Embroidery Library - Machine Embroidery Designs Inspired Project Page

Firecracker Pillow

This decorative Firecracker Pillow is not only stylish, but also zipper free!

Dream up a new design and fabric combination for each room in your house -- living room, family room, and one for each bedroom! This pillow also makes a great gift for weddings, house warming parties, and bridal showers. Personalize it with school colors, and give it to a student to dress up a dorm room this fall!

The finished size for this project is 29 x 9 inches.

Supplies needed:

** 1/2 yard fabric for front panel
** 1/2 yard fabric for side panels
** 1 yard fabric for back panel
** Bolster pillow form -- 20 x 9 inches
** Two 27-inch decorative tassel ties
** 1 yard decorative trim (optional)
** 16 inch length of 5/8 inch-wide Velcro
** Medium weight, cut-away stabilizer
** Air-erase pen
** Temporary spray adhesive

Designs Used:

** German Folk Art Border also available in Small
** German Folk Art Single

Measure the circumference of the bolster pillow form and add 2 1/2 inches for overlap and seam allowance.

Measure the bolster's width, subtracting 1 1/2 inches from each end.

Cut the front panel fabric to 18 x 31 1/2 inches.

Using an air-erase pen, measure 6 inches down from one of the short edges and 6 inches in from the side edges. Use a straight edge to connect the two marks. Measure the width of the fabric and divided by two to find the center and mark it on the line.

With your embroidery software, create paper templates of the designs by printing them at full size. Cut around the designs to make them manageable.

Using an air-erase pen, poke a hole in the center design template and match it to the center mark. Place the other designs about 1/4 inch from the center design.

Poke holes in the center of the two side designs, and mark them on the line.

Remove the template and draw lines connecting the vertical axis points of the center and side designs.

These lines will be used for hooping.

Lightly spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together, aligning the lines on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric, and embroider the design.

Once the design has been embroidered, carefully cut away the excess stabilizer and cut out the rectangle shape.

After all the designs have been embroidered, trim away the excess stabilizer.

Cut two pieces of the side fabric to 31 1/2 x 9 1/4 inches. Place the front panel right side up and lay the side panel pieces right side down on top of the front panel fabric, aligning the edges of the long side. Pin in place.

Sew a 1 inch seam along each side. Press the seams on the backside of the panels..

Measure the total length and width of the assembled front and side panels. Cut a piece of the back panel to this size.

Cut a 16 inch length of the loop side of the Velcro and pin it to the center of the back panel fabric about 1 1/2 inches from the edge.

Pin in place, and sew a seam around the outer edge of the Velcro to secure it in place.

Lay the assembled fabric right side up and lay the back panel fabric on top it, right side down. Position the Velcro facing the bottom edge of the front panel.

Add the trim by tucking it between the front and back panels along the the bottom of the front panel, with the trim facing toward the inside.

Pin the layers together.

Sew a 1/2 inch seam around the sides and bottom, leaving the bottom edge open for turning.

Turn the fabric right side out and press the seams. Turn the fabric of the open edges in 1/2 inch and press in place.

Top stitch around the entire outer edge of the fabric closing the open edge as you sew. Top stitch along the seams of the front panel.

Cut a 16-inch length of the hook side of the Velcro and pin it in place along the top edge of the fabric. Sew the Velcro in place.

Wrap the fabric around the pillow and press the edges together by aligning the Velcro strips.

Gather the ends of the pillow together and secure them with tassel ties by tying them in a bow.

This is a firecracker pillow that is sure to set off sparks of creativity in your imagination!

Click here for a printable version of these project instructions.

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