“You’d Better Not Pout” Pillowcase

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.~Laura Ingalls Wilder

I love holiday pillowcases. Christmas, being the most special holiday of all, is reason enough for several sets of pillowcases—for my bed, for the guest room, for my grandchildren’s beds at my house and at their homes, for our cabin in North Carolina, for the guest rooms in my children’s homes, for special little friends……. I could go on and on.

“You’d better not pout” is one of the first holiday pillowcase sets that I made. The #111 Mary Engelbreit collection from Bernina had recently been released and I was enthralled. At the time, my children were nearly grown, convinced that their adulthood would come very soon—not in Santa’s pack, but perhaps with the new year.   I chose this design because it seemed to be a tad less juvenile than the multitudinous Santa and snowmen embroidery designs used for most Christmas projects. Yet it still spoke to the child in each of them.

The fabric is ivory pima cotton and the parchment colored cluny lace is vintage. Now that I think about it, so are the pillowcases, almost. My children are both parents now, though they both retain a childlike love of life and adventure.  At any rate, these pillow slips have been around for several years now and I still enjoy pulling them out.

The cluny insertion is simply top stitched in place.  I felt that there was enough contrast against the ivory to show up the lace.  Cutting away behind the insertion, it seemed, would compromise  the durability of the pillowcases unnecessarily.

All Star Pouter

They are now in use in the grandchildren’s bedroom at our house. Four year-old Robert spent the night recently and upon seeing the pillowcases for the first time  asked what the word “pout” meant.

I laughed out loud. If pouting were an Olympic sport, Robert would be a gold medalist! It did not take long for him to understand this new vocabulary word.

Robert after Christmas attitude adjustment

He is making extra effort now that he thinks the elves are watching him.  See the improvement after  discussion about Santa’s  Naughty and Nice List?

I hope the magic of childhood stays with him forever.  Or at least long enough to keep the Elf  Watch threat alive until he outgrows pouting.