Make a rocket cushion

1. Cut out a 15cm square strip of dark orange fabric and iron fusible webbing onto the back. Transfer the templates of the rocket pieces onto a piece of paper and cut them out. Pin the flame template to the fabric and cut out five pieces. Arrange the flames centrally across a strip of light orange fabric measuring 5.5cm x 28cm. Peel off the backing papers, iron, and use co-ordinating thread to machine stitch around each of the flames.

2. Cut out a 16cm x 38cm rectangle from the white and blue striped fabric and, with right sides facing, pin the fabric to the flames and machine stitch. Cut out a 7cm x 38cm strip from the corduroy fabric, with right sides facing, pin to the white and blue striped fabric and stitch. Cut out a 12.5cm x 38cm rectangle from the blue and white spotted fabric and, with right sides facing, pin to the corduroy fabric, before machine stitching. Cut out a 23cm x 38cm rectangle from the silver lamé fabric and pin the longest edge to the polka dot cotton, with right sides facing, before machine stitching.

3. Press open all seams. Pin the fabric to the template of the rocket and, ensuring it’s central, cut the shape out. Repeat to make the back section.

4. Iron fusible webbing onto the backs of the turquoise felt and the blue polka dot fabric, and trim into two circles measuring 8.5cm wide. Cut out another 8.5cm circle, from the sky blue felt. Use fusible webbing to cover the back of a piece of silver lame and pin it to the template of the spaceman’s suit before cutting the shape and a 5.5cm circle out.

5. Cover the back of a scrap of pink felt with fusible webbing and, using the template, cut out the face. Peel off the backing and use blanket stitch to embroider on the features and hair. Peel off the backing from the spaceman’s suit and position on the turquoise circle. Cover with a handkerchief and iron. Place the face into position and fix as before. Embroider details onto the spaceman’s suit.

6. Peel off the backing paper and sandwich a small strip of ribbon between the sky blue felt and the blue polka dot circles, iron to fix. Peel off the backing from the silver circle, iron to the centre of the polka dot fabric and embroider running stitches around the shape. Machine stitch around the edge of the larger circle.

7. Turn the flap over and hand-sew a small square of sky blue felt to the underside. Position the spaceman centrally on the polka dot fabric, tuck the end of the ribbon from the window flap to the back of the turquoise piece, cover with a handkerchief and iron. Machine stitch around the outer edge of the circle.

8. Press a square of fusible webbing onto the back of tartan fabric and cut out three 7cm circles. Remove the backing paper, position across the striped fabric, iron and machine stitch each circle into place. Hand-sew the shisha mirrors into place and the ric rac across the fabric change on the front and back.

9. Use the fin template and pin it to the blue fabric, cut out four times. Temporarily fix each fin to the side of the rocket, measuring down from the fabric change to ensure they sit at the same level, and machine stitch into place. With right sides facing, pin the two rocket sections together and, leaving the raw edge at the flames open, machine stitch all the way around.

10. Stuff the rocket generously until it’s nice and plump. Fold in a 5mm seam at the open edge and close with neat ladder stitches. Finally, sew a length of ric-rac across the nose cone fabric change to decorate.