
I wanted something that spoke of our love, and I wanted it to be special because my future Son would be the one to carry it down the aisle. It needed to be meaningful.
And what is more meaningful, than something hand-crafted? Right? Haha. Oh yeah. That's meaningful. Did I mention that I have never sewn anything, never made a pillow, and only have a little bit of experience stitching from girl scouts over two decades ago? No? Well...it's all true.
I set to work, first I had to find the material, and get everything for it. I had a few sewing needles, but after discussing the process with my mom she suggested that I get embroidery needles since I was going to be stitching...
Now to find emerald green and peacock blue...it wasn't as easy as I thought. I found the Natural Fiber Muslin, and found the embroidery floss the right colors, but couldn't find the right color for the backing on the pillow. I looked all over for some peacock blue fabric. And yes...I looked everywhere. There were colors that were close, but too turquoisy...Or too greenish... In my desperation, I tried an awesome little thrift shop here in town...Just before they closed.
I swept in the front door and was greeted by the most welcoming woman- she never remembers me, even though I have been going inside since I started school here too many years ago to mention. But she always greets me like an old friend...who always forgets my face.
She could tell by my face I was desperate, and asked what I was looking for. I proceeded to tell her I've been looking all over for some fabric to make the ring pillow for our wedding, but figured I would just try her place on the off chance she might have something that would work. I showed her my color swatches, and her face lit up. "I have just the thing!" She rushed me up the stairs, and went right to the rack where a cute little coat from an old dress hung, "I tried to get the gal who bought the dress that went with this to take the jacket too, guess you needed it more"
I had all my supplies, all I had to do-or so I believed-was sketch out the pattern, and make the pillow! Right? Yes. But the pattern was the hardest part, after trying to find the right colors, and after actually locating said colors...I liked so many designs i found online, but knew each one was lacking some element...
I had my sketch, my medium, my tools...now what? How do you make a pillow? I learned from Fraulein Maria (Sound of Music), that the beginning is a very good place to start. So I cut out the pattern, and used it to cut the pieces of fabric, and prolonged the inevitable sewing as long as I could. I probably cut our 50 little birds, and 20 tiny leaves before I decided which ones would make the cut.
I laid the pieces out on the muslin, and pinned them all down, and re-pinned them so many times Jon thought I would never finish the pillow. I have pictures of the process somewhere...but in the wedding hubub somehow lost them. So then I sewed everything down. And I hope it all stays together well- still not sure if my knots were made right.
After finishing the front, it took a few nights of movies and music to keep me awake...I put the backing on, flipped it inside out, stuffed it, and closed the pillow! I felt like a pro by the end of the process...I even sewed some curtains for the lil guys' room in the middle of the pillow process! Haha. What a difference between when I started and the couple weeks later when I was sewing on the ribbon for the rings! Here is my (poorly taken) picture of the pillow:
Just another day in the life of C A Stone...♥
Live in the rhythm of love...and share the bliss!