An Owl Whoo’s Pretty Square pillow
Covered with squares, in fact — but wisely covered with terry too, and oh, such a soft pillow.
Size: 12″ x 16″
Materials needed
Fabrics, 36″ wide: Lightweight yellow terry cloth for cover and muslin for lining, 1/2 yard of each; knitting worsted in brown (color A), purple (B), light pink (C) and dark pink (D) for embroidery; large-eyed embroidery needle; kapok, Dacron, foam rubber or cut-up nylons for stuffing.
Cutting
Cut terry cloth in half crosswise. Enlarge diagram on tissue paper and cut out 2 patterns.
Pin 1 pattern on center of 1 terry piece. As terry is difficult to mark, run basting thread around outline of pattern, then outline features as indicated, sewing right through pattern. Remove pattern, tearing it carefully away from bastings.
Pin other pattern to second terry piece for back of pillow cover. Outline pattern as before.
ALSO SEE: Vintage zodiac cross-stitch designs to make astrological needlework patterns (1950)
Embroidery
Following diagrams for working stitches, letters for colors and photograph for direction of stitches, embroider the C ring around owl’s eyes in rows of chain stitch. Embroider all other features and feet in satin stitch.
Cover body of owl, front and back, with square design. Squares are 5/8″ straight C stitches with A cross-stitches at intersections. In each square, work a B long-tailed French knot or 2 straight C stitches in a V.
Work squares with V’s down front of owl and squares with French knots on wings, head and back.
To make the pillow
Mark 3/8″ seam allowance all around embroidery on both pieces. Cut away excess fabric. Cut 2 muslin pieces same shape for lining. Stitch muslin pieces together, leaving 8″ opening.
Turn and stuff. Sew opening closed. With right sides together, seam pillow-cover pieces in same manner as for lining. Turn; slip over pillow and sew opening closed.
NOW SEE THIS: Vintage needlepoint: Designs & dozens of ideas from the ’50s, ’60s & ’70s
