My next piece in "The Year of the Small Project"? This Halloween pillow by Lizzie*Kate. This chart has been in my stash for a number of years. My (now closed) local needlework shop kitted up the fabric and sampler threads along with the cute spider charm that hangs off the tip of the moon. I'd never stitched with sampler threads before, so bought the kit to give them a try.

I finally tried!

I sure like the subtle effect the sampler threads give to the piece. I completed each stitch as I went along to allow the color changes to happen gradually.

I've never stitched on this type of fabric before, either. It felt itchy, like wool. But it's real pretty in that it has little flecks of color sprinkled throughout the fabric.

The smart-mouth words on the front of this pillow had me toying with ideas on how to make the back of the pillow funny, too. I'm a beginner quilter, so searched my books and the internet looking for a foundation-pieced spider pattern. I never did find a satisfactory foundation-pieced spider. Instead, I found this cute pattern on the Quiltmaker website.

I then searched my fabric scraps and found some fabric that is a purple base with white dots. Three strips sewn together made the base of the pillow back.

I wasn't sure how to applique a circle onto the base, so I improvised and made a black fabric yo-yo for the spider's body instead. This is the first time I ever made a yo-yo. I've seen it demonstrated on TV many times, so just gave it a try. I decided to stuff the yo-yo with a little fiberfill to make the body fluffy. Then I used some purple buttons for the eyes.

I transferred the pattern onto the base, then stitched the chain-stitch legs with 6 strands of DMC black floss. I wanted the spider web to shimmer, though, so I chose a Kreinik metallic very fine #04 braid (032). It's stitched with an outline stitch.

Finally, I tacked the stuffed yo-yo onto the fabric base between the spider legs. The finished size of my pillow is approximately 7-1/2 inches square.

This is one of those fun projects that just makes me giggle each time I pick it up. It's a real mood booster.

If you'd like to learn the basics of working with overdyed fibers, read the page in Needlework 101 called Stitching with Overdyeds.

Stitched August 3 - August 3, 2004

Pattern name:	Bug Off Baby!
Designer:	Lizzie*Kate
Stitch Count:	45 x 46
Fabric:	28ct White Birch Heatherfield
Floss:	Sampler Threads
Original Cost:	9.00 (kit)

Lizzie*Kate
2901 Oriole
Wichita, KS  67204
Phone~Fax (316) 832-0501

White Birch Heatherfield
by Wichelt

Back to Cameo's Corner: 2004
On to next project: Autumn Cornucopia