Winter Wonderland Pillows - Add Texture to Sewing Projects

Before I left on my "new grandchild/Christmas" trip last year, I created a little project to take with me, using scraps of fabric and ribbon. This project was very portable; it was small enough that I could carry it in a medium sized zip-lock bag and stuff it into my purse. You know, for those down times when you don't want to watch anything on television or the baby doesn't need changing or it's someone else's turn to hold the baby or the little apartment doesn't need to be cleaned - again.  

I used a Fiber Mosaics pattern #61202, Winter Wonderland as inspiration:
   

When I opened the pattern, I discovered the pieces were too small for my eyes. So with a copier, I enlarged them quite a bit. Then I changed them just a little, hand-stitched the fabric art and then added some embroidered details.

Here are a few tips to add texture to this and other fabric art projects.

• Use a variety of fabrics. The hat above is a quilted looking gold fabric stitched over some embroidered hair. I also used cotton, flannel, fake fur and fleece to create the figure's clothing.  
• Use a variety of embroidery stitches. French knots were used for the pom pom on the bottom of the hat.  The hair was a series of tightly stitched running stitches.  On the ends of the scarfs, I tied a knot and left 6 strands of floss loose so it would look like fringe.
• Add different scraps of lace to the edge of the clothing.  
• Use different embroidery thread to add more interest. Most of the details were added with cotton floss but for the skates, I used a shinny thicker silver floss. 

• Ribbon can also be used for the tree trunks, for windows and even scarfs.

Texture really adds a lot of fun to sewing projects!  With all my children moved out of my house, I've decided it's time to update a few of their bedrooms, and these two pillows make a fun accent in my dusty blue room.  

xoxo Grandma
Linked to 2 Crochet Hooks