Easy Embroidery Pillow

An Embroidery Pillow is the perfect project for so many different reasons!

• It is the perfect way to test colors and designs for a quilt you are planning.

• Many embroidery pillows can be completed in just a few hours.

• This is the perfect hostess gifts.

• An Embroidery Pillow is a quick way to update your home decor.

• It is a great way to test out new techniques.

• One can be made for each holiday.

• An embroidery pillow can give a child (or an adult for that matter) a feeling of security.

...And I am sure you can think of many many more ideas!

Would you like to make an embroidery pillow that is quick and easy? Well, give this a try!

You will need:

* Two linen napkins that have a hemstitch about 1" in from the edge of the napkin.

* Water soluble sticky stabilizer.

* Very narrow ribbon.

* A double eyed needle or a blunt tapestry needle with a large eye.

* General embroidery supplies ( thread, machine, hoop, scissors....)

Now lets get started!

* Decide on the design you want to stitch out for your embroidery pillow and transfer it to your embroidery machine. Don't forget this might be the perfect place for an initial or a monogram.

* Hoop your sticky water soluble stabilizer, remove the protective paper, position the linen napkin on the stabilizer in the hoop and baste in place.

* When you are finished remove your project from the hoop

* Carefully cut away any large amount of excess sticky water soluble stabilizer from around the design of the embroidery pillow

* Rinse out the stabilizer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

* Let your embroidery pillow dry, then iron it and to make it look extra beautiful, go ahead and starch it!

Now let's put our pillow together!

* Thread the narrow ribbon into the double eyed needle or the tapestry needle.

* Place the two linen napkins on top of each other (one is blank, one has your beautiful embroidery on it), wrong sides together and weave the needle in and out of the hemstitching.

* For an even weave pattern you can put your needle and ribbon in every hole, every other hole, every third hole...

* If you would like to create an "uneven" pattern, you could go down in one hole then skip three holes and come back up. Basically your ribbon pattern can be anything you would like it to be.

* Leave an opening to insert the pillow form or stuffing, then finish weaving of the ribbon around your embroidery pillow and ENJOY.

As the Exclusive Internationally Accredited Jenny Haskins Tutor, I travel across the country teaching classes, and I must say the embroidery decoupage technique is one of the all time favorite classes. For more sewing and embroidery secrets and a free download of "Ordinary to Extra Ordinary", please visit http://www.SewingAndEmbroiderySecrets.com

From my sewing machine to yours...happy creating
Margaret

ps...just because it's beautiful doesn't mean it is difficult!