Share Our Garden!: Make a Darling Flower Pillow!

The following was written by Robert Louis Stevenson for his nurse, Alison, in 1903. He was a sickly child, and often kept indoors, where she would entertain him with made-up stories. He would go on to become one of the most beloved authors.

TODAY'S SEEDS OF WISDOM

JUST BLOOMED TODAY~READER'S GARDEN!
GARDEN UPDATE
MAKE A DARLING FLOWER PILLOW!
FAUNA
GARDEN GIGGLE
GARDEN GAMES
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JUST BLOOMED TODAY~READER'S GARDENS
Today we are highlighting Aunt Ruth's beautiful garden and patio, accompanied by her very own 'model'!

GARDEN UPDATE
While you coastal and overseas readers enjoy the overcast days, here in the desert we are rocking the temperature gauge at 90F+. Doing my watering early these days, and making it through about 1/2 of it in the morning and finishing up in the afternoon when it is cooler.

The problem is that it got so hot so fast that the ground is really parched and drinks up the water, so you really have to spend time soaking and letting the plants drink.

Thought I'd share our first cutting of rhubarb (which was EXTREMELY yummy by the way), mixed in with some fresh strawberries.

MAKE A DARLING FLOWER PILLOW!
You are going to want to make several of these, they are so darling! They are selling them at decorator shops, so they are very hot right now. These instructions include both a no-sew version as well as the sewn version (we recommend sewing it for lastibility!)

Here's what you'll need for each pillow:

1/2 yard of fleece in the main flower color, plus some coordinating green and yellow scraps for the center and leaves
pinking shears and scissors
hot glue gun(for no-sew version)
matching thread
sewing machine
pins
stuffing

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut two circles out of your fleece. The size is up to you. You can use a large bowl to trace a circle. A good size is about 14". Use pinking shears, if possible, as this edge will be showing under the petals.

Next use a piece of chalk or dark pencil, trace a smaller circle for the center of your flower and three additional rings to make a bulls-eye. These pics will help you as guidelines to place your petals.

If you are doing the no-sew version, you would hot glue the two pieces together, leaving the opening for stuffing. If you are doing the sewn version, only use one circle for now.

Cut out four leaf shapes. You can embellish them with fabric paint veins or use a fabric paint marker, or you can sew veins on them. If you are doing the no-sew version, hot glue 2 sides together for each leaf. Otherwise, sew the two sides together. There will be no stuffing in these so you can sew them shut.

You will need to cut out the petals now, about 50-60. You will want a larger petal (approximately 3" by 1 3/4" ) for the outer edge and smaller petals (2" by 1 1/2") for the center petals.

Starting on the outer ring of your petals, sew down( or hot glue) petals next to each other. You can pinch the center to give it a more dimensional look.(this photo shows a pre-stuffed pillow in the no-sew version.)

Once the outer ring is completed start the next ring closest, overlapping petals as you go.

Keep adding petals until your flower is complete. Use the larger petals for the two outer rings, a mix of large and small for the next row and all small petals for the inner row.

Cut out some 1" circles to create the center of your flower, using pinking shears. Scrunch the petal to form a little ruffle and attach to the center of your flower to fill it in.

Now you can place your finished top circle with the petals attached on top of the bottom circle and sew (or hot glue), leaving an opening for stuffing. Stuff, then close opening, either by hot glue or sewing by hand.

And, you're done! Here's Aunt Ruth and Coz Tabby with her completed project! Great job, gals!