Make the cushion

1. Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Fussy cut a 32cm square of floral fabric. Snip several 6cm strips of striped fabric at a right angle to the stripes. Cut one end of a strip at 45 degrees and place the shorter side against one side of the square panel, leaving a 5mm seam allowance at the cut end. Stitch to the side of the square, fold out and press.

2. Cut the remaining end of the strip at 45 degrees in the opposite direction to the first, allowing a 5mm seam allowance. Take a second strip and turn around so the stripes can be mitred and matched up with the slanted end of the first strip. Sew the diagonal seam first to check it matches before trimming the strip and sewing to the next side of the square.

3. Continue matching corners in this way, if you are accurate the final corner should be a perfect match. To save fabric, the strips can be joined end to end, matching up one colour of stripe. Press the finished panel, layer onto a 42cm square of wadding and topstitch along the inner border. Zig zag along the edges to hold them together.

4. Use the template to draw butterflies onto the backing paper of a fusible adhesive sheet. Iron the sheet onto the reverse of dark and light patterned fabrics. Cut out each shape and peel away the backing. Arrange the butterflies on the cushion front, fuse in place and hand stitch around each one for extra security using a small oversew.

5. Take a piece of plain cotton and cut into two pieces, 31cm x 42cm. Double hem one long edge on each piece.

Place the pieces onto the cushion front, right sides together, so they overlap on the hems and line up with the edges of the panel to make an envelope back. Stitch all the way round and turn out. Press and topstitch the edges of the cushion cover 5mm in from the seam.

Make the butterfly

1. Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Cut out the body templates from light patterned fabric. Pin, right sides together, and sew all around the shape, leaving a 3cm turning gap. Clip the curves and angles before turning right sides out. Use a knitting needle to help stuff the body with fibre filling, working the fibre up into the antennae. Fold in the edges of the gap and slip stitch closed.

2. Cut mirrored pairs of wings sections. Cut 1, 3, and 5 from a bright shade and 2, 4, and 6 from a dark fabric. Lay out the pieces in the correct order to make two pairs of wings. Tack each set of three wing pieces to each other, right sides together, manipulating each piece to follow the curves. Stitch the sets together and press, trimming up the ends of the wings if necessary.

3. Stitch each wing pair together on the straight end section. Layer right sides down onto plain cotton and wadding. Stitch around the edges leaving a 4cm gap close to the centre. Trim the backing fabrics, turn out and press.

4. Use two strands of embroidery thread to stitch closed eyes on the face of the body piece. Gather the centre of each pair of wings slightly and sew to the back of the body so the top wings overlap the lower ones.