Shoebox: Tea Towel Pillowcase, Quilled Flower Eggs

Figure A

There was a grand idea in the Shoebox today sent in by Karen Brown of Rockford, Ill. It all started when Karen and her husband took a trip abroad, and Karen was doing the usual shopping for gifts to take home. It was while they were in Gretna Green, Scotland, looking at a wall covered with beautiful tea towels that her husband suggested she buy some. She thought they were pretty but not too exciting, so he commented that she could "do something with them." And she did. A number of the towels had pictures in the center; others were just beautifully colored patterned fabric. They were all a good size measuring 18-1/2" x 30". These were the perfect size to make covers for 14-inch pillows.

Note: If you are unable to find a 30-inch towel you may have to settle for one that is only 28 inches in length. These can be used, but you will need to use a fastener, because you will not have the 2-inch overlap. Or, you might use a 12-inch pillow instead.

Karen's directions for covering a 14-inch pillow:

1. Place towel on table top and mark the exact center. Measure 7" up from this center mark and 7" down.

Figure C

2. Bring each end of the towel to the center, folding along the 7" measurement. There will be a 2" overlap.

3. Mark 7" out from the center on both sides. Stitch a line on each side from the top folded edge to the bottom one. Slip pillow into the case.

The second contribution to today’s Shoebox were three beautifully decorated eggs, sent to us by Del VanMeeteren of Sheldon, Iowa. All Del did was decorate the undyed white eggs with delicate quilled flowers, but they were lovely!