Pillows Made Easy

Creating a custom embroidered pillow is a great way to personalize a pillow. Plus, any holiday or special moment allows you to incorporate embroidery onto a pillow. But making a pillow can be frustrating unless you use a pillow blank from OESD.

Zipper Option

There are generally two methods for making your pillows. Determine the size pillow you want and embroider a design on one piece of the fabric. You could center the design or place it strategically somewhere on the material. You might follow someone's pattern, but generally, you now take two pieces of fabric (one of which was the embroidered fabric), sew the three sides right sides together, and then sew in a matching zipper along the last side. I'm not sure about you, but zippers and I don't match. If you enjoy zipper work, turn the right side out after sewing in the zipper and insert your pillow form.

Envelope Option

This method has you take two pieces of fabric and overlap them by at least 4-6 inches. Sew the edges of the sides together. Take this set of fabrics and cut to match another piece of cloth the intended size of the pillow. Place the fabrics right side together and sew along all four sides. Now, on the back piece, you have an envelope-style opening or slot where you can wrestle to insert the pillow and bring the two flaps together to overlap and close. It works, but it could be more elegant.

OESD Option

OESD now offers you a third option. They sell an Easy Sew Pillow Blank with two finished pieces of fabric attached using a zipper on one side.

So, they did the hard work of sewing the zipper onto the textile. You can then embroider on the fabric.

Make sure the zippered edge is facing the bottom. Once the embroidery is done, ensure the zipper is still connected but unzipped. Place the two portions of fabric right sides together and sew the remaining three sides together.

Turn the pillow cover right side out and then insert your pillow form. Close the zipper, and you have a personalized, embroidered pillow.

OESD offers pillow blanks in seven colors, with a finished size of 14" by 14". The fabric is a soft cotton/polyester blend. Plenty of your local quilt stores and craft stores will also sell pillow inserts in that size.

This is an easy way to produce a professional-looking pillow with the perfect embroidered design. Great for the holidays or any occasion. Monogram some initials, and you have a unique wedding gift. Depending on the intensity of the embroidery design, you can make this pillow in an afternoon.