Better Homes & Gardens – Holiday Crafts 2019

HolidayCrafts 2019 79

Songbird Serenade

shown on page 74

MATERIALS

22-inch square of cotton/linen-blend
fabric (pillow front)
Multipurpose sealing wrap (such as
Glad Press’n Seal brand)
Extra-fine-tip permanent marking
pen: black
Size 5 perle cotton: dark blue
Needles: Size 22 or 24 chenille,
embroidery
Tweezers
Freezer paper
Wool felt and/or felted wool: gold
(bird and stars), dark blue (beak and
eye), three assorted greens (leaves),
three assorted reds (berries)
Water-soluble fabric glue (such as
Glue-Baste-It brand)
Embroidery floss: gold, dark blue,
assorted greens, assorted reds
19-inch square of medium-weight
red-striped ticking fabric (pillow back)
18-inch square pillow form

TRANSFER THE PATTERN

Trace the wreath pattern in Pattern Pack
onto white paper. Tear off a piece of
multipurpose sealing wrap a few inches
larger than the pattern. Place the wrap
on top of pattern and smooth out any air
bubbles. Using an extra-fi ne-tip permanent
marking pen, trace pattern onto wrap. Lift
the wrap from pattern and apply the wrap
to the pillow front, using the guidelines on
pattern to center the design; smooth out
air bubbles.

EMBROIDER PILLOW FRONT

Go to page 111 or BHG.com/HCStitches
to see stitch diagrams. Using a chenille
needle and dark blue perle cotton,
stem-stitch the wreath, word, and bird
legs through the sealing wrap. (We used

(^3) ∕ 16 -inch-long stitches on the wreath and
(^1) ∕ 8 -inch-long stitches on the word and bird
legs.) To stem-stitch curves, make stitches
slightly shorter.
Peel sealing wrap off the fabric, being
careful not to pull the stitches. Use
tweezers to remove any small pieces of
wrap that stick in the stitches.

PREPARE THE APPLIQUÉS

Using the marking pen, trace the leaves,

berry, star, bird, eye, and beak the number

of times indicated on the patterns onto

the dull side of freezer paper. Cut out

each shape approximately^1 ∕ 4 inch outside

traced lines. Using a hot dry iron, press

freezer-paper shapes, shiny sides down,

onto appropriate wool. Cut out shapes on

drawn lines.

Use a small dot of fabric glue to adhere

eye to bird; let dry.

Gather the paper wreath template used

earlier. Cut^1 ∕ 4 inch inside the drawn circle

and^1 ∕ 16 inch outside the bird and bird leg

lines. Align template with stitched wreath

and bird legs on pillow front. Note: The

circle may not align perfectly, so use legs

for alignment. Apply dots of fabric glue to

center backs of bird and beak and adhere

the shapes to the pillow front through the

cut opening in template; avoid placing glue

near edges to be stitched. Remove paper

template and let glue dry.

ATTACH THE APPLIQUÉS

Use two strands of matching embroidery

fl oss and tiny whipstitches for all

appliquéing. Whipstitch the bird and beak

to the pillow front. Whipstitch the eye to

the bird.

Referring to photo, above, arrange the

stars and berries on wreath, then add

the leaves. If desired, cut more leaves

using freezer-paper method to add to the

arrangement (we used 37 leaves). When

satisfi ed with arrangement, glue shapes to

pillow front; avoid placing glue on edges

to be stitched. Let dry. Whipstitch around

each shape.

FINISH THE PILLOW

Using a warm dry iron, press back side of

pillow front. Trim pillow front to 19 inches

square, keeping wreath centered.

With right sides together, sew together

pillow front and red-striped ticking pillow

back, using a^1 ∕ 2 -inch seam allowance and

leaving a 16-inch opening in bottom edge

for stuffi ng. Clip corners and turn pillow

cover right side out. Insert pillow form

through opening. Stitch opening closed.