I Heart USA Button Pillow - Tutorial

I have a big love affair with buttons.  I have a plastic bin full of them, all shapes, sizes and colors.  Loreli loves playing with them too.  She'll seperate them by colors among other creative ways only a toddler can think of!  Now I've finally found a good use for them for me...button pillows!  What a fun way to decorate your home and play with colorful buttons!

Here's what you'll need:

1 yd muslin
3 fat quarters or fabric remnants of red, white & blue
Buttons - red, white & blue
One 18" pillow form
I Heart USA Pattern (PDF)
Thread
Scissors
Disappearing Ink Pen
Sewing Machine

Start by cutting out the pattern pieces from the I Heart USA Pattern PDF.  Using the pattern pieces, cut the fat quarters in the specified colors.  I wanted a tight-fitting pillowcase, so I cut my muslin piece 18.5" wide by 36" long.  I traced the heart outline onto the muslin, just making sure everything would be centered.

Sew the pieces onto the muslin.  I did not leave any seam allowances, therefore the raw edges will be visible.  I think the frayed edges add a little rustic feeling.

Start sewing those buttons on!  This process actually took me about a week.  I would only do a couple stripes each night.

Fold the muslin in half lengthwise with right sides together.  Sew the sides together and about 1"-2" at the bottom, leaving a wide opening to fit your pillow form in.

Stuff (and I mean STUFF!) your pillow form into the pillowcase.  Slip stitch the opening closed.

Voila!  Your button pillow is complete and isn't it fabulous?!

USA Dishcloth

Here's a FREE dishcloth pattern!  Bring it as a hostess gift to that 4th of July cookout or display it at your own get together!  You could also use this to root for Team USA at the 2012 Olympics.  =)

USA Dishcloth

Supplies:

1 Skein Knit Picks Dishie

US #3/3.25mm needles

Yarn needle

(Finished size approximately 7-1/2" x 7")

Instructions:

Cast on 43 sts

Row 1 (and all odd rows): K

Row 2: K

Row 4: K

Row 6: K

Row 8: K

Row 10: K

Row 12: K

Row 14: K8, P27, K8

Row 16: K7, P29, K7

Row 18: K6, P31, K6

Row 20: K5, P33, K5

Row 22: K4, P35, K4

Row 24: K3, P4, K7, P4, K7, P3, K3, P3, K3, P3, K3

Row 26: K3, P3, K9, P3, K8, P2, K3, P3, K3, P3, K3

Row 28: K3, P3, K9, P3, K8, P2, K3, P3, K3, P3, K3

Row 30: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P9, K2, P2, K3, P3, K3, P3, K3

Row 32: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P9, K2, P2, K9, P3, K3

Row 34: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P4, K7, P2, K9, P3, K3

Row 36: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P3, K8, P2, K4, P1, K4, P3, K3

Row 38: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P2, K8, P3, K2, P5, K2, P3, K3

Row 40: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P2, K2, P9, K3, P3, K3, P3, K3

Row 42: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P2, K2, P9, K2, P5, K2, P3, K3

Row 44: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P2, K8, P3, K4, P1, K4, P3, K3

Row 46: K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P3, K7, P4, K7, P4, K3

Row 48: K4, P2, K3, P3, K3, P4, K6, P5, K5, P4, K4

Row 50: K5, P33, K5

Row 52: K6, P31, K6

Row 54: K7, P29, K7

Row 56: K8, P27, K8

Row 58: K

Row 60: K

Row 62: K

Row 64: K

Row 66: K

Row 68: K

Bind off

Weave in ends and block.

I Love America Dishcloth

More patriotic fun!  Add this cloth to your kitchen or bathroom for a little extra American spirit as we inch closer to Independence Day!

This pattern is available to purchase as a PDF file for $1.50. This pattern is available to purchase on Ravelry, but please note that you do not need an account to purchase it. Just click on the link below and it will take you directly to Paypal.

American Flag Yarn Wreath

The 4th of July is a big event at our house.  The town parade marches right down our street, giving us a front row view while allowing us to relax from the comfort of our own front yard.  That being said, every house on our street always decks out their porches in fun and festive red, white and blue!

I've been looking at yarn wreaths for about a year thinking that they didn't look too hard and that I'd like to try one myself.  They are truly very easy, just a little time consuming. 

I used a 14" straw wreath (keep the plastic wrap on, that way there isn't a mess!), Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red, White and Country Blue.  I bought the adhesive-backed felt sparkle stars from Michael's.

This was a really fun & easy project -- I'm really excited to try it again!

Orca Whale Dishcloth

My first visit to Sea World was when I was in the 2nd grade and my love for orcas began.  For years after, I told everyone who would listen that I was going to be a Shamu trainer when I grew up.  Then, in middle school, I decided marine biology was the way to go.  Sadly, I realized that the "biology" part of that title was pretty important and from my my first biology class on, it was fairly obvious I was way too woozy during those classes to even think about making a career out of it.  So even though I'll never be able to interact with them the way I always dreamt about, my love for orcas (and sea creatures in general) continue and I never cease to be amazed by their beauty.  I hope you all enjoy this pattern as much as I've enjoyed designing it!

This pattern is available to purchase as a PDF file for $1.50. This pattern is available to purchase on Ravelry, but please note that you do not need an account to purchase it. Just click on the link below and it will take you directly to Paypal.

Gardening Dishcloth

We've become quite the garden-loving family the past couple years, so needless to say we were stoked to get our plants in the ground this spring.  We attempted growing from seed, but they didn't survive past a couple weeks.  I'm not sure what we did wrong, but we plan on researching a bit more this winter and we'll try it again next spring.

We pretty much have the same as last year: onion, peas, strawberries, cucumber, tomato, zucchini, and pumpkin.  We did add a few new ones to the mix -- green beans, corn and peanuts!  I'm not convinced the corn will last (some critter is already nibbling them) but I'm looking forward to see what the peanuts will do.

Here's a free dishcloth pattern to all those garden lovers out there!  Happy knitting everyone!

Gardening Dishcloth

Supplies:

1 Skein Lily Sugar n Cream yarn

US #3/3.25mm needles

Yarn needle

(Finished size approximately 8-1/2" x 8-1/2")

Instructions:

Cast on 43 sts

Rows 1-6: (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1

Row 7 (and all odd rows): (K1, P1) x2, P to last 4 sts, (P1, K1) x2 

Row 8: (K1, P1) x2, K35, (P1, K1) x2 

Row 10: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P31, K2, (P1, K1) x2

Row 12: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P29, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 14: (K1, P1) x2, K9, P1, K12, P1, K12, (P1, K1) x2

Row 16: (K1, P1) x2, K9, P1, K12, P1, K12, (P1, K1) x2

Row 18: (K1, P1) x2, K8, P1, K13, P1, K12, (P1, K1) x2

Row 20: (K1, P1) x2, K7, P1, K11, P4, K12, (P1, K1) x2

Row 22: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P1, K10, P4, K1, P1, K12, (P1, K1) x2

Row 24: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P1, K9, P5, K2, P1, K11, (P1, K1) x2

Row 26: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P3, K7, P4, K4, P1, K10, (P1, K1) x2

Row 28: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P4, K6, P4, K4, P5, K6, (P1, K1) x2

Row 30: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P4, K6, P3, K6, P5, K5, (P1, K1) x2

Row 32: (K1, P1) x2, K7, P3, K7, P1, K7, P5, K5, (P1, K1) x2

Row 34: (K1, P1) x2, K21, P1, K4, P5, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 36: (K1, P1) x2, K19, P1, K1, P1, K5, P4, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 38: (K1, P1) x2, K19, P1, K15, (P1, K1) x2

Row 40: (K1, P1) x2, K8, P1, K8, P1, K17, (P1, K1) x2

Row 42: (K1, P1) x2, K7, P2, K8, P1, K1, P1, K15, (P1, K1) x2

Row 44: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P4, K5, P1, K3, P1, K15, (P1, K1) x2

Row 46: (K1, P1) x2, K5, P6, K4, P2, K18, (P1, K1) x2

Row 48: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P8, K2, P4, K17, (P1, K1) x2

Row 50: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P16, K16, (P1, K1) x2

Row 52: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P14, K19, (P1, K1) x2

Row 54: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P13, K20, (P1, K1) x2

Row 56: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P10, K21, (P1, K1) x2

Row 58: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K1, P8, K1, P1, K20, (P1, K1) x2

Row 60: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K2, P6, K3, P1, K19, (P1, K1) x2

Row 62: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P4, K4, P1, K19, (P1, K1) x2

Row 64: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K4, P2, K5, P1, K19, (P1, K1) x2

Row 66: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P4, K2, P1, K3, P1, K20, (P1, K1) x2

Row 68: (K1, P1) x2, K11, P3, K21, (P1, K1) x2

Row 70: (K1, P1) x2, K35, (P1, K1) x2

Rows 72-76: (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1

Bind off in (K1, P1) pattern.

Weave in ends and block, pushing down on stockinette stitches and leaving the purl stitches (so they "pop"). Lay flat to dry.