I made four pouffes this week using fabrics that I brought back from my recent trip to Vietnam.

Step One in the project was choosing which fabrics and embroideries to use. I just adore the neon, vintage Hmong embroideries from the Hill Tribe markets of North Vietnam. For the pouffes I matched them with some brightly coloured floral prints that I found in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. (The scissors are also from Hanoi.)

I backed the fabric with plain felt, and cut out a 45cm circle for the top of each cushion and a long strip of contrasting fabric to go around the sides. I then ‘patched’ a piece of the vintage embroidery onto the top of each cushion.

Here are the pouffes ready to be stuffed. I like to use fabric scraps as filling for the pouffes for three reasons: 1. the pouffes become surprisingly and pleasingly heavy, 2. the scraps are saved from ending up as landfill, 3. the scraps are free! I get them from a local fashion design studio. So much better than using those nasty polystyrene balls you find in bean bags, which are a) too light, b) hideously un-environmentally friendly, and c) expensive. Yay for fabric scraps!

Here are some details of the finished pouffes. I used a heavy-weight denim for the bottom, with a zip fitted through the middle. I reinforced either end of each zip with small squares of felt.

And here are the pouffes for sale on my stall yesterday at the Devonport Craft Market!