Somerset Patchwork Cushion

FREE PATTERN - Somerset Patchwork Cushion Cover

I have looked at Folded Star Somerset patchwork before now and thought that it was truly beautiful but looked too fiddly for me. 

Usually Somerset folded star patchwork is used in a medallion quilt or is set in a circle for a cushion cover.

I have daughter Samantha's birthday coming up at the end of the month and I decided to try and make a folded star Somerset patchwork cushion cover so that I could give her something unusual.

I was delighted to find that it wasn't nearly as difficult to make as I had anticipated!

I have used two fabrics for the somerset patchwork star but it would be possible to use more fabrics within each layer of the star and use this as a stashbusting exercise.  The important thing is to keep each layer either dark or light - it's the contrast betwen the layers that is important in Somerset patchwork.

Equally important, for reasons that will become clear, is to use a fabric that presses well and will retain the crease marks when you fold it.


For the backing of the Somerset patchwork star, take an 18" square of plain fabric and iron a fold in each direction as shown to give the basic framework for the patchwork.  Do this by folding the square in half and ironing the fold and then keep folding the square in half in different ways so that you get a fold across both the centre lines and along each diagonal.

ROUNDS 1 AND 2

 

For the first round of the Somerset patchwork star, you will need four rectangles 2.1/2" by 1.1/2" and for the next round you will need eight rectangles the same size. 

Fold and press a 1/4" seam along one long edge of the rectangle.

 Find the centre of the folded edge (by folding it in half) and fold down one top corner to the centre of the bottom edge.  Do the same with the other top corner.  Press.





For the first round, place 4 of the light triangles folded side up with their tips in the centre, the fold running along one of the folds in the backing fabric and the edges of the triangle running along the folds either side in the backing fabric.  Stitch across the fold in the triangle and stitch through the triangle and the backing fabric to hold it in place.

Baste around the outside of the square you have created.
For the second round, take eight triangles of the dark fabric.  Place these one by one with the tips 1/2" from the centre of the star.




Line the centre fold of each triangle with one of the folds in the backing fabric.  The sides of the triangles will overlap each other.  If you work clockwise from the first triangle, each one will automatically overlap the triangle to its right.  For the eighth triangle, tuck its left hand side under the first triangle just to keep the overlaps even.  As with the first round, stitch across the fold of each triangle and stitch it to the backing fabric before moving on to the next triangle.

Trim the corners of the triangles and baste around the bases of the triangles.


Round 3


For round 3 of the Somerset patchwork star, do the same with eight light triangles, placing the points of the triangles 1/2" from the points of the dark triangles of the second round.  Baste around the bases of the triangles and trim the corners.



Round 4


Begin round 4 with eight dark triangles and place them with the points 1/2" from the points of the light triangles from round 3.  Then take another eight dark triangles and place them in between the first eight triangles with the points just at the point of the dark star of round 2.  Stitch the points in place and baste round the bases of the triangles.


Round 5


For round 5 I used 5" by 2.1/2" rectangles of fabric to make it easier to frame the star.  Cut sixteen of these and fold as before.  Place eight of the triangles with the point 1/2" away from the points of the brown triangles from round four.




Place the remaining eight triangles between the first eight, again with the points 1/2" from the brown points.  Lay your ruler with the 3.1/2" line running through the middle of the somerset patchwork and draw a line 3.1/2" away from the middle.  Repeat with lines at right angles so that you create a square with 7" sides around the folded star patchwork.



Framing the Somerset patchwork star


In order to frame the Somerset patchwork to make it suitable for a cushion cover, I decided to use a 1" strip of dark fabric (to give a 1/2" strip) and triangles so that the folded star would be on point - like a diamond rather than a square.



Cut two 51/2" squares in the contrasting fabric and cut them along the diagonal to make 4 triangles.  To the long edge of each of these attach a 7.1/2" strip of 1" wide dark fabric.





With right sides together, match the edge of the dark fabric to one of the lines you have just drawn.  Sew in place, starting and stopping stitching 1/4" from each end.  Flip this triangle over before you sew the 2nd triangle on and start stitching at the point that you finished stitching the previous side.



Flip all the triangles over and pin in place. To finish the front I wanted a little more framing so I used 2" strips of the dark fabric.  Cut two 10.3/4" strips to place on each side and two 13.3/4" strips to go on top and bottom.


Trim the backing fabric to the edge of the Somerset patchwork.  Cut a rectangle for the back of the cushion cover about 14" by 36".  Turn under a double hem at each short edge of the rectangle to hide the raw edges.

Place the Somerset patchwork panel with right side up on the right side of the cushion backing fabric, in the centre.  This means you will have about 11" above and below the patchwork.

Fold the two ends of the cushion down over the front of the Somerset patchwork panel.  They will overlap by about 8".  This makes the envelope which will be at the back of the cushion to enable you to put the cushion pad in.  Using a 1/4" seam, sew all round the square, turn the cushion cover right side out, gently pushing the corners out, and your folded star Somerset patchwork cushion cover is ready for use.  Well done!   
Here's the video:


   



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rose@ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk