels.

Embroidery thread: available as perle,soft-cotton and stranded, use this forembroidery and for making tassels.Eyelets: purchased in kit form alongwith a special fixing tool, eyelets canbe used on their own or threaded withcord, ribbon or rope.

Fringing: an edging made from cutthreads, fringing is an effective andeasy way to trim cushions.

Fusible bonding web: this is used to bond applique motifs to fabric prior tostitching; or to bond woven ribbons toa hacking fabric.

Machine-embroidery thread: thisthread is more lustrous than regularsewing thread. It is also available inmetallic shades.

Piping cord: this plain cotton cord canbe covered with bias binding andinserted in seams. Ready-made piping isavailable, though only in a limitedrange of colours.

Press-and-close fastening: this easy-to-use fastener simply presses together andis a good alternative to zips (zippers). Itcan be bought in strips or as small pads.

Press fasteners: these metallic fasteners are used for closing light-weight fabric cushions. Press-fastenertape is also available, and has theadvantage of being quicker to applythan individual fasteners.

Ribbon: ribbon is available in a vastrange of colours, widths and textures.Build up a collection of small piecesand leftovers of ribbon handy for trimming cushions.

Self-cover buttons: available in kitform and in a range of sizes, these maybe used as decorative features - such asflower centres - or as closures.

Tapestry wools: hand sew wool to theedges of cushions to add definition.Wadding: this synthetic padding canbe used for filling piping or for makingcushion pads.

Zip (zipper) fasteners: available inmany weights, lengths and colours, zipfasteners come with either plastic ormetal teeth.