Sunday, March 27, 2011

return on creativity: french knot circle pillow


I don't knit and I barely crochet, but when I saw this yarn on clearance a few years ago I had to buy it.  It was too pretty.


It's been paitently waiting on my craft shelves for years waiting for me to do something with it until finally I was inspired to make this pillow.

Here's how I did it:

1.  Cut a square of fabric for your pillow top.  My pillow was a sixteen inch square and I wanted a half inch seam allowance, so I cut a seventeen inch square piece of fabric.

2.  Mark circles on fabric with a water soluable marker.  (I used a dinner plate, a salad plate, a saucer, and a big mug to make my circles.)  Start with the biggest circle first so that you can center the smaller circles within the bigger ones.  If you go the other way it is hard to tell where your smaller circles are...not that I know from experience or anything.

3.  Start making french knots with a needle and your yarn.  Here is how to make a french knot.

Hold fabric tight with an embroidery hoop.


Double thread needle with yarn.  (Make sure your needle has a big enough eye to thread yarn).



Pull needle up through fabric from behind.  Wrap yarn around the needle very close to the front of the fabric.


For these knots I wrapped twice.


Push needle through the fabric to the back keeping your wrapped yarn close to the fabric.


Pull through making a knot.



Keep going along your drawn circles until done.  Then spray with water to remove marker.


4.  Sew pillow top into a pillow.  I sewed an envelope closure on the back.

I thought this would take a long time, but it went rather quickly and was kinda fun.  I just love the texture of this pillow.  The yarn knots feel really cool and nubby when you run your hands over it. 

I've started a new pattern already.  Happy knotting!





35 comments:

Unknown said...

I adore this! I love a pillow with texture, and that yarn IS gorgeous!

Great job :) Love it.

Unknown said...

I LOVE this pillow! So clever! I'm following now :o)

Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. said...

I love the little French knots and your circles are perfect!

Rissa @ Hazel and Honeysuckle said...

Oh this looks gorgeous! Very sophisticated, nice work! xx

Julianna said...

Very nice! I'd love for you to link up at Inspire Me Mondays @ Singing Three Little Birds!
http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/2011/03/inspire-me-monday_28.html

Jessica at Me Sew Crazy said...

this is gorgeous! It caught my eye at a link party, and I simply had to open it. Well done!

Valerie Earnest said...

I love this! I'm always looking for pillow ideas and this is such a great idea! It looks fabulous. {off to the craft store for some yarn}

Visiting from Market Yourself Monday.

Valerie- www.occasionallycrafty.blogspot.com
Stop on by!

Cat said...

Love this project! Your pillow turned out so pretty! One can never, ever have too many throw pillows (esp. ones as lovely as this one is!). Seems like something I could work on while catching up on TV at night (I am all about the multi-tasking :)).

Jane said...

Hi! I'm stopping by your blog to say thank you for leaving a sweet comment on my blog. I love to get comments, as I am fairly new to blogging. I love your blog, I have been perusing through yours and I have seen many really cool things that I really like. your strand of party lights, back in February is one of the cutest projects I have seen in a long time. I am going to be your newest follower. Thanks for coming by, please stop in again.

Hugs, and Happy Crafting,
Jane

Heidi said...

Thanks for stopping by. You are quite the Creative Type yourself. I enjoyed browsing. I too love me some vintage buttons!!! ooh ANd pillows

chickhardware.blogspot.com

Val said...

this is soooo awesome! I love sewing pillows, its an addiction and I am always looking for new ways to embellish them! I am so going to do this!! Thanks for sharing!!!

Cheri said...

Cool pillow! Thanks for commenting on my scarf. Re: the advanced stitches versus chain stitches....you should see my chain stitches. ACK! lol And I can't count to save my life - I start over so many times my husband can't believe I still keep going. lol

Kirsten @ Mushki Loves said...

Wow! This is so neat! Thanks for stopping by and visiting! I'm your newest follower! P.S.....I Like your header too!

Snowflakes & Dragonflies said...

This is so cool! Love the idea - and thanks for re teaching me to do French Knots!

Beth@Wiccan Make Some Too said...

Thanks for stopping by Wiccan Make Some Too & leaving such a nice comment about the scarf I made for my granddaughter. Love that pillow! Following your blog now.

ShannonSews said...

I am crazy about pillows and texture. I LOVE how your pillow turned out! I'm surprise at how easy you made it out to be. Love the design!

aggieam01 said...

Seriously, this could be in Pottery Barn for like $80! This is super beautiful and the texture is gorgeous.

Annie @ Originate and Renovate said...

adorable!

Shauna@shwinandshwin said...

I love this! Thank you for showing these knots! I haven't made them since high school and I forgot how to do them. You pillow is amazing and may have solved my pillow problem.

emilysnan said...

hiya , fabulous cushion and lovin those simple knots and great tutorial , tfs , i am visiting from someday crafts and am your newest follower maybe you will pop by mine and follow too
www.emilysnan.blogspot.com
xmaggiex

Michelle @ Delicate Construction said...

So pretty and clever! Love it! I am visiting from Sew Much Ado and I am a new follower!
Have a great day!
Michelle
www.delicateconstruction.blogspot.com

Lacey said...

Oh wow... so simple yet so beautiful... its amazing!.. great work and thanks for sharing you ideas!..

Tara @ Tales of a Trophy Wife said...

simple and elegant

chris said...

Clever! I love the texture of those big french knots.

Brooke @ Inside-Out Design said...

Oh I LOVE THIS!!! So easy and looks beautiful!! Can't wait to do it too!

Unknown said...

I love this.. So Simple and Contemporary! New Follower!

Jenn said...

This is fantastic, I can't wait to try it!

Anonymous said...

What a simple but great project. I'm your newest follower.

SandyQuilts said...

I love Candlewicking ... a simple stitch that our foremothers made into striking designs.

Wendy said...

Beautiful! I so couldn't do this... I hate doing french knots and I can't believe how perfectly round your circles are!

Miss Charming said...

I love the texture on the pillow. It looks wonderful!

Luvbuzz Handmade said...

I really like this a lot, what a great idea. I love anything fun with yarn!!! My husband does a lot of needlepoint and cross-stitch and he always has a problem making french knots so I had to share this with him because you're visuals along with the instructions are so much easier to follow then any others we have seen.

Luvbuzz Handmade said...

I love this pillow, what a great idea. I'm a fan of anything new and intersting involving yarn! Also, I had to show my husband your easy to follow instruction for the french knot. He does a lot of needlepoint and he always has difficulty making french knots. The instruction for them that they give aren't very descriptive! Thanks.

Anne Maskell said...

Great tutorial, thank you! I will definitely be trying my hand at french knots again.Maybe I will have better luck using wool than embroidery floss!

Illuminations Design Studio said...

This brings back childhood memories ( : My mom taught me how to do this when I was a little girl and I haven't done it since. I love the graphic pattern you used and the fun yarn!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...