Another Pillow

I'm pretty proud of this -- I based it on an insanely expensive pillow I saw in Domino magazine. I drew the words free hand, then used the Sublime Stitching book iron on transfers, and embroidered for weeks while watching Netflixed episodes of Deadwood (this pillow has heard a lot of cursing and seen a lot of blood). I was worried that it made me look unhinged-- it reminded me of some outsider art exhibit I had read about, where some 19th century mental patient embroidered elaborate pictures on her pillowcases, and when I would show it to husband, he would just laugh at me. I wish I would have taken pictures while I was working on, because the finished product looks a lot better than the "in process" version. The last night, I drew in some vines and leaves, which really helped, and now I'm quite pleased with it.





and the back (this was the first time I made buttonholes!)



And how did I find lace that exactly matched the embroidery thread? By dying myself, of course! I used RIT, and since one pack can dye a lot more than a couple yards of lace, I experimented with a technique I learned when I was studying in India -- you baste a pattern into cotton, pull the thread tight, then dye the fabric:







It didn't turn out perfect -- I used regular sewing thread, and if I pulled the gathers to tight, it would break, so the designs aren't as distinct as I would like, but I still kind of like them.



I like the diagonal lines a little better.



Not sure what to do with them -- I might make some pillows, and accentuate the lines with some beading, but who knows when I'll get around to that.