Cross Stitch Pillows

Cross stitch pillows are a fun and easy accent for any room of the house. From a little pillow on the bench in the entryway to a seasonal-patterned pillow in the den or a luscious pillow to match your sheets in the bedroom, there’s no end to the ways you can use cross stitch pillows.

The first step to making cross stitch pillows is deciding what kind and shape of pillow you want to use. While most people are familiar with the basic square pillow forms that are often used to make throw pillows for couches, there are many other shapes and sizes of pillow forms available, from little pillows almost the size of pincushions to giant floor pillows.

Once you decide on the size of pillow you want to decorate, you should decide where in your home you want it to go (or if you are making it for a gift, where you would like the recipient to display it). Where you are going to put it will to some extent determine what design you want to use.

Any cross stitch pattern that you have access to can be used on a cross stitch pillow, but a good general guideline is to pick a design that matches the shape of the pillow for that you are using. For instance, if you are making a square pillow, a design that is already square will be easiest to translate onto the pillow.

If you’re making a cross stitched bolster, you might only have a couple of little sections that are cross stitched while the rest is covered with fabric. Choosing a pattern that is a border that runs vertically would be the best bet for you.

You can also design your own patterns for the space and shape that you are planning to cross stitch or Get Creative With Cross-Stitch Patterns get creative and use only a portion of a design that you like.

Starting your cross stitch pillow project is much like starting any other cross stitch project. You need to pick the cross stitch cloth that you want to use and the colors of thread you will use for the project.

For a cross stitch pillow, you might choose a colored cloth that will look nice in the room you are planning to put the pillow in. White can be a little stark for the couch (not to mention it will show stains) while a nice light blue or gray could be the perfect addition to your room.

While we’re talking about colors, now is as good a time as any to consider the back of your pillow. The back of cross stitch pillows are usually made from plain fabric in a coordinating color to the design on the front. If you use colored cross stitch cloth you can use fabric of the same color or a coordinating color on the back.

Also consider the size of your pattern compared to the size of the front of the pillow. If the design is a little smaller than the pillow front, just add a border with the same fabric you’re using on the back of the pillow.

This will give your pillow a nice, pulled together look and will make it a little more interesting than if you had a bunch of blank canvas on the front of your pillow.

I already mentioned some ways you could use cross stitch pillows in your home, but here are a few more:

• Make seasonal cross stitch pillows to throw on the couch for Halloween, Christmas, Easter and other holidays your family loves to decorate for.
• Make a cross stitch pillow wedding present by stitching a saying about love on a pillow or putting the couple’s names and the date of their wedding on a keepsake pillow they’ll love to keep out.
• Make a cross stitch pillow birth announcement. The new mother won’t want to give the pillow to baby to play with, but it would make a great addition to the rocking chair in the nursery.
• Use small pillow forms to make cross stitch pillows to place in the guest room, on a bookshelf or even in the bathroom.

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