Free Garden Embroidery Pattern

Hooray! It is finally time to plant the vegetable garden. The cooler crops like broccoli, carrots and cauliflower were planted a few weeks ago. Now, we can plant the tomatoes and peppers! 

We're planting 12 heirloom beefsteak varieties and 8 roma-type sauce tomatoes.

While tenderly babysitting germinating seeds these past few weeks, I thought a gardening pillow for the front porch might be nice. At the last quilt trade show, I saw a couple of quilts with shading using color crayons. I finally had to try it; I like the muted/pastel look. 

This is how I achieved the look on this pillow:

1. Transfer pattern onto washed and ironed white linen by using a light box (or bright window) and sharp permanent marker
2. Lightly color within the lines with wax crayons. Lighter is better! (otherwise you get choppy looking lines)
3. Iron colored area of cloth between 2 paper towels; set iron on cotton and no steam.
4. Color again over any areas to make darker. Iron again.
5. Continue step 4 until the desired color and shading is achieved. I prefer a light look.
6. Embroider all around the edges, following lines of pattern. I used 3 strands of floss.

Here is the pattern; feel free to use it for your own personal use. Click on the picture, then print it to the size you want.

Pattern copyright Nancy E. Mink 2014; personal use only

I used this on a pillow, as it will only get a light washing now and then. I don't think that I would color with crayons on something like a tea towel that would get many washings in hot water.

Quilt if you like, sew, stuff, and voila!

So...how does your garden grow?