Heart Candlewicking

What You'll Need:

• A good quality muslin that has not been washed.
• Thick, cotton embroidery thread.
• A wide-eyed needle.
• A needle threader, will help.

Where all of the DOTS are, place a french knot. The instructions follow:

The solid heart line should be sewn with either an outline or backstitch. Follow the diagram.

The leaves are done by bringing up the needle up on the solid line and putting the needle in right next to where it came through. Do not pull the thread all the way through. You should leave a loop. Now bring the needle up at the tip of the leaf and bring it down right next to where it came up. Catch the thread from the loop so that the loop is help down by the stitch. Pull until it is tight, but not too tight.

French Knots: Knot the ends of lengths of double thick embroidery thread or two-ply yarn on a wide eyed needle.

Bring the needle up through the fabric with the knot resting on the underside of the fabric.

Wrap the thread around the needle twice, Fig. d.

Push the needle back down through the fabric a little away from the entry point of the thread.

Push the needle completely through the fabric (Fig. e). This will form topside knot (Fig. E).

To make a pillow - Cut two same-size square or rectangles from 'fabric'.

Sew the two shapes together, right sides facing, with pre-gathered lace or a fabric ruffle tucked between them.

Sew along three and one-half sides. Turn inside out, stuff, and hand sew the open seam closed.

OPTION: Place another piece of fabric behind the muslin. As you are working, go through both pieces of fabric. When sewing is complete, cut a small hole only through the backing fabric. Stuff the inner heart with cotton batting. When it is stuffed to the desired fullness. Hand stitch the hole in back, closed. This technique is called trapunto.