IDEAS, INSPIRATIONS & TECHNIQUES

Presents

4 FREE
Pillow Projects!

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3 4

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4 FREE
Pillow Projects!

Table of Contents
With the New Year comes new looks! I’m not
talking about resolutions to get back in the gym,
I’m talking home décor! If you’re planning on
making some changes this year, pillows are a
1 RELAXATION STATION
Ali Maleski....................................... pg 3
great place to start. They can add new colors and
textures to a space, and can easily be changed. 2
SWEET DREAMS
Plus, if you’re new to sewing and machine Diana Malone.............................. pg 7
embroidery, pillows are a great beginner project!
3
MANDARIN FLOWER
The pieced pillow cover of “Relaxation Station” Diana Malone.............................. pg 9
is a great way to mix your favorite colors and
fabric prints. Add a monogram to give it an 4
VARIATIONS OF BROWN
extra personal touch. “Sweet Dreams” combines Diana Malone.............................. pg 11
velveteen and silk into a pillow pretty enough to
be the center of attention in any room. “Mandarin
Flower” puts the embroidery design front and
center with a single color silk background and
“Variations of Brown” is the perfect project if you
can’t quite decide what shade of a color to use.

You’re sure to find some great inspiration

from the projects in this e-book!

Happy stitching!

Ashley Briggs
Assistant Editor, CME

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 The
featured pillow
insert has beads
inside, which provide
comfort and support
when positioned
properly.

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Relaxation
Station
By Ali Maleski

Whether for a dorm or home, a back-rest pillow is a

necessity. Make a pieced cover with a classic oversized
log cabin theme to surround a coordinating monogram.

Supplies Embroidery
 Eight or nine 3" x 45" assorted cotton fabric strips  Using embroidery software, create a three-letter
 26" back rest pillow or oversized pillow initial monogram to fit a 5" x 7" hoop. Align the last
 26" muslin square initial in the center with the first initial to the left and
 26" coordinating backing square the middle initial to the right (A).
 12" cotton fabric square for monogram embroidery  If the software has fabric properties, set the fabric to
 Fusible tear-away stabilizer cotton and view the stitching order with the on-screen
 22" lightweight zipper sewing simulator. Convert the design to the appropri-
 Embroidery, sewing and bobbin thread ate file format for your equipment and load it on the
 Rotary cutting supplies machine. Test the design using scrap fabric and
 Zipper foot appropriate stabilizer before beginning the project.
 Small plate  Cut a piece of stabilizer larger than the hoop and fuse
 Straight pins it to the wrong side of the fabric cut for the mono-
 Seam ripper gram embroidery. Hoop the fabric and embroider
 Chalk pencil the design.
 Embroidery software with lettering or monogram  Trim the fabric to 7" x 9".
capabilities

A Align initials.

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 Construction  Serge- or zigzag-finish the lower edge on both the
Use ⁄ " seam allowance unless otherwise noted.
1 4 monogram pieced front and the back fabric. On both
the front and back, mark 3 1 ⁄ 2" from the left and right
 With right sides together and using one fabric strip,
sides along the lower edge to indicate the starting and
sew along one long edge of the monogram- stopping point for the zipper (F).
embroidered fabric (B).
 With right sides together, begin sewing approximately
 Turn over the fabric piece and trim the strip edge so it’s
2" to 3" up from the left-side lower edge. Use a 3 ⁄ 8"
even with the fabric edge (C). Press the seam toward seam allowance and sew to the first zipper-placement
the strip. mark; backstitch. Switch to a basting stitch and stitch to
 Right sides together and using the next fabric strip, the next placement mark; backstitch. Continue sewing
sew along the next edge starting at the end of the strip with the 3 ⁄ 8" seam allowance, ending 2" to 3" up from
just sewn and follow along the short monogram- the lower edge on the opposite side (G).
embroidered fabric edge (D).  Press open the lower seam where the zipper will be
 Turn over the fabric piece and trim the strip so it’s even placed. Center the zipper under the seam and pin
with the fabric edge; press the seam toward the strip. through all the layers. (The zipper is larger than the
 Repeat to sew strips in a clockwise or counterclock- opening. This allows some of the zipper to be cut off
wise direction until there are four strips on each and sewn through without breaking.) Topstitch
monogram fabric edge. The finished sized is 26" x through all layers on both sides and across the zipper
27". Square off the pieced front by trimming both the lower edge. Don’t sew across the zipper upper edge.
left and right sides 1" so the finished size is 26" Use a seam ripper to open the basted seam and expose
square; press. the zipper.
 With wrong sides together, pin the muslin square to the  Feed the zipper pull through the gap in the stitching to
pieced monogram front; baste. open the zipper. Topstitch across the zipper-tape upper
 Use the curve of a small plate to mark a curve at each
edge to secure. Snip the excess zipper tails at each end.
corner (E); cut along the mark. Leave the zipper slightly open.

B Stitch strip to fabric edge. C Trim strip even with fabric edge. D Stitch next strip to fabric.

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 With right sides together, pin and then
stitch the remaining front and back pil-
low cover sections together using a 3 ⁄ 8"
seam allowance. Turn the cover right
side out through the zipper opening.
Insert the pillow, arrange to fit and zip
the cover closed. 

Ali Maleski is the inventor of creative embroidery projects.

Her background is in computer software and she loves
playing with embroidery software and designs and
coming up with fun ways to combine them.

Sources
Creative DRAWings software was used to create the
monogram: www.creative-drawings.com, (800) 356-9584.
Rest & Read Pillow is available at www.selectcomfort.com,
(888) 411-2188.
RNK Distributing provided the Floriani Heat ‘N Sta fusible
tear-away stabilizer: www.rnkdistributing.com,
(865) 549-5115.

E Use a plate to round the corners. F Mark zipper starting and stopping point. G Stitch along zipper opening.

mark stop
baste

3 1⁄2" 3 1⁄2"

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Sweet Dreams by Diana Malone

Liven up your home with pillows made from luxurious

fabrics in rich colors and metallic embroidery.

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 using the marks as a guide. Once
SHOPPING LIST embroidery is complete, tear away
the stabilizer. Trim the rectangle to
All Pillows 61 ⁄ 2" x 15". Repeat to embroider the
remaining silk rectangle.
 2 yards of 22"-wide fusible interfacing
 invisible zipper foot • Cut the welting cord in half. Cut
 75/11 titanium embroidery needle enough 11 ⁄ 2"-wide bias strips from
 tear-away stabilizer the velveteen to cover one cord
 temporary spray adhesive length. Fold the strips in half
 embroidery thread lengthwise with wrong sides facing.
Insert the cord between the strip
fold; baste. Attach a zipper or pip-
Sweet Dreams Pillow ing foot on the machine and stitch
 1 yard of 45"-wide sage velveteen
close to the cord. Repeat to cover
 ¼ yard of taupe silk
the remaining cord length.
 32" of 3 ⁄ 8"-thick welting cord
 18" invisible zipper • Pin one welting cord seam allowance
 14" x 28" pillow form along one 91 ⁄ 2" x 15" rectangle long
 embroidery design approximately edge, aligning the raw edges. Stitch
11 ⁄ 4" x 141 ⁄ 2" the cord to the rectangle. Repeat to
attach the remaining welting cord to
the other 91 ⁄ 2" x 15" rectangle along
Use 1 ⁄ 2" seam allowances unless one long edge.
otherwise noted.
• With right sides facing, align one vel-
• From the velveteen, cut one 15" x veteen rectangle corded edge with
30" rectangle, two 91 ⁄ 2" x 15" rectan- one silk rectangle lower edge; stitch.
gles and one 2" x 15" strip. From the With right sides facing, align the strip
silk, cut two 9" x 18" rectangles. lower edge with the silk rectangle
• Fuse interfacing to each fabric upper edge; stitch. With right sides
wrong side, following the manufac- facing, align the remaining velveteen
turer’s instructions. rectangle corded edge with the silk
• Print three templates of the design rectangle upper edge; stitch (A).
and audition them side-by-side • Insert an invisible zipper between
on one 9" x 18" silk rectangle. Once the 15" x 30" rectangle and the pil-
satisfied with the placement, lightly low front, following the manufac-
press crosswise marks on the rectan- turer’s instructions.
gle for placement within the hoop. • Right sides together, stitch the pil-
Repeat to find a pleasing arrange- low front to the pillow back, leaving
ment on the remaining silk rectangle. the zipper partially unzipped and a
• Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. 10" opening along one side for
Attach one silk rectangle to the stabi- turning. Turn the pillow right side
lizer using temporary spray adhesive. out and insert the pillow form. Slip-
Embroider the design three times, stitch the opening closed.

A Align velveteen 91⁄2" 61⁄2" 2" 51⁄2" 91⁄2"

corded edge with
silk upper edge.

15"

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Mandarin Flower

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 lightly press crosswise marks on the center panel lower edge. Stitch

SHOPPING LIST the rectangle for placement within

the hoop.
strip four to the center panel
left-side edge (C).
Mandarin Flower Pillow • Attach the rectangle to a piece of • Choose a decorative machine stitch
 3 ⁄ 4 yard of 45"-wide orange silk tear-away stabilizer using temporary on the machine. Stitch down the
 7-groove pintuck foot spray adhesive. Hoop the fabric and center of the 2"-wide strips. Cut
 14" invisible zipper embroider the design. Once embroi- both strip lengths in half, making
 12" x 16" pillow form dery is complete, tear away the stabi- two 2" x 12" strips and two 2" x 14"
 gimp cord for pintucks lizer. Trim the rectangle to 71 ⁄4" x 10". strips. Stitch the long strips to the
 embroidery design approximately • Attach the pintuck foot to the ma- pieced upper and lower edges.
51 ⁄ 2” x 9 chine and thread the gimp cord. Stitch the short strips to the pieced
Stitch five rows of pintucks 1 ⁄ 4" right and left edges (D).
apart on the 4"-wide silk strip, • Insert the invisible zipper between
Use ½" seam allowances unless leaving 1" of the strip free along the 14" square and 6" x 14" rectan-
otherwise noted. the upper and lower long edges. gle across the length, following the
• From the silk, cut one 14" square, Once stitching is complete, trim manufacturer’s instructions (E).
one 8" x 12" rectangle, one 6" x 14" the strip width to 3 3 ⁄ 8". Trim the rectangle to match the
rectangle, one 4" x 401 ⁄ 2" strip, one • Cut the pintucked strip into four pillow front, if needed.
2" x 24" strip and one 2" x 28" strip. pieces with lengths measuring 9 1 ⁄ 2" • Right sides together, sew the pillow
Fuse interfacing to each fabric (strip 1), 8 1 ⁄ 2", (strip 2) 12" (strip 3) front to the back, leaving the zip-
wrong side, following the manufac- and 10 1 ⁄ 2" (strip 4) (B). per partially unzipped and an 8"
turer’s instructions. • Right sides together, stitch strip opening along one side for turning.
• Print a template of the design and 1 to the center panel upper edge. Turn the pillow right side out and
audition it on the 8" x 12" rectangle. Stitch strip 2 to the center panel insert the pillow form. Slipstitch
Once satisfied with the placement, right-side edge. Stitch strip three to the opening closed.

C Stitch strips to center panel.

91⁄2"

B Cut pintucked strip into four pieces. 1

4" 9 1⁄ 2" 8 1⁄ 2" 12" 101⁄2"

2 81⁄2"
101⁄2" 4
401⁄ 2"

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D Stitch short strips to pieced right
and left edges.
12"
12"
E Insert invisible zipper.

14" 14"
14"

12" 14" 6"

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Variations of Brown

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 Once satisfied with the placement,
SHOPPING LIST lightly press crosswise marks on
Variations of Brown Pillow the rectangle for placement within
 ½ yard of ivory silk the hoop.
 ¼ yard each of bronze and • Attach the rectangle to a piece of
taupe silk tear-away stabilizer using temporary
 14" invisible zipper spray adhesive. Hoop the fabric and
 12" x 16" pillow form embroider the design. Once embroi-
 machine feet: open-toe dery is complete, tear away the stabi-
embroidery and edgestitching lizer. Trim the rectangle to 71 ⁄4" x 10".
 decorative thread
• Attach the pintuck foot to the ma-
chine and thread the gimp cord.
Stitch five rows of pintucks 1 ⁄ 4"
Use ½" seam allowances unless apart on the 4"-wide silk strip, leav-
otherwise noted. ing 1" of the strip free along the
• From the silk, cut one 14" square, upper and lower long edges. Once
one 8" x 12" rectangle, one 6" x 14" stitching is complete, trim the strip
rectangle, one 4" x 401 ⁄ 2" strip, one width to 3 3 ⁄ 8".
2" x 24" strip and one 2" x 28" strip. • Cut the pintucked strip into four
Fuse interfacing to each fabric pieces with lengths measuring 9 1 ⁄ 2"
wrong side, following the manufac- (strip 1), 8 1 ⁄ 2", (strip 2) 12" (strip 3)
turer’s instructions. and 10 1 ⁄ 2" (strip 4) (B).
• Print a template of the design and • Right sides together, stitch strip
audition it on the 8" x 12" rectangle. 1 to the center panel upper edge.
Stitch strip 2 to the center panel
F Mirror image each stitching row. right-side edge. Stitch strip three to
the center panel lower edge. Stitch
strip four to the center panel
left-side edge (C).
• Choose a decorative machine stitch
on the machine. Stitch down the
center of the 2"-wide strips. Cut
both strip lengths in half, making
two 2" x 12" strips and two 2" x 14"
strips. Stitch the long strips to the
pieced upper and lower edges.
Stitch the short strips to the pieced
G Stitch bronze silk upper edge to right and left edges (D).
remaining rectangle lower edge.
• Insert the invisible zipper between
5" 5" 5" 5" the 14" square and 6" x 14" rectan-
gle across the length, following the
manufacturer’s instructions (E).
Trim the rectangle to match the pil-
low front, if needed.
13"
• Right sides together, sew the pillow
front to the back, leaving the zipper
partially unzipped and an 8" open-
ing along one side for turning. Turn

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 IDEAS, INSPIRATIONS & TECHNIQUES

Discover New Ideas

& Inspiration For
Embroidery Success!

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