PILLOWS
GALORE
By Denise Holguin
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Designs in Machine Embroidery • Volume 72 • January/February 2012 • www.dzgns.com
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One of my favorite challenges is to find multiple uses for an embroidery design. The way I see it—if you’re
going to invest in embroidery designs it’s important they have endless uses! Posh Pincushions, In-the-Hoop
Pincushions by Katherine Artines with Eileen Roche meets this goal.
In Volume 70 September/October 2011 we showed you how to use the flower designs from Posh
Pincushions to embellish a shirt. We even included a free design to help you get started. If you missed the
free design, visit www.dzgns.com. Click on Designs in Machine Embroidery Magazine. Click on Volume 70.
This issue highlights some very easy and fun ways you can create whimsical pillows to brighten up a room.
The best part about making these pillows—there is absolutely no right or wrong way to make them.
To make the construction easier I used stuffing instead of pillow forms. This way I’m not confined to a
predetermined size or shape to create the pillow.
Heart Pillows
No special pattern was needed! I just folded a piece
of paper and cut a heart shape. Experiment with
different sizes. Surprise your loved one with this
pillow or coordinate the colors for a wedding and use
it as a ring bearer’s pillow.
Base Fabrics for Pillows
I used an assortment of fabrics - including craft felt,
wool felt, quilter’s cotton, silk dupioni and even cotton
twill.
Flowers
I used multiple sizes of the petal design from the Posh
Pincushions book. I like to layer and scatter them. I
stitched as many of each size as I could in a single
hooping. Since they are very quick to stitch and I take
the “more is better approach” I did multiple hoopings
so that I’d have plenty of petals.
I edited the leaf design in embroidery software.
Although software varies, most editing programs
enable you to select stitches. I deleted all the stitches
but the complete outline for the leaf, color 1.
Decorative Stitches
I’m a fan of built-in decorative stitches on sewing/
embroidery machines. I did a test stitch on scrap
fabric first to make sure I liked the outcome. Then I
free-motion stitched on the fabric.
Trim
I’ve often admired the eyelash trim and other
decorative cording but never really knew what
to do with them until now! For the eyelash
trim I used a wide zig-zag stitch to secure it
down. I did carefully ‘comb’ the trim so that
it would not be held down by the zig-zag
stitching.
For the decorative cording I used the cording
foot and carefully guided the cording as I
free-motion stitched on the base fabric.
Designs in Machine Embroidery • Volume 72 • January/February 2012 • www.dzgns.com
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Magnolia Blooms Heart
Supplies
Posh Pincushions, In the Hoop Floral
Pincushions by Katherine Artines
with Eileen Roche (Available
through your local dealer or
www.dzgns.com)
Fabric for pillow (wool felt was used
in sample)
White felt for embroidered petals
Green felt for leaves
Brown felt for strips
Coordinating embroidery thread
If your sewing and embroidery skills
lean toward the novice side—this
is the perfect pillow to boost your
confidence! Felt is so easy to work
with because it doesn’t fray—and
you don’t need any stabilizer when
making these flowers.
Pillow
Use your favorite heart pattern or
create your own. Cut two squares of
fabric for your pillow—large enough
to accommodate the heart pattern.
Trace the heart pattern on one of
the fabric squares with a removable
marker. Since this is felt there isn’t a
right or wrong side of the fabric.
Tip: If you are unsure if the
removable marker will be removable,
sew a basting stitch on the traced
outline. The side with the traced
outline will become the inside of the
pillow. Use the basting stitch as your
guide for placing your embroidered
pieces.
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Decorative Elements
Strips
Cut ½" strips of felt—long enough
to cover the heart from top to
bottom all the way across the pillow.
Flower Petals & Leaves
I chose the petal lg and the petal
sm designs—two designs that are
included in the Posh Pincushions, In
the Hoop Floral Pincushions book.
I knew I’d be making multiple
pillows so I decided to fill my hoop
with as many petal designs as
possible. Extra petals can always be
used! Be sure to leave enough room
around each design for trimming.
Leaf
Open the emery leaf design in
editing software. Delete all the
colors except color 1. Save the
design as leaf2. Fill your hoop
with as many leaf2 designs as you
can. Be sure to leave enough room
around each design for trimming.
Audition the strips on the right side
of the basted heart fabric. Measure
the strips so they’ll be evenly spaced.
You could add horizontal strips of
fabric instead of vertical or vary the
spacing between the strips of fabric.
Secure the strips with pins.
Sew a straight stitch down the center
of the strips with coordinating
thread. Since it’s felt - don’t worry
about fraying.
Next, audition the flower petals
and leaves. Given the size of the
heart, I decided to go with the less is
more approach. (Of course in other
pillow samples I also tried the more
is better approach).
Send the petal designs and leaf
design to your embroidery machine.
Embroider the designs. Trim away
the designs from the fabric. I like
to leave about an 1⁄8" all around the
stitching.
Time to Decorate!
I think my favorite part is this stage
when I have all my pretty little
decorative elements together and I’m
ready for placement. This is your
opportunity to be creative!
Once you find a pleasing layout,
secure target stickers on the pillow
to denote the position of each
flower.
Designs in Machine Embroidery • Volume 72 • January/February 2012 • www.dzgns.com
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Using coordinating thread tack down the flower
petals. Carefully position the leaves under the
petals so they peek out naturally from the petals.
Tack down the leaves.
Finishing!
Place right sides of pillow fabric together. Pin in
place. Sew the pillow just inside of the original
basting line. Be careful you don’t sew down any
petals or leaves as you sew along the edges of the
heart outline. Leave an opening for turning. Turn
the pillow, stuff, then hand sew the opening.
Other variations:
Chocolate
Heart
Flower Petal
Explosion!
Designs in Machine Embroidery • Volume 72 • January/February 2012 • www.dzgns.com
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