Series 1: Cushy Pads
Eeeek!
This is what 25 carefully-packaged cushion pads looks like when dropped off by the courier! Having received my wash care labels I can now finally finish making my first items and this means biting the bullet and ordering the remaining* cushion pads to fill my cushion covers that are Series 1.
I really wanted the cushions to be a finished item including the pad inside so they could be shown to their nicest and plumpest potential. Quite how I thought it would be practical to sell something so bulky at a craft fair I’m not sure but I’m going to have to make it work as the space behind our sofa isn’t that big nor is Iain’s patience with me.
I explained how on earth it was that Iain and I came to be involved in the UK alpaca world in an earlier post so here I’m just going to explain briefly why I think alpaca-fibre-filled cushion pads are a great fit with Series 1 and The Cranford Cabinet.
Options for cushion pad fillings include polyester, feather and sheep’s wool though I’m always drawn to natural rather than man-made materials if they’re the most suitable for the purpose. With our connection and experience of alpaca this seemed the best route for Series 1 especially as the product from Penrose seems to be spot on.
Den and Paul at Penrose have been sourcing alpaca fibre from members of the British Alpaca Society around the country since 2006. Some owners keep alpaca in small groups as pets and some farms care for hundreds of animals. Alpacas must be shorn yearly and the cream of this beautiful fibre is commonly transformed into luxury knitting yarn exploiting its cashmere-like properties and range of natural colours to great effect.
Den hand-making an alpaca duvet at the Penrose workshop
Image credit: Penrose Products
Penrose make sure nothing is wasted of this wonderful material and transform it into fillings for their luxury bedding and soft furnishing products. Alpaca fibre possesses a host of characteristics that make it a brilliant functional filling and coupled with Penrose’s local sourcing and commitment to sustainability, pads handmade in their Nottinghamshire workshop are a fab pairing for my surplus fabric sewing ideas with TCC.
Some other great things about alpaca fibre and Penrose products:
Softer than sheep’s wool, it’s the most luxurious bedding filling
Lighter and warmer than sheep’s wool
Vegetarian Society Approved
Alpaca fibre is naturally hypoallergenic - the fibre structure creates a cool and dry environment that dust mites dislike
Chemical-free processing
Cruelty-free
Durable and resistant fibre well cared for should last a lifetime
Made-to-order
These pads have been made specially for me by Penrose in my chosen sizes but you’ll usually find them hand-making mattresses, duvets, toppers, pillows and more utilising the properties of alpaca fibre to give you a good night’s sleep. I’ve experienced the all-season lightness yet warmth of an alpaca duvet and can attest to it’s temperature regulating comfort. Check them out here, I’d totally recommend.
* I made an original order of 4 cushion pads to test them with my covers. These ones are a little firmer than the remaining 25 and will be nice and supportive though I preferred a slightly squishier fill so requested the bulk order to be tweaked to reflect this