Say it in sequins: Let loose your Liberace and glitz up your life

The finished product.

When is there not an appropriate time for sequins? Never, I say. Defriend anyone who tells you otherwise; you don't need that kind of negativity in your life. Sequins are fun and colourful and awesome. Use them sparingly for an understated touch of glitz or do what I do and unleash your inner Liberace. This cushion is a playful way to incorporate more spangle in your life. I've gone for the ubiquitous "chill" but you could spell out a name, a slogan, a collective noun. Anything, really.

If you are in need of a handy cushion, I shall let you in on a little DIY secret: Kmart. That place is a goldmine for the craftily-minded. I went in for a cushion and came out with ribbon, coloured pencils, storage canisters and buttons. All good stuff, cheap and on-trend. It's an excellent place to find something affordable which you can then jazz up in your own special way.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• A store-bought fabric cushion: a bit of texture is fine but if the surface is too irregular it will be hard to attach your sequins (sorry fun fur, you're out).

• 1-2m of sequin string - try Spotlight or a craft supply store.

• Pins.

• Needle, thread to match your sequins, scissors.

STEP ONE

Step 1

Spell out your word using the sequin string. You can mark it out first in tailor's chalk if you like. If you're struggling with cursive writing, capital letters can also look really effective (just cut the sequin string as required). You could try a double width of sequins too. Be warned though: doing so means twice the stitching.

STEP TWO

Step 2

Pin the sequin string in place, tweaking the lettering as necessary until you're happy with it.

STEP THREE

Step 3

If any of your letters need to be dotted, make a tight spiral of sequins. Cut the sequin string when your dot is large enough and tuck away any loose ends.

STEP FOUR

Step 4

Using a needle and thread, attach the sequin string to the cushion. I worked a little stitch over the string every couple of centimetres or so, which works just fine. You can hide your stitches underneath the overlapping sequins. The last sequin on the string will need to be fastened with extra care to stop the whole lot unravelling: work a few stitches into the hole of the sequin itself to secure.

If the thought of all that hand-stitching leaves you in a cold pit of despair, don't panic. You could try using fabric glue instead. Really, really carefully.

All done! Now you're ready to style your home with all those lovely sparkles (lazy cat optional).

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