Monday, November 15, 2010

Orange Flower Pillow Cover- Part 2

Fully felted, trimmed and beaded pillow cover.
 


Hand sewn beads and outlining embroidery.
 


The rear view...neighhhhh!
 


The finished pillow cover.
(The background looks orange in this photo, but it's yellow.)
 


So, ok...

...here's the disaster part of this story:

As I was felting this piece, I noticed that the piled up bits in the flower center...

...were NOT felting together!

I don't know whether it was because the pile I made was too deep...

...or whether I should have covered the back with a layer of roving for stability?

In any case...

...I was left with a center that looked kind of like a healing scab (sorry for this graphic image)...

...with cracks that went all the way down to the cotton gauze backing.

Shudder

I went ahead and finished felting it, anyway...

...and anchored the unstable parts of the center with small stitches.

Since I was fiddling around with embellishment at this point, anyway...

...I decided to add multicolored beads and embroidery, too.

I used some fun 'horsey' fabric for the reverse side...

...and I like the way the fresh green color of the back coordinates with the yellow front.

Posted by Picasa

15 comments:

Kelly said...

This turned out great!

Heather Woollove said...

Thanks, Kelly. I sure had some anxious hours when I just wasn't sure how it would come out!! :)

vilterietje said...

Anyway, after all disaster it turned out great. love, riet:)

Fi said...

It's great.

Fi said...

looks great to me.

Heather Woollove said...

Thanks, Riet and Fiona!

Vicki W said...

It's fabulous!

Kim van Waardenburg said...

I really love this one Heather!! And a good felter can turn a disaster into a succes:)

Patty Biermans said...

I like the center of the pillow. I can imagine that it was difficult to felt. But you did great!!! Greetings....Peebee

Heather Woollove said...

Thanks, Vicki, Kim and Peebee! I like this one too, even after all the struggle. I think it's because the colors really 'speak to me'! :)

Jackie said...

Its amazing how a problem can often result in a triumph!

Heather Woollove said...

Jackie--I'll definitely know better the next time I use my pre-felt 'confetti'! I'll either make a thinner layer and back it with roving, or make several layers with roving in between!!

FeltersJourney said...

Heather its gorgeous! Love the colours& the linen.The centre must of been a happy accident cos it looks brill!
Your fabric backings are always SO lovely :)
xx

Heather Woollove said...

Thanks, Deborah!! Yes---I love the horse fabric, too. I bought it (and the 'riding apparel' fabric from an earlier pillow) for a Christmas present that I made for my boyfriend's sister a year or two ago. I'm happy, now, that I bought extra!

Anonymous said...

It's gorgeous Heather! What a great idea using the beads in the center. It looks like a giant Poppy flower! I love it! :)