Mittens-on-a-String Pillow

Budding seamstresses will enjoy
making this pillow.

• 20-inch square of green thermal fleece (pillow back)
• 17-inch square of white cotton duck fabric (pillow front)
• Sharp pencil
• 2 yards of red ball trim
• Matching sewing threads
• Green No. 3 perle cotton
• Large-eye embroidery needle
• 16-inch pillow form
• Tracing paper

1. Download the pattern. Requires free Adobe Acrobat software. Trace the green lines of the full-size mitten pattern onto tracing paper; cut out.

2. Use a pencil to very lightly trace a mitten on the white cotton duck square; see photo and diagram for placement. Turn pattern over for second mitten so thumbs are adjacent and face toward center of pillow front; trace second mitten. For string connecting mittens, draw a freehand curved line as desired or as shown in the diagram.

3. Thread a long piece of perle cotton in needle; knot ends together. Embroider 1/4-inch-long running stitches atop the pencil lines. Press under 1/2 inch on all edges of the pillow front.

4. Referring to diagram, cut freehand notches about 1-1/4 inches deep around edges of the green fleece. With wrong sides together, center and pin pillow front to pillow back. Edgestitch the front to the back, leaving bottom edge open to insert pillow form.

5. Using red thread, zigzag-stitch the red ball trim to pillow front on the three previously sewn sides, covering the edges of cotton duck.

6. Insert pillow form; machine-sew the opening closed, then finish trimming by sewing the ball trim to the last edge.