Honor the Elders Reading Pillow

This is a reading pillow that I recently made for a friend. The original elder/feather design is Native American artwork by Guuillermo Aranda.  You can find this design on Etsy at YermosArt.  The wording is by Dee Lamb but I cannot find it on the Reading Pillow Fanatics site that I used.  The pillow fabric is Native Plains by Jennifer Sampon for Robert Kaufman.  I think it had been in my stash for many years but was perfect for this project.  The book pocket fabric is Cowboy Mantras by Deborah Edwards for Northcott. My friend loved his pillow and I have received many nice compliments.

Starburst

My grandson just moved into a new house.  When I toured his bedroom, I discovered why I had been hoarding black and white fabric for a year or two.  I spotted this quilt on Pinterest  and decided I would make this without a pattern.  I used Kona cotton black and Kona cotton white.  The grays are from a batik layercake.  It was quick to sew together.  My friend quilted it with feathers.  Now to make some pillows and pillowcases.  Happy House Warming!!

Ice Dyeing

 I found a white denim vest on sale last year and bought two of them. First I washed the vest and then soaked it in a washing soda bath for two days.  After letting it dry until damp, my neighbor put rubber bands in a dozen places.  Jill used grape, hot pink, and glacier blue dry dyes on the vest. Twenty pounds of ice and 48 hours later the vest was ready for rinsing and washing.  I love it.
When Jill came to pick up her vest.  Her daughter applied dye to a white cotton shirt.  She used grape, watermelon, hot pink, peach, and pinches of green. Twenty more pounds of ice and 48 hours later, it was ready for its reveal.  I know she will love her shirt.  It is amazing!

When I started to clean up, I had 40 pounds of water in the plastic tub.  I decided to throw in a white cotton blouse to see what color it would be.  It is a delightful purple.

We used the directions from a book entitled Having a Meltdown by Sondra Millard.  The directions are clear and easy to follow.  Great book if you want to start dyeing fabrics.

More Reading Pillows

 

These are my two latest reading pillows.  The top one has purple fleece for the front and back of the pillow.  The bottom one has a cotton front and back.  I do use an soft iron-on stabilizer for both of the pieces.  The book pocket is cotton that I have backed with fusible fleece.  The sketchy girls are from Jazzy Zebra on etsy.  My computer has just been reformatted so I can not tell you where the thousand lives is from.  I had seen the booktime saying several months ago and digitized that myself. I love making the pillows and have more ideas and more fabric.