Summer Lovin' Crochet Pillow

We “heart” the way this Summer Lovin' Crochet Pillow from I Love to Create looks on the sofa during the summer. Master the tie dye techniques for coloring your own yarn with this fun crochet pillow pattern, and learn how to tie die just about anything.

Materials:

• Tulip® One-Step Tie-Dye Kit™ - Luau
• Pencil
• Polyfil
• Sewing pins
• Crochet hook – 15.00 mm
• Scissors
• Plastic wrap
• Needle and white thread
• (4) T-shirts – white – large or extra large
• Plastic tablecloth
• Newspaper
• Fleece or felt yardage – white – ½ yard
• Sewing machine

Find this project and many more in our free eBook, How to Make Tie Dye Shirts, Decor, and More: 18 Tie Dye Patterns!

Instructions:

1. Wash shirts without fabric softener to remove sizing. Cover work surface with plastic tablecloth then place damp shirt on surface. Following dye instruction sheet, crumple each shirt.
    
2. Wearing gloves from kit, create dye according to package instructions.
    
3. Squeeze ¾ bottle of Red dye on one shirt, turning and squeezing fabric and creating a mottled look. Repeat step, dyeing one shirt Orange and one Violet. Squeeze remainders of three dye bottles on last shirt. Cover dyed fabric with plastic wrap to keep damp.
    
4. Follow instructions on guide included with kit for dye set time and laundering shirts.
    
5. To create strips for project, cut just under sleeves across shirt then cut off hem, forming a tube shape. Starting at one cut edge, cut in an a slight angle then cut about a 1” strip from tube creating one long strip of fabric. Repeat with all shirts. Roll fabric into a ball if desired.

Creating the heart:

1. Using purple strip, chain 20. Single crochet into one side of chain stitch for next eight. Crochet next three stitches together to create dip of heart. Single crochet in one side of stitch to end of chain. Add two double crochet in last chain, creating curve of heart. Single crochet in one side of chain for nine stitches then add two double crochet in tenth chain to create point of heart. Single crochet in one side up to last stitch then add two double crochet in last, creating curve of heart. Repeat steps, crocheting with purple until it is used up, stopping or starting at tip. Tie on next color and continue around heart, adding Fuchsia strips last.
    
2. Edging: Use tricolor strip to create scallop edge. Starting at tip of pillow, single crochet in first stitch then sc, dc, sc in next stitch then single crochet in next. Repeat pattern around entire pillow, ending at tip.
    
3. The heart can be blocking into shape if needed by gently pressing, pulling and stretching as needed.

Finishing Pillow:

1. Place pillow on newspaper, use pencil to trace around, then cut out.
    
2. Pin pattern onto double thickness of felt or fleece and cut out.
    
3. Sew around entire heart using a 1” or larger border. Trim seam to ¼”.
    
4. Cut a 7” slit along lower edge on one side of pillow. Fill with Polyfil to desired size. Pin opening closed, overlapping cut edges, then use needle and thread to sew closed.
    
5. Place stuffed pillow to back of heart. Use pins to attach pillow seam to crochet stitches just under trim. Use needle and thread to whipstitch together.