All posts filed under: Tutorial

Appliqued cushion tutorial thedreamstress.com

Tutorial: How to make a cushion cover decorated with applique

Published by The Dreamstress

Happy holidays everyone! As a little gift, here is a tutorial for making one of my favourite homemade gifts: a cushion cover decorated with an appliqued motif.  This tutorial uses iron-on bonding to apply the applique motif, which makes it MUCH easier to work with (and is also a great technique for anything you want to applique). To make an 18″ cushion cover  you will need: One 35cm/14” to 40cm/16″ zip 1/2 metre of mid/heavy weight non-stretch fabric cut into 3 pieces: one square that is 49cm x 49cm (19.25″ x 19 1/4″”) (for your cushion front), and two rectangles (for your cushion back) that are each 49cm x 26cm ( 19 1/4″ x 10 1/4″”) a 30cm x 30cm piece of midweight cotton fabric for your applique a 30cm x 30cm piece of Vliesofix (aka Bondaweb) or Steam-a-Seam  for your applique One 18″ square cushion inner Plus basic sewing equipment like a sewing machine, thread, scissors, marking chalk, and iron etc. First you’ll need to choose a motif for your applique.  For my demonstration …

Trimming a hat with a silk stocking, ’20s style

Published by The Dreamstress

I came across this tutorial for making a hat from an old silk stocking in my Feb 1928 issue of The Women’s Magazine, and I thought it was rather fabulous and something that you might enjoy.  What a great re-use idea!  It’s also a great insight into the colours and aesthetics that were en vogue on the eve of the Great Depression. Now, if only I had any old silk stockings to re-use 😉

Making a medieval inspired belt

Published by The Dreamstress

I first wore my ca. 1369 medieval dress to a historical banquet, so I felt it needed fancier, glitzier accessories than I will usually wear it with. Enter the silk veil, gold circlet, and embellished gold leather belt: My belt was primarily inspired by the effigy of Katherine, Countess of Warwick.  Her narrow belt sits at the hips, fastens at the front with a small buckle, features raised floral motifs, and has no hanging end. The belt I ended up with isn’t historically accurate, but it’s attractive, gives the effect, and was quick, cheap, easy and fun to make! To make my costume take on Katherine’s  belt, I started with a cheap belt with an embossed floral pattern: Using an Elmers Painters Metallic pen, I coloured it gold.  The  TRG the One Colour Dye & Preparer I recommend for my dyeing leather shoes and bags tutorial comes in gold and works even better, but I didn’t have the right shade on hand when I did this belt.  I didn’t worry too much about getting my …