How to Make a Flying Geese Cushion

• Sizzix Big Shot Machine
• Sizzix Bigz Dies – Half-square triangles 4 inch
• 50 cm plain navy cotton fabric
• 28 cm x 14 cm each of lime green, turquoise, red and orange cotton fabrics
• Navy thread
• 40 cm cushion pad
• Sewing machine

• Scissors
• Ruler or tape measure
• Iron

All seam allowances are 6 mm (quarter inch) this is standard for patchwork, but I will remind you each time.

Let’s get cutting

1. Navy fabric – cut one x 42 cm square.
2. Fold the fabric to cover the blades of the die – and roll it through the Big Shot, sandwiched between the cutting plates. (You can try cutting four layers at a time if you like.) You need to cut 16 triangles.
3. Now cut four triangles from each of the other coloured fabrics.

 Now to stitch

1. Stitch a navy and a turquoise triangle together
2. Repeat with the other three  turquoise triangles and then press the seams – two should be pressed towards the navy triangle and two towards the turquoise – so that when we join the squares together the seams will nest against each other.
3. Stitch two of the ‘new’ squares together, this makes one flying goose, and press the centre seam open. (Photo four shows how the pressed seams should look.) 
   
4. Pin and stitch two flying geese together, matching the centre seams.
   
5. Repeat steps one to four with the lime green, red and orange fabrics.
6. Using the photo of the finished cushion as a guide pin and stitch the flying geese together in pairs, and then join together to complete the cushion front.

Completing the cushion cover

1. Lay the cushion front right side down on the cushion back.
2. Pin the two pieces together and stitch, leaving three quarters of one side open.
3. Insert the cushion pad and then slip-stitch the opening closed.

If you’ve enjoyed making this cushion, how about making another slightly different one?

• Sizzix Big Shot Machine
• Sizzix Bigz Dies – Half-square triangles two inch
• Sizzix Bigz Dies – Square four inch
• 60 cm of plain navy cotton fabric
• 30 x 15 cm each, of lime green, turquoise, red and orange cotton fabrics
• Navy thread 
• 40 cm cushion pad
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Ruler or tape measure
• Iron

Let’s start the cutting

1. Navy fabric – Cut one x 42 cm square for the back. Using the Square die fold the fabric and cut six squares.Using the Half –Square triangle die – fold the fabric so that the blades are covered and cut 32 triangles.
2. Fold the lime and green fabrics in half to create a 15 cm square – lay it over the blades of the Half-Square triangle die and cut eight triangles.
3. Repeat with the red, turquoise and orange fabrics ( it is possible to cut up to eight layers of fabric at a time so you could easily double up and cut two colours at the same time).

Now let’s stitch

1. Stitch all the triangles together and press in the same way as for the first cushion – you just have more to make this time.
2. Using photo of cushion two as a guide stitch four matching flying geese together – so you will have four strips.
3. Stitch four squares together to make a large square for the middle section
4. Pin and stitch a strip of flying geese to opposite sides of the navy centre, and press the seam towards the navy centre.
5. Stitch a square to each end of the remaining strips of flying geese, and press the seams towards the squares.
6. Now pin and stitch the remaining strips of flying geese to the other two sides of the centre, to complete your cushion front, and press.
7. To complete the cover repeat the steps from cushion one.

Now sit back with a drink of your choice and enjoy!