Give Thanks Pillow with Embroidery Made Easy
Give Thanks Pillow
by Ellen March
This Give Thanks Pillow is a great last-minute decoration for Thanksgiving. Whether you’re planning on hosting the big day or staying in, this Give Thanks pillow sets a nice tone for the season. Add a zipper to the cover to easily remove the cover when swapping decor for different holidays.
SUPPLIES
- 1/2 yard of medium-weight fabric or 14″ square pillow blank
- 14″ pillow form
- Tear-Easy™ Stabilizer
- Poly Deco™ thread (construction)
- 40 wt Rayon thread (machine embroidery)
- Machine embroidery design (approx 6″x9″; such as Give Thanks by Urban Threads)
- 14″ all-purpose zipper (optional; if not using pillow blank)
GIVE THANKS EMBROIDERY
If using fabric yardage, fold the fabric in half width-wise and press to set a crease. Unfold and then place the fabric in the required hoop size with Tear Easy stabilizer. Position the fabric so the fold is along the hoop upper edge, centering the fabric in the hoop. The fabric extending beyond the hoop upper edge will be the pillow back.
If using a pillow blank, center the pillow front in the hoop with a piece of Tear Easy stabilizer.
Load the design onto the machine. Embroider the design using Sulky 40 wt rayon thread. Switch thread colors if using a design that has multiple colors.
Clip jump threads with each color change on the fabric right and wrong side. Clipping along the wrong side provides a much cleaner, easier way to remove tear-away stabilizer.
When embroidery is complete, gently tear away the stabilizer from the fabric wrong side. Press the fabric from the wrong side to avoid flattening the embroidery.
PILLOW CONSTRUCTION
This is a simple pillow that’s made simply by stitching the edges and leaving an opening for turning. However, adding a zipper to the pillow lower edge is an easy addition that allows you to remove the cover for washing or to swap the decor for different seasons and occasions.
Insert the zipper into the lower-edge seam, making sure it’s halfway open to allow for turning the pillow right side out.
If using the pillow blank, it’s constructed for you! What a time saver!
Enjoy your creation and, more importantly, your dinner!
Ellen March
I am the Director of Content for Sulky of America. The former Editor in Chief of Sew News and Creative Machine Embroidery magazines, I hosted Sew it All TV on PBS for nine seasons. I've appeared on It's Sew Easy on PBS, DIY Network's Uncommon Threads, Hallmark's Marie Osmond Show, MacPhee Workshop and more! Come sew with me!
