In the throes of Ollalieberry Overdrive, I was looking at these dark, mossy-green sheets and thought I should take a few minutes to embroider a little flower on the pillowcases, and have an ensemble. For the design I took one of my inspirations for the quilt, the delicate blossoms of Queen Anne's Lace.
To create the template, I literally took a sprig of real Queen Anne's Lace and placed it on the copier. I made a copy and then traced (using a lightbox) the major details of the copied flower onto another piece of paper. It's helpful, when you're tracing, to think about what stitches you're going to use to stitch it, because that helps you decide how to trace. Then I reduced it so that it would fit comfortably on the hem. The embroidery uses three simple, basic embroidery stitches — back stitch, stem stitch, and the French knot — and is done entirely in one color.
People frequently ask me how to "finish" the back of the stitching when doing pillowcases. My answer is, "You don't. Don't worry about it." Wash them, dry them, they'll be fine. Stitch through both layers of the hem, do the best you can, secure your threads, and don't worry too much about the back of your work — it gets better as you get better, so just keep stitching. I promise.
To celebrate the month of hand sewing being hosted by the lovely ladies at Sew, Mama, Sew!, I've put together a free Queen Anne's Lace Pillowcases pattern for you to download there! And please check out all of the other gorgeous projects, inspirations, and tutorials they've put together for us this month — yay hand sewing! If you've been wanting to slow down the end of summer with a quiet afternoon spent stitching on the porch, I know you'll find something wonderful there. I'm going to go over and look right now, and am putting together a bundle for Iraqi Bundles of Love today, too.
I love your pillowcases -- I'm so making them. Queen Anne's Lace is favorite flower. Thanks for being so generous and sharing so much.
That is such a pretty pattern! And I'm getting so excited for your embroidery book!
I must tell you that I just LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog. Really, it just is so cozy and fun to read, I'm completely addicted. Thank you for inspiring me every day to do more. :)
I always watched my grandmother embroider, and whenever I attempted it myself, the back always looks like an explosion, car crash and epidemic combined. It's encouraging to hear someone say, "Don't worry about it. It'll get better!" Thank you for the pattern and even explaining one way to make our own handy patterns!
I was one of those "how on earth do you secure single french knots on the back" questioners! I worried and worried for about a month before starting my kitchen towels. Then after winning some older embroidered pillowcases on ebay, and seeing the stitching on the underside...I realized, it's not worth worrying about! So I started my first DOTW kitchen towel this week. I'm staying as neat as possible on the back but you can't hide everything!
Can't wait for the book! Thanks for the pattern!
Exquisitely dainty.
Alicia, Thank you! That pattern is just lovely. So lovely, in fact, I am going to actually try to embroider!
This is beautiful. I will try this on my daughter's plain pillowcases to match her vintage floral sheets. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome, I love it! Thanks for letting us know about it.
Oh how lucky we are to be given such a beauty!
Can't wait to download mine (at home where I have a color printer rather than at work where I do not ;) and get started.
These would make a lovely gift as well, but I'm thinking that my pillowcase needs some first...
I LOVE Queen Anne's Lace-- thank you SO much. I've been looking for a new stitching project. :-)
I downloaded this from the Sew Mama Sew site yesterday - thanks for sharing. This looks like a wonderful project.
Lorrie
Ooh, it is just so pretty, and charming, and, well, cheery. What a delightful addition to a pillow case. I may just have to try!
Thank you for sharing this pattern. I have downloaded it and am thinking--- felted green pillow...
oh my goodness! How lovely!! So modern, yet classic and sweet. (thank you for sharing!)
I use to pick Queen Anne's lace in my Grandma's pasture. It has such a distinct scent. But I love the old-fashioned look of this flower.
I read someplace that it is not native to North America. Hmm, I'll have to look for more info. It is quite prolific.
Adorable! I really love that quilt too.
Your pillows are so cute. Do you double case them in regular cases, or do you somehow have totally cute pink gingham pillow covers? Our pillows are all in white cotton covers before we put cases on, but how much cuter is it to have a colored or patterned cover?! Love it.
Check out the BEAUTIFUL project, Iraqi Bundles of Love (IBOL from the Sew Mama Sew blog:
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=927
Lovely and perfecto with the rest of your bedding and linens!
These are just beautiful. Queen Anne's Lace are my favorite wildflower, and I love how you've captured them here. I also love how much confidence and comfort you give your readers. That's a real gift.
Beautimous!!!!
Thank you for sharing I love them.
Oh how I wish I could learn to love embroidery again...I would take your lovely pattern and make pillow cases to go with the Queen Anne's Lace crochet bedspread I'm currently working on. But alas, embroidery and I DO NOT get along anymore. We were great friends when I was young, age 5-12 or so, but I guess something about puberty put us at odds and we've never made up :-)
this is gorgeous! thank you for providing the pattern for free! looking forward to doing something with it. :)