Cactus Pillow

Welcome to the March Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop, hosted by My Pinterventures. The purpose of this Pinterest Challenge is to motivate all the participants of this hop (and you too) to not just pin, but to make it happen! So this month, I chose to create/make Crochet Cactus Pillow. I liked that Maz Kwok used eyelash yarn to represent the cactus spines on her Icy Cactus. I thought that was such a cool and fun idea. So when I created my cactus pillow, I decided to add some fun fur for the cactus spines.

---

MATERIALS:
G/4mm crochet hook
bolster pillow form
Red Heart Soft Tangerine
Red Heart Soft Guacamole
Lion Brand Fun Fur Amber
yarn needle

I have several skeins of Lion Brand Fun Fur in my stash. I thought I had white, but I didn't so I used Lion Brand Fun Fur Amber instead. I'm trying to use up all my yarn instead of buying new yarn.

I've set a goal to seriously destash my craft room. I recently discovered that I have 669 skeins of yarn and several pillow forms that I bought when Joann had a pillow sale. So for this pillow, I decided to use a bolster pillow form.

To begin, I picked a yarn color similar to a terracotta pot. I used Red Heart Soft Tangerine. And I crocheted with a size G/4mm hook.

 Instructions for Terracotta Pot:
1) magic ring, ch 2, 11 dc in ring, join.
2) ch 2, 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in each st, join.
3) ch 2, 1 dc in same st, [1 dc, 2 dc] around, join.
4) ch 2, 1 dc in same st, [1 dc next 2 sts, 2 dc] around, join.
5) ch 2, 1 dc in same st, [1 dc next 3 sts, 2 dc] around, join.
6) ch 2, 1 dc in same st, [1 dc next 4 sts, 2 dc] around, join.
7) ch 2, 1 dc in same st, 1 dc in each st BLO, around, join.
8 - 17) 1 dc in each st around, join.
18) 1 dc in each st, FLO.
19 -20) dc in each st, join.
21) ch 1, sc around, join and fasten off.

The crocheted terracotta pot fits perfectly over the end of the bolster pillow form. And I folded the top over to look like the top of a terracotta flower pot.

For the cactus, I used Red Heart Soft Guacamole yarn.

Instructions for Cactus:

Ch 50.

1) hdc in 3rd ch from the hook, hdc across.

2 - 5) ch 2, hdc across.

6) ch 2, hdc BLO across.

7) ch 1, hdc in BLO of row 5.

8-11) ch 2, hdc across.

Repeat rows 6 -11 until the piece is big enough to cover the bolster pillow.

I whip stitched the sides together with a yarn needle.

I slipped the green piece over the bolster pillow and stitched it together with the terracotta pot so that the green is under the pot, so the cactus looks like it is growing out of the pot.

I weaved through the open end with a yarn needle and pulled it like a drawstring to close it.

I attached the Fun Fur and single crocheted it up each ridge on the cactus.

I crocheted flowers, but I only added one to the cactus.

I added a flower to the top of the cactus.

The cactus pillow is now hanging out on the chair in the corner of our living room.

Thanks for checking out my Cactus Pillow!!!

To join next month's challenge, click here to sign-up ⇒ April Pinterest Challenge

Now let's see what other things Pinterest inspired! Head over and visit the other hosts to see what they crafted, cooked, built, or tried!

Erlene - My Pinterventures • Shirley - Intelligent Domestications

Jenny - Cookies Coffee and Crafts

Joanne - Our Unschooling Journey • Magen - The Kusi Life

Roseann - This Autoimmune Life • Kelli - The Olympic Nest

Lynne - My Family Thyme • Beverly - Across the Blvd.

Debra - Shoppe No. 5 • Pili - My Sweet Things

Laurie - My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies • Kristie - Teadoddles

Julie - Sum of their Stories • Gwen - Geez, Gwen!

Marie - The Inspiration Vault • Candice - Fearlessly Creative Mammas

T'onna - Sew Crafty Crochet • Kenyatta - My Design Rules

Cherryl - Farm Girl Reformed • Lisa - Blogghetti

Leslie - Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After

Micah - Home Faith Family • Kelley - Simply Inspired Meal

Lauren - Mom Home Guide • Deborah - Salvage Sister & Mister

Gail - Purple Hues and Me • Terri - Our Good Life

Lauren - Wonderfully Made • Sue - A Purdy Little House

Toni - Small Home Soul • Maureen - Red Cottage Chronicles

Marci - Stone Cottage Adventures • Michelle - Our Crafty Mom

Emily - Domestic Deadline • Maria - Tinselbox

An InLinkz Link-up