Materials:

• 1 beige silk dupion cushion cover, 18 inches square
• 1 cushion insert, 18 inches square
• Clear-drying, washable fabric glue such as Gem-Tac (available at craft and beading suppliers)
• 45 plastic 16-millimeter half-pearls
• 55 plastic 12-millimeter half-pearls
• 90 plastic 10-millimeter half-pearls
• 20 plastic 8-millimeter half pearls

1. Wash, dry and iron the cushion cover, to make sure that the fabric is clean so that the glue will adhere properly.

2. Lay the cushion cover on a clean, flat surface. Start gluing all of the 16-millimeter pearls and two-thirds of the 12-millimeter pearls across the entire width of the cushion, filling the lower 3 1/4 to 4 inches of the fabric. To do this, randomly place small dots of glue on the fabric at 1/4-inch intervals and gently place a pearl on top of each. Work from left to right (or the opposite direction if you are left-handed), placing five dots of glue at a time and then covering them with the pearls. The pearls should be sitting closely together but not touching. Be careful not to make the glue dots too big, as the excess will ooze out, leaving visible rings around the pearls.

3. Glue the remaining 12-millimeter pearls, all of the 10-millimeter pearls and two-thirds of the 8-millimeter pearls across the width of the cushion, covering the next 8 inches of the fabric. Place dots of glue 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches apart to create a graduated scattering.

4. Glue the remaining 8-millmeter pearls across the last 6 1/2 inches of the cushion, placing them 2 to 2 1/2 inches apart.