Ashley Martineau

Granny Pillow

For this tutorial I took a 20x20 pillow and simply crocheted a classic Granny Square from various textures of handspun art yarn to hand stitch to the pillow cover. This pattern will work for any square shaped pillow (18x18, 20x20, 24x24, etc.) - simply crochet until your square is the right length & width.  You can also use a pillow form and make a complete cover. 

MATERIALS

  • Square Pillow (mine is 20x20), or Pillow Insert (if you are making two squares or using fabric for the back)
  • Square Pillowcase (these are cheap at Ikea, Amazon, and Hobby Lobby) that matches your yarn
  • Sewing needle & thread for hand-sewing your pillow cover onto the pillowcase
  • Handspun Art Yarn - I used about 80 yards. You may use more or less depending on how bulky your yarn is and how big your pillow is. 
  • Crochet Hook appropriate for the bulkyness of your art yarn.

PATTERN

Following the video below, crochet a granny square until it's the size of the pillow you are covering.

You could also crochet two granny squares and cover the entire pillow (instead of just the front). But I just did the front.

Block with Unicorn Fibre Rinse.  Gently pat dry, reshape and dry flat. 

Seam the granny square to the pillowcase , or to fabric to make a true pillow cover, and enjoy! 

Backyard Garden Loom

I have always loved the idea of a garden loom, but I was disenchanted when the leaves and flowers and twigs I wove into it wilted and turned brown in a day and turned it into a modern art / composting display piece instead of something pretty. So I decided to turn it into an all weather art yarn loom. I built it by attaching 4 branches together and mounted it deep into the ground. Then I used art yarn to warp it.

Then when I hosted a backyard spinning retreat last summer I asked each artisan to "Weave their Mark" by weaving a yarn in the loom. I love the way it came out.