Stitch a square cushion

1. Cut one 50cm square from plain coral linen and using an erasable marker, draw a 45cm square on the fabric. Divide this square into nine 15cm squares. On the centre square and the four corner ones, mark a series of smaller squares. Then on the four side squares, draw diagonal lines from corner to corner, forming crosses. These will act as a guide for stitching, but you don’t have to mark every line.

2. Thread a crewel needle with three strands of red embroidery thread and begin by sewing running stitch along the main lines of the design: the ones that separate the nine main squares. Next, stitch along the diagonal lines for the crosses on the four side squares.

3. Then stitch the squares and triangles inside the eight squares around the edge of the cushion, alternating between light and dark coloured threads. On the four corner squares, leave the central one unworked, leaving space to stitch four buttons.

4. Embroider the centre square last of all, beginning by stitching a row of buttons all around the inner border (about 36 buttons) and a circle of buttons in the centre (one in the middle and eight more in a circle ar