make a cushion

1 Download and print the templates. Cut a 44.5cm square from plain linen, and set aside. Use the templates to cut out a tree trunk and branches and four letters from various prints. Use the picture as a guide to cut out the tree top, two clouds and several oval cut leaves from cloud and floral prints. Back all shapes with interfacing.

2 Use the template to trace the words onto tissue paper. Lay all the appliqué pieces onto the cushion front until you are happy with the design, making sure you have left enough room for the writing. Pin and stitch the clouds, tree top, trunk and leaves in place. Iron on the reverse.

3 Pin the tissue paper on the cushion front, along only the top edge of the paper. Take the four large fabric letters and lift the tissue for each in turn to guide the placement, using acid free glue to keep them in place. Pin the remaining tissue flat. Machine stitch over the words twice, tear away the tissue and iron on the reverse.

4 Stitch five birds around the clouds in an open V shape. Press. Cut four 2.5cm x 45.5cm strips from mustard cotton. With right sides facing, stitch one to each side of your finished front section, using a 5mm seam allowance. Cut off any excess fabric and iron the seam open.

5 Cut a 33cm x 46.5cm rectangle from mustard cotton. Turn the top, longer edge over twice by 1cm. Pin, hem and press. Cut 45cm from coordinating ribbon, turn the raw end over twice by 5mm and stitch to the middle of the fabric, 9.5cm down from the top edge. Hem the other end of the ribbon.

6 Cut one 8cm x 46.5cm and one 22cm x 46.5cm piece of floral print. Lay them right sides together and stitch, trapping the end of a 45cm long piece of ribbon in the centre, aligning raw edges, using a 1cm seam allowance. Fold them back so they are wrong sides together and iron the seam flat.

7 Lay the cushion front right side up, with the floral back section right side down on top, aligning the raw edges. Lay the plain back piece over this, lining up the bottom edge with the front section, right side down, then pin the layers together.

8 Stitch around the outside with a 5mm seam, leaving the overlap of the floral and mustard fabric unstitched. Clip the corners and turn the pillowcase out. Iron flat and insert a cushion pad. Tie the ribbon into a bow to close the flap.

stitch an inspirational pillow

1 Cut a 44.5cm square from patterned fabric. Use the template to cut a panel from linen fabric and interface it. Pin this in the middle of the printed square and use a bright thread to stitch around it twice, just in from the edge. Iron the reverse.

2 Use the template to cut out the letters from printed fabric and back all with interfacing. Trace the phrase onto tissue paper and pin it across the top in the middle of the linen. Position the letters and machine stitch the words twice. Press on the reverse.

3 Cut out two decorative sections from floral fabric, back with interfacing and stitch across the top left and bottom right corners of the linen square. Stitch an assortment of buttons to the bottom left and top right corners.

4 Make up the cushion back piece as before, or simply cut a piece of fabric the same size as the finished front, place right sides together and pin and stitch together with a 1cm seam allowance. Leave a gap in the bottom for turning. Clip the corners, turn out, insert the pad and hand stitch the opening closed.