Making an Envelope Style Sofa Pillow

Today I finished an envelope style sofa pillow and pillow form. All you need is a sewing machine, 2 fat quarters, muslin, fiberfill and a small amount of upholstery thread or button thread for hand sewing the pillow form opening closed.

Pillow Form:

Cut 2 14 1/2 inch squares of muslin. Sew together with a 1/4 inch seam, leaving a 4-5 inch opening at the bottom. Trim the corners. Turn right side out. Stuff with fiberfill. I tend to overstuff as I like my pillows FAT. Hand sew the opening closed with upholstery thread or button thread.

Pillow Cover:

From 1 fat quarter, cut a 14 1/2 inch square. From the second fat quarter cut 2 pieces measuring 10 inches by 14 1/2 inches. Iron 1/4 inch hem on one of the 14 1/2 wide ends. Then fold over about an inch and iron again. Sew the hems of the two shorter pieces.

Pin, with the right sides together and the two shorter pieces overlapping, and sew a 1/4 inch seam all the way around. Trim the corners. Turn right side out. Iron the pillow cover. Then sew 1/8 to 1/4 inch around the outside of the pillow cover all the way around. Insert the pillow form. Viola! Instant easy pillow.

Lotus Stitch Scarf Free Knitting Pattern

This is my latest scarf pattern and I have posted the instructions here for you.

LOTUS STITCH SCARF

Materials:

150 gms DK wt 100% wool yarn
US#9 (5.5mm) straight needles
Yarn needle
Gauge is not critical to this project

Stitches:

Lotus Stitch
Knit
Purl
Slip
Yarn Over

Pattern:

Section 1 (4 rows x 3)
1. Purl
2. P1, *P5tog, leave sts on Left needle, YO, P5tog again, YO, P5tog again, drop sts from Left needle, P1* . Repeat across from * to * , ending P1.
3. Purl
4. P1, *P3tog, leave sts on Left needle, YO, P3tog again, drop sts from left needle, Pl*. Repeat across from * to *, ending P1.
Repeat rows 1 thru 4 for a total of 3 times.

Section 2 (2 rows x 5)
1. Purl
2. SL1, K1 across, ending SL1.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for a total of 10 rows.

Cast on 37 stitches. Follow Pattern to desired length. End after completing Row 2 of Section 1. Bind Off in purl. Block/steam gently to get the curves along the sides.

Notes:
My scarf measures 56″ x 6″ in the Lotus stitch section and 7″ wide in the SL1,K1 section. 150 grams will make a scarf considerably longer. I just got tired of knitting and ended it at 56″.
The Lotus stitch is not a complicated stitch, BUT it is an AWKWARD stitch to accomplish. If you knit tightly, I would suggest you loosen up your tension in order to complete the stitch.
Due to the nature of the stitch, it does draw up the width some, hence the 6″ to 7″ width variation.

August 20, 2012 Pattern edited for corrections.

Here is a site that shows a video on how to do this stitch:

http://newstitchaday.com/lotus-flower-stitch/

New Zealand Rib Scarf Pattern

I want to share with you an easy rib scarf pattern. Thanks go out to my friend, Jude in New Zealand for sharing it with her American friends.

Materials:

Sock Yarn 1-2 skeins (I used Regia Design Line by Kaffe Fassett, color Turquoise)
1 skein will make a scarf approximately 36 inches x 5 inches. 2 skeins will double the length.
US#6/4.00mm straight needles
Yarn needle for weaving in loose ends

Terms:

CO – cast on
BO – bind off
K – knit
P – purl
YO – yarn over
K2tog – knit 2 together

Specifics:

Pattern is a multiple of 4 + 2 (I cast on 42 stitches)
Gauge: not important

Row 1: K2, P2 to end, finishing with K2

Row 2: P2, K2 to end, finishing with P2

Row 3: K2, P2, *YO (bring yarn to back, then over right hand needle & to back of work), K2tog, P2*. Repeat from * to * to last 2 stitches, K2.

Row 4: P2, K2 to end, finishing with P2

Row 5: K2, P2, *K2tog, YO (bring yarn to front, then over right hand needle & back to front of work), P2*, Repeat from * to * to last 2 stitches, K2.

Row 6: P2, K2 to end, finishing with P2.

Repeat Rows 3 thru 6 … forever or until you run out of yarn.

BO and weave in all loose ends.

What Would I do IF I Won the Lottery, PowerBall, etc.

The first thing I would do is sign my ticket.

2nd thing–find a good tax attorney or accountant. I’d definitely want to get all those taxes out of the way before I would spend any of the winnings.

3rd–Pay off all my bills. It would be so nice not having bills hanging over my head.

4th–Give some to my kids. And advise them to sock a good portion away for their future.

5th–Sock some away for my future.

6th–Move. You know someone will find out where you live and you will be inundated with demands from total strangers to share your winnings. Not that I mind giving to charities, but total strangers with some sort of sob story…I don’t think so. I’m not that soft hearted and I know there are plenty of charities out there that help folks.

7th–Buy a new car. Mine is a ’98. I think maybe I should get a new one.

8th–Enjoy life. I’m not a Big Spender type person. So there wouldn’t be extravagances, like multiple houses, cars, jewelry, clothing, etc.

9th–I might travel..some. There are a few places in this country I would love to see.

10th–Make sure no one knows I have that kind of money to spend. Just live a relatively normal life, but without all the hassles of living from payday to payday.

That’s about it. You wouldn’t see me on the news. I’d just be that ordinary neighbor you know nothing much about.

What would you do?