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Home » Home » Yarn Stitched Family Pillow

Yarn Stitched Family Pillow

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A pillow hanging in a tree.

Happy Friday and Happy November! Do you have big plans this weekend? Yesterday I did a little shopping with my mom, and one of the ideas we saw was yarn-stitched shirts and pillows. So, I got home and just had to try it. I decided to do the yarn stitching on a ruffled throw pillow.

A ball of red yarn with a pen next to it.

I cut two rectangles that measured 24″x15″ and two that measured 24″x4″.

fabric with the word family written on it.

Using a water-soluble marker, I wrote family in cursive in the center of one of the 24″x15″ rectangles.

red stitching on a piece of fabric.

I laid red yarn along the writing and zig-zag stitched along the yarn.

gray ruffled fabric.

I ruffled the 24″x4″ inch rectangles using my sewing machine. To ruffle with a sewing machine, turn the stitch length to the largest number (mine was 4.5) and the tension to the largest number (mine was 9). Then, just sew as you normally would and let the machine do the work!

a sewing machine sewing a row of stitching on ruffled fabric.

Then, I sewed a ruffle to each side of the yarn-stitched rectangle, right sides together. I cut off any extra ruffle once I got to the end.

A sewing machine adding a row of stitching to ruffled fabric.

Next, I made a “ruffle sandwich” by sewing on the second 24″x15″ rectangle with the ruffle in-between. Then, I sewed the top and the bottom pillow seams, leaving a small opening. I turned the pillow right side out through the opening and stuffed it. Finally, I hand-stitched the small opening shut.

fabric with frayed edges.

I left the ruffled edges unfinished. The fabric I used frayed, so I sped the process along by hand fraying the edge by pulling on all of those long hanging threads to make it look more even.

a white pillow with the word family stitched on it in red.

Now I need to get some plain shirts and try this technique on them! A yarn-stitched onesie would be a great baby gift to have on hand.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shannah @ Just Us Four says

    November 7, 2012 at 6:51 pm

    The pillow is really beautiful! I love the red stitching on such a neutral background. It makes the wor really pop.

    Reply
  2. Crystal says

    November 6, 2012 at 9:01 am

    Tonia, the pillow is absolutely gorgeous. I love the simplicity of it and the red looks beautiful against the light fabric. Thanks for the sharing the tutorial!

    Reply
  3. Our Pinteresting Family says

    November 5, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    Such a beautiful project, Tonia!

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 5, 2012 at 2:15 pm

      Thanks Megan!

      Reply
  4. Rachel says

    November 5, 2012 at 5:04 am

    So cute! This one needs to stay in the family for generations!

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 5, 2012 at 2:15 pm

      Thanks Rachel! My son got home from school, grabbed the pillow and headed for the couch! 🙂

      Reply
  5. The Creative U says

    November 3, 2012 at 1:07 pm

    I’m pretty SURE I couldn’t sew well enough to follow the yarn, but I could embroider the word on with floss… It would be almost as cute. OR I think there’s a technique called “couching” that enables you to stitch over yarn like that by hand. I would attempt that first. Me and the machine are not really “one.”
    But the idea is so cute!

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 5, 2012 at 2:14 pm

      Thanks Judi! I think it would help to use a big embroidery hoop to hold things in place!

      Reply
  6. Holly Lefevre says

    November 3, 2012 at 4:30 am

    Love…Love…LOVE! This is so sweet and…just plain adorable!

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 5, 2012 at 2:13 pm

      Thanks Holly!

      Reply
  7. Stephanie @ Henry Happened says

    November 3, 2012 at 2:09 am

    This is so pretty – and I love how easy it is, the zigzag stitch is the one I’m good at! 🙂

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 5, 2012 at 2:13 pm

      Well, there ya go! You can make one of your own!

      Reply
  8. Four Marrs and One Venus says

    November 2, 2012 at 9:32 pm

    Tonia that is really cute- and you did make it look pretty easy– is it just that so?! Hmmm going to have to remember this idea! Thanks girl!
    Jen

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 2, 2012 at 11:01 pm

      It always looks easier in those 1-2-3 steps, doesn’t it? I had hardly any issues making this pillow and did it in a few hours. My biggest problems were with the fact that I BARELY had enough red thread and hand sewing the opening closed!

      Reply
  9. Jennifer @ Delightfully Noted says

    November 2, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    Oh Tonia, I just adore this! All the possibiilties. Christmas themed worded ones would be fun too.

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 2, 2012 at 11:04 pm

      Thank Jennifer! I know what you mean…I was so excited when I saw this idea in the store!

      Reply
  10. Jodi S says

    November 2, 2012 at 7:56 pm

    what a fun idea- I especially love that you hung it from the trees in the first pic 🙂 I don’t think I am near skilled enough to stitch on top of something without screwing up- I will need some practice before ever attempting this.

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 3, 2012 at 1:04 am

      Believe me I still screw up a lot! I have a love/hate relationship with sewing. Maybe if I had a nicer sewing machine I wouldn’t get so frustrated!

      Reply
  11. Brandi Morgan says

    November 2, 2012 at 6:37 pm

    These are so cute! You could have family write something on quilt squares and use this same technique and have a beautiful family heirloom to pass down!

    Reply
    • Tonia L says

      November 2, 2012 at 7:04 pm

      Love that idea Brandi! Family could even write on this pillow with permanent marker. Everyone could write their name or something they are thankful for.

      Reply

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