Sometimes we end up with lovely leftover yarn that we don’t know how to use. Other times we find exclusive, expensive yarn that we are tempted to buy but can’t afford too much of. What do we do with the yarn when we don’t have enough for a garment or pillow?
Here I chose to knit a ribbon and sew it to a simple silk pillow. The length of the ribbon determined how big the pillow could be.
Red silk: 45 × 45cm (18 × 18in) for the front piece, 35 x 45cm (14 × 18in) and 13 x 45cm (51⁄4 x 18in) for the back piece
Zip 35cm (14in)
Yarn
Spun silk with beads and sequins from
Artyarns (silk)
50g (13⁄4oz) hibiscus
3mm (size 3) needles
Finished size: 43 × 43cm (17 × 17in)
Assembly:
Overstitch around the fabric pieces. Sew the zip on to the back piece (see Good Advice).
Place the front and back pieces right sides together and sew around.
Cut off excess fabric at the corners, press the seams apart and reverse the work.
Pin along the edge of the pillow and sew a 1.5cm (1⁄2in) seam inside the edge.
Sew the knitting together using kitchener stitches to make a ring. Measure the ribbon to make four identical parts. Place one part on each side of the pillow, approximately 0.5–1cm (1⁄4–1⁄2in) inside the edge. Make sure you have enough ribbon for the corners. Pin and sew by hand along the inside. Avoid sewing through both layers of fabric.
