Circular cushion with gusset.

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  • Penny
    Pins & Needles
    • Feb 2008
    • 1899

    Circular cushion with gusset.

    Has anyone any experience of making a piped circular cushion with a gusset or side band.
    I made one in silk velvet on Monday. Stupidly I thought that it would be quite straight forward, but no it turned out looking like it had been made by someone who had no sewing experience at all! The band did not lay very flat and looked "ruched".
    Is this just the nature of the design and a soft fabric.
    I cut two circles of cloth for the top and bottom and then piped all the way round,making sure the piping was cut on the true cross and clipping it as I went. Then cut the band to the required width and length then made a join so it was a continuous circle. Then attached this to top and bottom also clipping the band as I went. I divided the circles and band into quarters so I could match it as I went round.
    The overal result was very poor.It was self piped which in my opinion was too thick and maybe should have been a thinner fabric to match.
    I put the zip in the back seam. What did I do wrong?
    Kindest Regards

    Penny

    Denton Drapes

  • #2
    Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

    I think that you have fallen foul of differential movement in the fabric Penny. I see that you have sewn your piping onto your two discs of fabric first and then sewn your band onto one disc and then the next ?? What has probably happened is that the surfaces that are being machined together tend to slip. the feed dogs move the bottom layer one way whilst the foot drags the top layer the other. You then compound the problem by turning the whole thing over and stitching the band to the other disc in the oposite direction. The end result is a cover that looks skewed and twisted. There are ways to lessen this problem like keeping your foot pressure very light whilst attaching your piping cord to your disc of fabric. using the longest stitch i.e. 4/5mm when making your piping cord and your first round of stitching also helps. Keep your thread tension to a minimum. on some fabrics I bast the piping and fabric together before machining especially on these types of cushions. You can always run round the cushion with a tighter, shorter stitch hard against the piping after you have got it all together and it looks Ok. I have just had the same problem with large bench cushions made with the same method. Cutting your fabric on the true cross for your piping will always produce a much springier piping and will elongate more easily. I was taught never to cut piping on the bias unless I had a lot of of curves to go round and where I have straight lines to pipe I always cut on the warp or weft which helps a great deal. I always pipe with a zipper foot not a piping foot. This means there is much less foot drag and I can haul the piping against the toe of the foot and produce a tighter line.

    As you can tell I am not a cushion maker and there are those i.e. Karen who makes beautiful cushions who will give you better instructions but the above is my experience in the matter.

    Comment

    • Penny
      Pins & Needles
      • Feb 2008
      • 1899

      #3
      Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

      What you describe is exactly what happened. I used a zipper foot on my brother machine by making and piping all in one operation sewing it directly on to the fabric which is how I was taught at college donkeys years ago. I do have a needle feed machine as well but it doesn't seem to like it when I attach a zipper foot.
      I think that in future a little more care is necessary and some hand basting as you have suggested and this will need to be reflected in the price.
      Many thanks for you quick response and good luck with the rest of your cushions.
      Kindest Regards

      Penny

      Denton Drapes

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

        So interesting you should mention the needle feed Penny. I have a beautiful Mitsubishi industrial needle feed but it is not possible to pipe on it because of the slot in the foot as averse to a hole in the foot of a lock stitch machine. the needle bites into the side of the piping rather than stitching up to it and when you go round tight corners the piping slips into the slot and the stitches go right over it. I have never tried a piping foot on it but turning tight corners with a standard rather than a rear cutaway piping foot is a nightmare and even with a cutaway it is difficult.

        Having read your original post again I should have twigged that you were piping silk velvet. I think most of your problem lay here. Silk velvet skids so easily when face to face. I would always bast all four layers together before I machined it with fabric such as this.

        I really hope that Karen or one of the other cushion makers reads this thread I would love to have some more comprehensive answers to the problems we both experience with this procedure.

        Comment

        • Penny
          Pins & Needles
          • Feb 2008
          • 1899

          #5
          Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

          Ok, silk velvet have never used it before so this whole problem is compounded by my inexperience. Will certainly bast all layers in future . I will be sewing for hours! However in a previous post you mentioned using velvet as a pressing mat instead of a needle board this worked a treat!
          I hope Karen and the others can help too............
          Kindest Regards

          Penny

          Denton Drapes

          Comment

          • nic
            Pins & Needles
            • Feb 2008
            • 726

            #6
            Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

            Try piping the gusset rather than the front and back. Then you have more control and it's easier to see if you are going awry rather than having to turn it rightside out and then cursing. Then divide into quarters, or even eighths, and pin thoroughly, tack, and sew slowly.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

              but then If you do it that way nic how do you join the ends of your piping cord together so that they are continuous around the cushion???? If I attatch the cord to the disc first I can make a neat piping join which appears continuous around the edge after I have sewn on the band. I am intrigued.

              Comment

              • nic
                Pins & Needles
                • Feb 2008
                • 726

                #8
                Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

                Either join the welt into a ring first, or for velvet and other slippery stuff, start piping a bit in from what will eventually be the seam, and end a bit before. Cut piping, leaving enough to make your neat join, do the other side the same way, seam it, and do the piping join exactly the same as you would on the front or back of the cushion. This way you're only fighting a short stretch of fabfic and it's much easier to control. I do most box cushions this way, except the L and T shaped ones. You can put a zip in the welt first, too, with a flap, and pipe on the bit on the other side, very smart.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

                  Got it now nic - - Thanks I'll try it.....

                  Comment

                  • Penny
                    Pins & Needles
                    • Feb 2008
                    • 1899

                    #10
                    Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

                    Thank you for your advice. I have two more coming up soon with ruched gussets so will approach these a little differently.

                    Happy Easter everyone!
                    Kindest Regards

                    Penny

                    Denton Drapes

                    Comment

                    • nic
                      Pins & Needles
                      • Feb 2008
                      • 726

                      #11
                      Re: Circular cushion with gusset.

                      Try my way on some spare fabric. You can ruche the welt before you apply the piping, and you'll have much more control.Make youself a pincushion to practice the technique.

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