Bring In the Outdoors – Fern Collection

Is it possible to have too many decorative photo pillows?  The Floral World Tour pillows turned out so well that I created a second collection.  This one showcases ferns and is titled “Bring In the Outdoors – Fern Collection”.  The 3 pillows in this collection showcase the Southern Lady Fern, New York Fern and Japanese Painted Fern.

The Fern Collection is available in the FanningSparks’ Spoonflower shop along with the Floral World Tour Collection.  Each fern photo has a color-coordinated striped fabric.  My previous post, Basic Pillow DIY Tutorial, provides step-by-step instructions for sewing these amazingly simple decorative pillows.  While the design framework is the same for all the pillows, the endless possibilities for embellishment and personalization mean every pillow can have its own unique look.
Here’s a closer look at the pillows in the Fern Collection.  This is the Southern Lady Fern  (Athyrium asplenioides) pillow front design.

I decided to applique a few circles and embroider some spirals to embellish the pillow front.
Here’s how it turned out.
For the back of the Southern Lady Fern pillow, I added a little twist with a diagonal section of the striped fabric.
The Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’) is considered one of the most beautiful ferns for the home shade garden thanks to its dramatic foliage and unique burgundy and silver coloring.  Here’s how it looks on the pillow front design.
I added a narrow strip of the striped fabric on the pillow front to accent the various colors in this design.  Here is the finished front of my Japanese Painted Fern pillow.
Here is the back of my Japanese Painted Fern pillow.  I love this combination of greens and burgundies.
The third pillow in the collection is the New York Fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis).  This is the pillow front design.
To add a little unexpected contrast, I appliqued hexagon shapes from the striped fabric on the pillow front.
Here’s how the finished hexagons look on the front of the New York Fern pillow.
The hexagon shapes are repeated on the pillow back.
Last summer, I attended a class on Ferns and Fern Allies at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia (see Southern Ladies, Christmas Stockings and Hairy Armpits).  The class triggered an interest in ferns which is now at risk of becoming a full blown case of pteridomania.  Believe it or not, the term “pteridomania” means fern madness or fern fever and was coined in 1855 to describe the Victorians’ obsession with ferns.  Ferns are very popular again although it’s unlikely the interest will achieve the same fever pitch it did in Victorian times.  Ferns are being featured as a hot trend in home decorating blogs and magazines.  The March 2020 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, for instance, proclaimed ferns are making a comeback in their article Fall For Ferns.
I’m on the lookout for new and interesting ways to incorporate ferns into my home and surroundings.  My favorite ideas are pinned on a Pinterest board, Ferns – FanningSparks Favs.  It has grown to over 200 pins.  Not long ago, I designed the below mosaic serving tray featuring a stained glass fern motif (see Serving Up My OOAK Mosaic Tray).
Sarah Whittingham, author of the book Fern Fever: The Story of Pteridomania, explains “The obsession with ferns was not confined to a few professional botanists but it affected men, women and children from all classes through the British Isles, the Empire and America.  Books and articles encouraged thousands to set out on fern forays.  Their overwhelming desire to ‘capture’ a rare specimen led them to wade through streams, scale rock faces, descend gorges and lean over fast-flowing rivers.  Accidents were common, sometimes fatal, and over-collecting and even fern stealing were rife.”  I’m sure I won’t be risking my life for a fern but I certainly understand the appeal!

More Info

This is the link to the FanningSparks shop on Spoonflower where you can order the cut-and-sew pillow covers from the Floral World Tour – Warm Colors Collection and the Bring In the Outdoors – Fern Collection.
My previous post, Announcing the Floral World Tour Collection, explains how the pillow collection came about as well as providing some helpful information for ordering from Spoonflower.  The post Basic Pillow DIY Tutorial provides step-by-step instructions to make these amazingly simple cut-and-sew pillows.

To learn more about ferns, check out my previous post, Southern Ladies, Christmas Stockings and Hairy Armpits.
Check out my new Pinterest board, Ferns – FanningSparks Favs, for ideas on how to incorporate ferns into your home and surroundings.
Details about the fern motif on my mosaic tray can be found in the post Serving Up My OOAK Mosaic Tray.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Look for ways to bring in the outdoors with natural elements.
2. Ferns can add lush greenery in a variety of forms and textures.
3. Consider adding a FanningSparks’ Bring In the Outdoors – Fern Collection pillow to your home.