Thursday 1 September 2011

The plumpest of them all



I am glad to report that the Princess Bunchy cushion project which started here has finally been completed, to the satisfaction of all. In between scaling the mountain of sheets which the morning brought, I pieced together the cushion of which you had a tantalizing little glimpse last week.


There was much discussion of buttons and in the late afternoon as I was amongst the peaks of the linen hills, I thought that I had finished, being under the impression that buttons were not required, being cheek denting to reposing royalty, but no, the princess insisted on exploring the farthest reaches of my button boxes and there was much in the way of pondering and setting out and rearranging and I had time to hang out more washing and wonder why small dogs have a penchant for pegs and enjoy picking my best jumbo pegs out of the basket and running off with them just when I want to peg out big chunky bathmats . . . although to find them you just have to follow the trail of chewed wooden dolly pegs to behind the greenhouse and then when you are back indoors ready to stitch on the buttons in the prescribed arrangement you find that said small dog smells, no smells is not the word, the Great Stink is what comes to mind, and then the small dog must be introduced to the concept of bathing by a princess, no less, and then you find small dog rolled up in a towel and smelling of coconut by the Aga having been carefully and royally deposited there with just a little black nose sticking out, unable to move. So then you have to release small dog from captivity being worried about the perils of rheumatism inherent in being left wrapped in a damp towel, at which point rheumaticky old dog settles herself to sleep on damp towel . . .


And then you try to remember what you were doing before the shaggy dog tale began, and oh yes, a dozen buttons to sew on a cushion which will not need many buttons . . .


But all is finished now - another lovely project from Cute and Easy Quilting and Stitching - thank you, Charlotte Liddle, and thank you, Cico Books - you have made a little princess very happy, and kept her mother happily stitching which is much more fun than grubbing around in the foothills of the laundry pile.


So there we see them, all lined up in a row - I am afraid that it is quite impossible for you to admire them in situ in the disarray of Bunchy's bedroom, for you would be quite shocked that a princess could live in such a, shall we say, busy environment, and in fact you would hardly get in through the door such is the agglomeration of artefacts on the floor, and actually it is preferable to avert one's gaze.


Much better to admire the soft furnishings sitting undisturbed in the wilds of the front garden and notice how beautifully they coordinate with each other, and how lovingly stitched they are. The regal opinion is that the John Lewis innards score highest on plumpness, a plumpness which is retained under pressure.


And if you would like to make such plump and cosy cushions for your own little princes and princesses, the one on the left was made using an Accuquilt pattern available here, and the rosette and unicorn cushions on the right were made following instructions in Charlotte Liddle's Cute and Easy Quilting and Stitching.


As for me, it's once more unto the ironing, dear friends, or maybe to the bleach, if the birds have been divebombing the washing line again . . .




36 comments:

janet said...

... so that would be 'once more unto the bleach, dear friends'...

(I read, but never comment, but the ending was too puntastic toresist.)

cushions are so lovely and summery!

dragonfly said...

Wholeheartedly with you on the plumpness of JL innards.

Bleach, you say, for the washing line. Why didn't I think of that? I need to whizz out and do that now while my white bedlinen is in the machine...

Lynne (Lily's Quilts) said...

Wow those cushions are wonderful

menopausalmusing said...

I now have a new means of describing my living quarters: I live in a "busy environment"! Love it!

A great post and very pretty cushions.

Shocking Hocking said...

highly amusing read - thanks for making me smile

Lisa said...

The new cushion is totally fabulous. As are PB shoes and I am loving the 'busy environment', may have to adopt that phrase for our home grown untidiness!
Lisa x

{Leila}Where the Orchids Grow said...

Such beautiful cushions!!

Sandra Kaye said...

I really like your pillows. They are wonderful!! Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hugs Sandie

Elizabethd said...

How very pretty they are....fit for any princess!

Linda said...

Beautiful pillows, what a lucky princess you have. Linda xxx

Anonymous said...

gorgeous cushions!

can i ask a silly question? if you're not working from a pattern, how do you know how big to make/cut your cushion front and back to ensure they fit the pad snuggly? do you just measure the pad, seam to seam?

Annie said...

Aha! We both have buttons in mind and laundry piles big enough to have footballs and canine companions in need of a post roll-in-the-most-foul-smelling-stuff-ever bath. Seems my life is echoing yours today :D

Canadian Abroad said...

You crack me up! Love your writing. Also love your cushions.

magic and drudgery said...

I'm going to buy the book - just what I'm looking for. Now I only need to spend the next 20 years on techinque1

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Love the cushions! Hope the dog still smells sweet!
Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

Katy Cameron said...

Who thought a shaggy dog story could be so productive! The cushion looks fab, although I'm not sure I'd like to park my well-upholstered behind on those buttons...

Rosa-Munda said...

Your cushions are fabulous and tales of the buttons, dog, etc had me chuckling! My student princess is moving flats today (with the help of her dad) and I dread to think what her bedroom floor looks like. Ros x

andrea creates said...

love all your pillows!

Hen said...

Lovely cushions, lucky Princess B! I am intrigued by the idea of jumbo pegs and feel jealous as I feel I have been missing them from my life and now desperately need some! Please tell all. Loved the shaggy dog tale.
Hen x

Nicky said...

Love your shaggy dog tales - there is a writer in there waiting to publish! My own little princess has a busy environment which seems to follow her around wherever she delights in going! Great cushions - but is there a pea under the bottom one to test her true princessness?

Frances said...

You are a very funny woman! This post was a delight to read. Might I also add that the trio of cushions look terrific together, plump, colorful, interesting combinations of pattern and stitching ... and buttons, of course.

xo

Anonymous said...

Hi Pomona,
Such pretty cushion for a pretty Princess and a very entertaining doggy story.
You do have a knack of coining some very useful phrases, "busy enviroment" is priceless and will be put to good uses around here! x

Barbara said...

They are very pretty and feminine and can see why your Princess likes them so even though she has to pose for Blogdom!

Tina said...

Loving your cushions, Pomona. So cute and sweet!!
xx

Katherine said...

Oh, so lovely! Those fabrics are just calling to me - so feminine and lovely. Love all those handmade beauties, Pomona.

Drat. Sorry your laundry has been under attack. Best of luck deterring the bird bomb squad.

Callies Cottage said...

Lovely Lovely Lovely!!!
Warm Wishes,
Callie x

greenrabbitdesigns said...

The buttons look great on the cushion, really good idea!
Love the shaggy dog tale (or tail)!
So pleased to hear it's not just my sheets the birds go on!!
Vivienne x

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Oh no, nowi have to add quilting cushions to my list of things I want to do. Iwill just have to give up sleep.

Wendy said...

Lovely cushion! I love the button pattern detail

Serenata said...

These are really lovely :-)

The mum of all trades said...

This is so pretty!I'd love if you'd link this up to the blog hop I'm having this weeekend. You have some other great projects as well, you can link as many as you want up. Hope you can join in!
http://mumofalltrades.blogspot.com/

Helen Philipps said...

Gorgeous new cushion! I love the fabrics and the colours...and you can never have too many buttons! The three cushions look so pretty together. And thanks for making me smile with the dog washing, peg stealing story. Have a great weekend!
Helen x

Anonymous said...

Ah you clever funny woman you.

Great blog and gorgeous cushions. I hear you on the cheek indentations with the buttons though...
They do look great despite their denting potential.

:)

Mrs. Micawber said...

Beautiful buttoned cushion! And a lovely discursive paragraph. It's so fun to digress. One of the supreme pleasures of blogging.

I feel compelled to share with you a housework haiku from last April, as being extremely apposite to your labours:

"Himalaya"

Mountain of laundry
Everest must be conquered
Why? Because it's there

cathleen said...

I'm totally loving all your cushions, Pomona. So pretty!

HOPE said...

Oh I love these!!

Thank you so much for stopping by and encouraging me..

Blessings
HOPE

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