copyright 2008 Needle in a Haystack
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Autumn has to be my very favorite time of the year! I love the smells of canning and harvest,
the warm colors of the trees and mountains as they turn, and the rich blueness of the sky that is
only present in the fall. Im so excited to bring you this exclusive Fall Flange Pillow! I hope you
enjoy the process of making it as much as you will enjoy having it as a part of your Autumn
dcor!
NOTE: This project involves some embroidery stitching and appliqu. If there are any stitches that you are unfamiliar with, you can visit inaminuteago.com for detailed instruction and photos of each stitch. There is also a free tutorial and pattern
called Believe available through youcanmakethis.com, as well as an eBook entitled Stitching Essentials that can provide
you with detailed instruction. For further instruction on how to appliqu, there is an additional eBook entitled Appliqu the
Easy Way, also available at youcanmakethis.com.
copyright 2008 Needle in a Haystack
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Materials Needed:
*cutting board, straight edge ruler, rotary cutter (not vital, but helpful!)
*Two, 14 squares of fabric for the pillow top and bottom: osnaburg, linen, loose weaves,
denim, cotton prints, etc. (I used tea-dyed osnaburg for this project)
*One, 14 square of thin bonded batting or Warm and Natural quilt batting
*Pillow stuffing
*Paper backed fusible web, such as Wonder Under (also known as transfer web paper)
*Scraps of at least 2 coordinating Autumn fabrics (I used three)
*Two coordinating colors of embroidery floss (I chose dark brown and a red that coordinated
with my fabric)
*Sewing machine thread in a contrasting but coordinating color
*Fine-tipped tracing marker
*Ball-point pen (for tracing on the transfer web paper)
*4 coordinating 1 buttons (optional)
*Embroidery hoop and needle
*Soap sliver or chalk for tracing
*Attached Acorn pattern (when printed it should measure approximately 5 x 7)
Tracing and Appliquing the Acorn:
1. Using a light box or sunny window, center one 14 pillow fabric square over the acorn
pattern and trace the swirls ONLY using a fine-tipped marker.
2. Remove fabric. Following the directions provided with the fusible web paper (Wonder
Under), trace and adhere the paper to your fabric scraps to create the three parts of the acorn:
the acorn body, cap, and stem. Using the pattern and the swirls youve traced onto the pillow
top to guide you, adhere the three acorn parts to the pillow top according to the directions
provided with your transfer paper.
Trace swirls only onto pillow top (See #1) Line up the tip of the acorn body to the swirl. (See #2)
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3. Using the pattern as a guide, mark the 5 lines inside the acorn body (you can trace these or
free hand them) as well as the criss-cross lines in the acorn cap. If your fabric is dark and you
cannot trace through it to mark the criss-cross lines, use a straight edge ruler and a sliver of
soap or chalk (you can also use a dissolving embroidery marker if it will show up on your
fabric). Simply place the ruler where the scallops along the bottom meet and mark parallel
lines across the cap in both directions. (Do not trace the horizontal dotted line just above the
scallops).
Marking the criss-cross lines on the acorn cap (#3)
Embroidering the Pillow Top Panel:
4. Begin with the acorn cap and using 3 strands of a contrasting color of floss throughout,
Back Stitch the criss-cross lines, as well as along the edges of the cap.
5. Use a Running Stitch to tack the edges of the stem in the same color of floss.
6. Back Stitch the swirls around the acorn, as well as the lines inside the acorn body (I used
dark brown).
7. Tack the edges of the acorn body using connecting Xs (Cross Stitch). Make sure that part
of each X is stitched onto the pillow top fabric, and that part of the X is stitched onto the fabric
of the acorn body. I used dark brown for this as well.
8. Press the pillow top.
Close up of Cross Stitches and Back Stitches Squares right sides together with batting (See #9)
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Sewing the Pillow:
9. Place pillow squares, right sides together, with the square of batting or Warm and Natural
on top. Pin around edges. (The batting provides a small amount of stiffness so the flanges
wont be floppy). Using a seam allowance, sew around the edges of the pillow, leaving a
5 opening at the bottom.
10. Clip the corners and turn right side out. Use a pair of scissors to gently push each corner
out. Press.
11. Using a contrasting color of thread, top-stitch (on the front of the pillow) 1 from the
edge around all edges of the pillow starting at the bottom, leaving the same 5 opening. (The
tacking stitches will show, so be careful to only do 2 or 3 small and neat tack stitches). Repeat
with two additional rows of top-stitching that are each 1/8 apart, making each one closer to
the edge of the pillow.
12. Gently stuff pillow with batting. As the pillow fills with stuffing and you have it as full as
youd like, push the stuffing as far into the pillow as possible and pin the opening closed below
the sewing line.
(See #12)
13. Change out the regular presser foot of your machine for the zipper foot. This will allow
you to get as close to the stuffing as possible while sewing the opening closed, and completing
the rows of top-stitching. Begin at the innermost topstitching line, and sew the opening closed
1 from the edges, meeting up with the previously sewn lines. Again, the tacking stitches will
show, so only do 2 or 3 small stitches. Repeat twice more to finish the additional rows of top-
stitching. Clip threads carefully.
14. Hand sew the outer edge closed. Gently massage the pillow to disperse the stuffing
evenly throughout the pillow.
15. As an option, hand sew coordinating buttons to each corner.
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Simplified Version of Stitching and Appliqu:
For a simplified version, omit the swirls and the lines on the body of the acorn. Rather than
marking all of the criss-cross lines on the acorn cap, only mark a few in a slanted tic-tac-toe
pattern. Try a Running Stitch around the edges of the cap, with simple tacking stitches on the
stem, and a Blanket Stitch around the edges of the acorn body.
I hope you have enjoyed creating this fall project. Try displaying it in a variety of ways to add
a cozy touch to your home!
Please feel free to contact me anytime with any questions you might have.
Shelli Christiansen
copyright 2008 Needle in a Haystack
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This pillow was made with the FREE machine embroidery
Fall Acorn Applique , available at SWAK Embroidery.
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Try adding the flange technique to other projects:
One-half inch flange with single row of top stitching
Wise Mean Still Seek Him Embroidery Design available at SWAK Embroidery
One-inch flange with double row of top stitching
Autumn Glory Embroidery Design available at SWAK Embroidery
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