Whit's Knits: Sweet Home Sweet Pillow

Not too long ago I was deep in the thicket of the internet, in search of I-don't-remember-what, when I came across the fascinating idea of cross stitching on crocheted fabric. I became totally motivated by the idea. I've probably seen too many episodes of Little House on the Prairie, but undeniably, the self-sufficiency of this project deeply appealed to me. 

Maybe I'm not quite up to growing a field of flax to harvest, comb, bat, and spin into linen, but I could take a small step toward satisfying my wanna-be pioneer by creating my own cross stitch canvas. Never mind that I didn't know how to cross stitch. Just another task in the life of a frontiers woman!

It was Page's daughter, Coco, who unwittingly gave us the perfect phrase to adorn this pillow. She's six now, but at the ripe age of 4, she would arrive home to her front door, and with an exhausted sigh, pronounce, "Ah, sweet, home, sweet...". Coco's malapropism is especially wonderful because it turns on its head a phrase that is at the very heart of traditional needlecraft. And so "Home Sweet Home" became "Sweet Home Sweet" and a pillow was born!

I was so devoted to the idea of this pillow that I was very careful to choose materials that would be true to my mission of simple, rugged beauty. And, so, I called in the big guns: Louet's classically beautiful Euroflax Linen for the crochet, Koigu's KPM Needlepoint Yarn for the cross stitch, and Mary Flanagan's sumptuous hand dyed Wool Felt for the backing. The result is a pillow with a whole lot of homespun charm, just right for life on the frontier! Okay... maybe just life in Brooklyn...

To try your hand at your own pillow, please visit my Sweet Home Sweet Pillow Project Journal. Thanks! - Whitney

Comments

[Kirsten @ Triple Max Tons]

Oh, that is so sweet! I love how her daughter mixed up the saying. The pillow turned out so well!

[Marisa]

What a great pillow, and an adorable story. :)

[Notyet100]

This looks so cool

[jackie]

OMG......you are sooooo creative! i look forward to every project that you send out....but i can't crochet, so i won't be trying this one.......do you sell you projects?
jackyknits

[MB@YarnUiPhoneApp1.5]

I would never have thought of needlework on crochet either, but it makes sense. While this has been applied to a pillow, it could work for a garment or even a bag. Thanks for the idea.

[Sarah]

As long time fan of Little House on the Prairie I am going to give this a go!
Will have to see what yarn we have here in UK. Thanks for the idea.
I am also thinking of other sayings, a quote or line from a poem etc etc.....
Sarahj

[Jordan]

Yay! More crochet projects. Thanks so much for this one... Awesome- as always! ;)

[em]

that's a very nice idea! thanks for the explanations!

[elisa]

oh, how great to be able to crosstitch onto crochet, i love that! I shall have to try it. What about latchhooking, do you think that might work too?

the saying is adorable, i love those inventions.

if you'd like to grow a field of flax to harvest, comb, bat, and spin into linen vicariously, you might have fun watching this: http://url.appleturnover.tv/flaxen

x! elisa.

[ashley]

I love this!!! What alphabet font did you use for this pillow? I've looked at a ton of different ones and this is my favorite thus far but I can't find it anywhere

[purl bee]

Hi Ashley,

Unfortunately, I pretty much made up the font (and only the seven letters I needed!). However, I was inspired by an alphabet in Sajou's Mauve Cross Stitch Album (third page from the end). Here's a link: http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/7593-Sajou-Cross-Stitch-Albums-Mauve. I ended up making my letters one stitch higher, and I cut off some corners and made some other tweaks too, but it may be a place to start!

Thanks for your question and good luck!
Whitney