Peppermint WITH A Twist

Sweet as candy, these decorative dynamos inject texture and whimsy using red-and-white stripes and swirls. Complete each eye-catcher using simple techniques and a few standard materials.

CANDY CANE CROSSING

Christmas baking with her son inspired designer Joy Hysell to create the vintagelook pillow, opposite. Set on a subtle check fabric, red-and-cream ticking showcases familiar stripes. Frayed fabric around the pillow edges and the candy canes, top left, adds to the collected-over-time feel.

DESIGNER: JOY HYSELL

☐ 1/2yard of red-and-cream ticking fabric

☐ 1/2yard of cream heavyweight cotton fabric

☐ 16-inch square of cream check fabric (front)

☐ 12 inches of red-striped twill ribbon

☐ Sewing thread: cream

☐ 18-inch square of cream heavyweight cotton fabric (back)

☐ Polyester fiberfill

PREPARE THE APPLIQUÉS

Trace the pattern in Pattern Pack onto white paper; cut out. Trace candy canes onto red-and-cream ticking fabric as indicated on pattern. Trace candy canes, roughly ½ inch outside pattern edges, onto cream heavyweight fabric. Cut out shapes.

MAKE THE PILLOW FRONT

Place red-and-cream candy canes on top of cream candy canes. Center the crossed candy canes on the cream check pillow front. Referring to the photo, above, center twill ribbon beneath the candy canes. Use cream sewing thread to topstitch 1/4 inch inside each edge of the red-and-cream candy canes, catching the ribbon in the stitching. Tie the ribbon in a knot.

SEW THE PILLOW

With wrong sides together, center pillow front on cream pillow back. Topstitch 1/4 inch inside edges of pillow top to create a flanged edge, leaving a 4-inch opening along the bottom edge. Stuff with polyester fiberfill and stitch opening closed.

If desired, fray the raw cream-fabric edges on the candy canes and the pillow flange.

IN A SWIRL