Craft Preview: January 22, 2022 Issue


embroidered cushion

It’s time to showcase your skills with this lovely hand-embroidered cushion.

It is the perfect addition to any home.

The floral motif is repeated throughout the cushion in French knots, outline stitch and satin stitch.

This cushion was worked on linen in Olympus Embroidery Floss but any standard six-strand embroidery thread such as DMC or Anchor can be used instead.

In addition to the threads and fabric, you will need fusible webbing, a No. 6 embroidery needle, embroidery hoop or frame, a water-soluble transfer pen (or your preferred means of transferring the design) and a cushion pad measuring 35 cm (14 ins) square.

We recommend buying the cushion pad once the cushion is complete, as sometimes, a bigger pad works better, giving a fuller cushion.

We have stitched our design on a yellow linen to be nice and bright, but a more neutral shade works just as well. It is also simple to change the thread shades to a more muted selection if you prefer.

We have graded our cushion as intermediate; you do need some experience of freehand embroidery.

If a full cushion seems too daunting, why not try adding one motif to a napkin, handkerchief or pillowcase?

Photograph courtesy of Search Press.

“Beautiful Botanical Embroidery”

This cushion design is taken from the book, “Beautiful Botanical Embroidery” by Alice Makabe, published by Search Press, RRP £14.99.

It is full of makes with a nature theme. There is a money-saving offer in the magazine, too, for UK readers.

You can find out more about this book at the Search Press website.

Hand embroidery is a lovely, relaxing craft. Why not give it a go?


Find the full instructions to make this embroidered cushion in our January 22, 2022 issue. In shops from Wednesday, January 19!

Or you can subscribe to “The People’s Friend” here, to make sure you’ll never miss another one of our great patterns and projects.

Liz O’Rourke

Liz is part of our Features Team and her hobbies include knitting and crafts, reading and foreign travel which are also her main responsibilities on the “Friend”. If you walk into the office you will soon spot her desk, it’s the one piled high with knitwear and balls of yarn!