About this Item This top is made from a pillowcase featuring a grid design on dark green fabric. It has ties on each side for adjustability and to allow it be worn in a variety of ways. The embroidery is all done by hand in a mock-cross-stitch style with gold embroidery floss.
About the Process One day when I was at the dumpster of my apartment complex, I saw one of the people from our front office throwing away some dark green pillowcases. He said they got new ones in the office and didn’t need those anymore and asked if I would like to have them. Of course I took them home, knowing that I did not, in fact, need any new pillowcases at my house, but I also didn’t want them to go in the landfill. I was able to find a more traditional use for two of the three pillows cases but decided that the third one would be great as a top.
The grid texture of the pillowcase was easily charted for cross stitch, and because the pillowcase naturally had a lining, I was able to encase all of the embroidery, leaving no exposed threads on the inside of the finished product. Ultimately, this makes it more durable item and provides a cleaner, more finished appearance. The ties are made from the excess inner lining that I did not need, and they’re long enough to be tied around the body for a tighter look, or tied to each other on each side for more loose, relaxed fit. The word “Nettles” is in reference to the Ethel Cain song of the same name. I used an alpha graph created by @maisonlainu for the lettering. I know the graph’s original purpose was for filet crochet, but it worked beautifully for this cross stitch, as well!
