Turquoise wool fabric 54 × 74cm (211⁄4 × 29in) for front piece and 54 × 54cm (211⁄4 × 211⁄4in) for back piece. Since the fabric is relatively thick, these measurements are for a 2cm (3⁄4in) seam allowance and 20cm (8in) fold
Purple felt
Yarn
Use some leftover yarn for the embroidery; you only need a few metres of each colour.
Here we’ve used Falk from Dale Garn (wool)
Orange no. 3609
Light green no. 8817
Dale baby wool
Pink no. 4516
Small heart:
Falk from Dale Garn
50g (13⁄4in) red no. 4018 or red leftover yarn
Lace edge:
Falk from Dale Garn (wool)
50g (13⁄4in) purple no. 5036 or purple leftover yarn
3mm or 3.5mm (size 3 or 4) needles
Small red heart:
CO 3 sts and knit 1 row k. Continue k as you increase 1 st on each side of the central st every third row. Repeat until you have 51 sts on the needle. Knit 27 sts. Cast (bind) off the middle st by passing the 26th st over the 27th. Continue until the end of the row.
Leave the stitches on the right side of the work on the needle while you continue with the left part.
*Start by knitting the first 2 sts to one, knit to the end of the needle. Repeat back. Then knit back and forth without casting (binding)off*. Repeat from * to * 3 times.
*Knit the first 2 sts to one, knit to the end of the needle. Repeat back*.
Repeat from * to * 4 times.
Cast (bind) off the last 11 sts.
Knit the right side of the work in the same way.
Assembly and embroidery:
All the embroidery is done by hand without sketching. It gives the pillow a naïve appearance, as is often seen in old woollen embroidery. The simple and less perfect approach creates charm, so don’t be afraid to try it. If you are not happy, simply undo a couple of stitches and try again.
Reverse the red heart in the centre of the front piece and backstitch or tack (baste) around the edge with red yarn. Cut out two birds from purple felt and place them on each side of the heart, tack (baste) around the edge with green yarn. Tie a French knot to use as the eye and give it three small tail feathers. The legs are sewn with outline stitches.
The spirals that spread out of the top of the heart are made with outline stitches in orange yarn. Decorate around the heart with French knots using pink yarn. Finish with a small flower in loop stitch.
The text is sewn with outline stitch in green yarn. It should be centred, so start with the middle E in TWEET, sewing this right underneath the heart. Continue with the letters on the right side first.
Press (iron) the work carefully on the back.
Place front and back pieces right sides together and sew the pillow with fold (see Good Advice).
Lace edge:
Use purple yarn to chain stitch the seam around the pillow and along the fold at the bottom of the front piece.
Row 1: Crochet 1 sc in the first chain stitch,
3 ch, 1 sc in the third chain stitch, 3 ch, 1 sc
in the fifth chain stitch, 3 ch, etc. Continue with 1 ch every other chain stitch until you get to
the first corner. Then you crochet 3 sc in the
corner stitch. Continue the same way all the way around.
Row 2: Crochet 1 sc, 3 ch and 1 sc in each ch loop the whole way around. Secure the thread.