Embroidered Cat Cushion

Add a quirky touch to your sofa with this adorable feline cushion. Decorated with an array of embroidery stitches, this is a great opportunity to practise and experiment with stitching. This cushion is easy to make and the difficulty of the embroidery design is up to you, so you can make it as simple or intricate as you like.

Essentials

Fabric, wool, grey, 40cm x 60cm
Needle, embroidery; sewing
Thread, embroidery, assorted colours
Embroidery hoop
Fibre filling
Buttons, two

Dimensions List

20cm x 31cm

Make a cat plush

Download the template and print out. Transfer to a piece of fabric measuring at least 20cm x 30cm, and place in an embroidery hoop. Using two strands of embroidery thread throughout and working away from the edge, begin by sewing around the whole outline of the cat in running stitch, using orange thread.
Continue with the face, outlining the lower edge in running stitch, using orange thread, then fill in the triangular nose in satin stitch, using black. Use back stitch for the whiskers and mouth, and work French knots for the dots, also in black. Fill in the ear centres in satin stitch, using yellow, then outline these with several rows of running stitch in different colours, following the triangular shape.
Using the remaining lines of the design as guidelines, experiment with your choice of colours to add decorative detail to the cat including a tail. Use the photograph as a guide: all the stitches used are variants of running stitch, sewn in straight lines, curves, circles, spirals and zig zags, with straight stitches radiating out from some of the circles. Then sew two buttons in place as eyes.
When the embroidery is finished, remove from the hoop and press the work lightly on the reverse. Then pin it, wrong side up, to another piece of the same fabric and cut out, going through both thicknesses, 1.5cm outside the running stitch outline.
Stitch the two pieces together with a 1.2cm seam, leaving a gap of 5cm in one of the straight sides for turning. Snip into the seam allowance on all the curved edges, taking care not to cut through the stitching, then turn right side out. Fill the cushion with stuffing, then turn in the seam allowance on the open edges and sew closed using slip stitch.