Pillow and Matching Card Click image to enlarge Designer: Kendra McCracken I started with my sketch, the idea of creating this pillow in mind. 
Difficulty rating
Instructions (Print version)  Shirring fabric is very easy to do. The amount of fabric you use depends on  Adding in seam allowance for connecting the panels, use the Fiskars 45mm Rotary Cutter and 6" x 24" Acrylic ruler to cut the following: 2 pieces of coordinating fabric for the shirred panels, 34" L x 6.5" H each  Using a marking pencil and the 6" x 24" Acrylic ruler, draw lines the length Using only the top thread for each stitched line, begin gently pulling which will cause the fabric to ruffle. Once it begins ruffling, you can slide the fabric along the thread with your fingers to minimize the tension on the thread. Work from both ends of the fabric panel, adjusting the ruffling as you go. Once the panel has been shirred down to a width of 17", knot the top and bottom threads at each end of the stitch lines.  You will now have 3 panels that should look like this. Pin the panels together along the long edges, right sides together.  The reverse side of your pillow front will look like this and should measure Using the Hearts Shape Template, cut out an applique by tracing the 3" heart onto the reverse side of your fabric. Place the fabric right sides together with a piece of backing material. It can be any scrap fabric as it will become the reverse side of the applique and not seen. Stitch along the traced line leaving an opening for reversing. Cut out the heart, 1/8" from the stitched line, and hand stitch the opening closed. Hand stitch the heart applique to the pillow front. Add a length of eyelet Cut a 17" x 17" panel for the back of the pillow and pin the front and back Stuff the pillow with fiberfill and hand sew the opening closed.  The shirring for the card is created the exact same way as the shirring for the pillow. I wanted a tighter shirring on the card so I cut a 10" wide x 5" high piece of fabric for it. When I pulled the threads, I kept pulling until I had a 3.5" wide shirred panel. So my fabric length was approximately 3 times what I wanted my finished panel to be versus only 2 times as wide for the looser shirring on the pillow.In lieu of the fabric heart applique on the pillow, I used the Punch Love Stamp set and the My Funny Valentine Scalloped Squeeze Punch to embellish the center of the card. And the Apron Lace Border punch gave me a paper replica of the eyelet trim I used on the pillow. This is an easy technique that can gives you fantastic results on a variety of paper and fabric projects so get out your sewing machine and start pulling some threads! Supplies: Other supplies: 1/4 yard of 2 coordinating fabrics, 1/4 yard fabric for middle |
