return on creativity: rose pillow

The idea for this pillow came to me while lying in bed at night just as I was falling asleep.  I was in that weird state of not really conscious, but not really sleeping.  Luckily this idea was still with me in the morning.  I wonder how many great sleepy ideas never resurface during the conscious hours of the day and are lost forever...

Once again this project started with the lightbox.  I'm getting downright addicted to that thing lately.

Trace a picture of a rose (or any flower) onto fabric with a water soluble fabric marker.

This rose is not my original art, so unfortunately I can't provide a printable.  My rose came from this design sourcebook.  The book (and the accompanying CD) is about half embroiderable designs (flowers, trees, leaves, animals) and about half jpegs of fabric, ribbon, photos, etc.

Cut around the flower leaving about a quarter inch edge. Pin well to the pillow top.

Here's where things get really really fun.  Put your darning foot on sewing machine and machine stitch over your drawn lines.

Let me tell you about my experience with the darning foot and sewing this way.  Umm...before this I never did it before.  I tested it out on a scrap piece of fabric for about fifteen seconds and then I jumped right in.  It was a totally fun, freeing, loose, and crazy sewing experience that I can't wait to try again.  I'm no sewing expert, by any means, but this project didn't have to look too perfect.

Here's a close up of my imperfections...



Here's the "wet look" to dissolve the marker.

Sew into a pillow.  My pillow is a sixteen inch square with an envelope closure in the back.

Rough up the edges of your fabric rose a bit.  Pull out a few threads to add to that shabby imperfect look.

Don't want to make it?  Buy this is my shop, 645 workshop!