Frugal cushions

Home-making doesn't have to cost the earth. I have always believed it can be done on a shoestring!

#2 and his gorgeous girlfriend are moving into their first home next month and I have drummed into him the idea that not everything has to be new and costly!  He brought me a photo on his phone that he had taken in a shop of some knitted cushions they both liked, but which were over £20 each. "My Mum could make those," he says to lovely girlfriend and sure enough... here is the first one....................

Now I do have a confession to make. Cushion number 2 is in the process of being crocheted, but I knew it would take me ages to knit one like this. Yesterday I visited a charity shop and this hand-knitted woollen sweater caught my eye. I paid the princely sum of £4 for it. I prefer natural yarns over man-made so I was really chuffed to discover this was made with wool.

Once home, I unpicked the sleeves and the collar, which I have to say had been beautifully stitched, so this took some time. I then unravelled the jumper to just below the armpit level, saving the wool as I went.

I started by joining the bottom seam. I then picked up and bound all the loose stitches by using single crochet all the way around the sweater. To make the button holes, I did a row of single crochet along the front edge, with three lots of 10 chains spaced evenly. I finished off by using double crochet along the seam, including the chains, to make a substantial seam and button holders. A quick look in my ancient button tin revealed three lovely wooden buttons which were just the thing I needed and ta da ..... one new cushion cover.

Time taken - about 3 hours.
Cost - sweater - £4
Cushion pad - lurking in the attic feeling unloved and wanted - FREE
Buttons - FREE
Yarn - recycled - FREE
Love - unlimited - FREE
Total cost £4.


I hope they like it.