Stacy Risenmay

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Monogramed Pillow Tutorial: By Tammy

By Stacy 5 Comments

Monogram Pillow 31
I recently saw a monogram pillow in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog that I really liked. I wasn’t too thrilled with the price tag and I knew I could make it myself. This is an easy project and the big bonus is that you are the designer and can decide things like colors, fabrics and sizes. I always like doing things my way! I made a 16 inch square pillow. Please adjust the measurements and materials as needed for the size you make.
Materials
1 yard border and backing fabric
1/2 yard pillow front fabric
scrap of fabric for monogram
small section of two-sided fusible webbing (I prefer Heat N Bond Lite)
pillow form
coordinating thread
Instructions
NOTE: Sew everything with 1/4 inch seam allowances unless otherwise stated.
Cut all fabrics
  • Pillow front 16 1/2 inches square piece
  • 2 Long borders (top and bottom) 4 inches x 24 inches
  • 2 short borders (sides) 4 inches x 16 1/2 inches
  • backing 23 1/2 inches x 14 1/2 inches
  • backing 23 1/2 inches x 12 1/2 inchesMonogram Pillow Cutting Diagram
Sew front section
With right sides together (RST), sew side borders to each side of pillow front.Monogram Pillow 8
Press seam flat with seam allowance facing the outside edges.Monogram Pillow 9
Sew long borders to top and bottom of pillow front. Trim any excess edges so everything lines up.Monogram Pillow 10
Be careful when sewing over a seam. You want it to stay flat.Monogram Pillow 11
Press seams to outside edges again. Press seams from the top, too.Monogram Pillow 12
Prepare back sections
Fold center back edge (one of the 23 1/2 inch sides) under 1/4 inch and press.
Fold over another inch and press in place. Monogram Pillow 6
Sew in place and press flat.Monogram Pillow 7
Monogram
Use your word processing program to print out the letter you will use.
Be sure to print it the same size that you want.
Tape the letter backwards to a sunny window. Tape the Heat N Bond (HnB) over the letter.
Trace the letter directly onto the HnB paper backing.
(You will see I forgot to do it backwards so I just traced over it again. I flipped this picture around, though, so it is shown correctly.)Monogram Pillow 1
Iron the HnB to the back of the fabric scrap. Monogram Pillow 2
Cut out the monogram and peel off the paper backing.Monogram Pillow 3
Iron the monogram to the pillow front. I chose to center mine, but you can do anything.Monogram Pillow 13
Change your stitch to a zig zag stitch.
Change the stitch length to almost 0.
Experiment with the stitch width on a scrap fabric to determine how wide you would like it.
I decided to make the stitch length a bit larger than I usually do when sewing an applique, but I probably wouldn’t do it again. I like a satin stitch that is very tightly packed. There were a lot of curves in this letter and those are hard. Go slow and be patient. You’ll see that mine is by no means perfect!Monogram Pillow 14
Press the applique flat especially around the curves.Monogram Pillow 15
Sew back to front
Lay the back sections on the front section with RST. The piece that is a little wider should be under the other one.Monogram Pillow 16
Mine did not come out even (it never does!), but it can just be trimmed. Be sure the sections are flat.Monogram Pillow 17
Pin very carefully all of the way around.
(I didn’t the first time and had to rip it out. The second picture shows how I pinned around the “flaps” from the back section. It is really important that they are flat.)
Monogram Pillow 18Monogram Pillow 20
Sew all of the way around the square. Trim the corners as shown.Monogram Pillow 19
Turn right side out through the opening in the back of pillow. Carefully poke the corners out so they are sharp. Press flat along edges and seams.
Pin the “flaps” in place again and stitch in the ditch around the pillow front.Monogram Pillow 21
This will form the border around the pillow. This is what the back will look like:Monogram Pillow 22
Stuff your pillow form carefully in through the envelope opening in the back.Monogram Pillow 23
Enjoy your gorgeous new pillow!Monogram Pillow 26

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  1. madison says

    May 14, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    i LOVE fusible web it makes things so much easire! thanks for this tutorial. the pillow is super cute!!

    Reply
  2. Jaclyn says

    May 14, 2011 at 8:50 pm

    Very cute! thanks for sharing! I’m going to have to attempt this now!! =)

    Reply
  3. Dana says

    May 14, 2011 at 8:50 pm

    This is lovely!!

    There is a product at your local fabric store called Tear Away. If you put it behind your applique before you zigzag/satin stitch it will make the process SO much easier. Then, when you are done, tear it away! Try it and let me know what you think. :)

    Reply
  4. PootleFlump says

    May 15, 2011 at 12:05 am

    Thats lovely! Is that an overlocking stitch you are using on the seams?

    Reply
  5. sunshinequeen says

    May 21, 2011 at 6:57 am

    Thanks, I’m becoming a born-again sewer. Can you share what the stitch is you used on the last rst (just b4 stictch and ditch)? Thanx

    Reply
stacyWelcome! I'm sharing our adventures as we fix up our 1938 cottage. Whether it is big or small, I think everyone should love their home and I don't think it takes a lot of money to make a space your own.
 

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