Creative Knitting – Beyond Knit and Purl

I finally finished the pillow.  Even though the stain I discussed last post is still there, it looks quite nice now that it is finished.  I put a fabric backing on the pillow, but will be using a knitted back  for the 16 inch version.

Here it is -flaws and all

I found this lovely washable brush suede at Joanne Fabrics for the back, but before I could do that I had to do some prep work.

First, I select my gold yarn, as it was the closest color to the fabric I had chosen.  Using it, I knitted 4 rows around the pillow, adding one stitch each side of the corner stitches, every row but the last.  After binding off the gold, I steam pressed it out so that it would lay relatively flat.

During the steaming process I made sure that my pillow measured 14 3/4 inches square.   Next, I took a square piece of heavy bleached muslin,(slightly larger than my pillow), and beginning  where the two edges of the squares met, began to pin them together using the line created at the beginning of the salvage edge.

When the pinning was done, I chose a gold sewing thread and stitched through the layers.  That stitching line was my guide when I was ready to sew the fabric back on to the knitted front.  I hand stitched the bottom together after inserting the form.  I have to say that this particular pillow form has a lot to be desired, as the corners were not stuffed very well.

For those of you who might wonder, I did try put a cording on it, but it was not as attractive as I thought it might be.  A knit covered cord might work-I will try it next time.  I also decided not to put a zipper or Velcro closure in the fabric back, as all the parts of the pillow are washable in cold water.  I have found the my Tropicana Rose Pillow washes beautifully right on the poly filled pillow form.

Just an update – KT