How to Sew a Tapestry Pillow
Although tapestries have been around for centuries, they're still a popular way to express creativity with yarn, thread and fabric. Besides being a work of art, a tapestry can also be practical when you take an additional step to convert it into a pillow. Making a tapestry is easy, as well as enjoyable because it gives you a chance to add your personality, giving charm to an ordinary bed or sofa.
Things You'll Need
- Monk's cloth fabric
- Pattern or design for Swedish weaving
- Four-ply yarn
- Backing fabric
- #16 or #13 tapestry needle (yarn needle)
- Sewing needle and matching thread
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing
- Trim
Instructions
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Decide on a tapestry. A form of textile art, a tapestry is a colorful image or design, usually worked with thread or yarn on fabric. It can be woven on looms or done using thread in embroidery, cross stitch or needlepoint. It can also be stitched by weaving yarn on a fabric called monk's cloth, which is an even-weave fabric. Known as Swedish weaving (or Huck embroidery), weaving on monk's cloth is an easy way to weave a tapestry without using a loom. It's a type of surface embroidery using yarn to weave under the top vertical and horizontal threads (floats) of monk's fabric. To make your first tapestry pillow project simple, use monk's cloth doing Swedish weaving.
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Machine-stitch the edges of all four sides of your monk's cloth fabric to prevent ends from fraying. Next, find a design for Swedish weaving on monk's cloth (see resources). On the other hand, you could make up your own design.
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Using various colors of four-ply yarn, weave your design (referring to a pattern) on the monk's cloth, using a tapestry or yarn needle.
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Measure the size of your facing (tapestry) and cut out fabric for backing that is the same size as your facing. You can either use an identical piece of monk's cloth or fabric of another color. On the other hand, you can choose regular fabric. Just make sure it has a similar thickness to your facing. Again, machine stitch the sides of the backing to prevent fraying.
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Pin backing to tapestry, with right sides together, making sure pins point to the center. Sew, either by hand or machine, around the edges, leaving a seam allowance of a half-inch and attaching backing on three sides to facing with right sides together. Do not stitch the fourth side as this is where you'll stuff the pillow.
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Turn the pillow to its right side (with the tapestry showing) and then stuff the inside of the pillow with polyester fiberfill stuffing. Pull apart small portions of the fiberfill as you would pull off cotton. By stuffing small pieces at a time, your pillow looks more consistent, rather than appearing like one big glob of stuffing. Stuff as much as you desire for either a fully stuffed or medium-stuffed look.
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Slip-stitch the remaining opened side. Measure the four sides of the pillow to know how much trim you'll need. Machine- or hand-stitch trim around the pillow.
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Tips & Warnings
Instead of sewing the opening side, you can sew in a zipper. You can also substitute Aida cross-stitch cloth for weaving when you use embroidery six-stranded floss rather than yarn. Distribute stuffing evenly when stuffing your pillow.
Cut enough yarn for weaving each color so you won't work tightly, distorting the monk's cloth. When stuffing, shake pillow to make the fiberfill fall down to all the corners. Or take your hands and push the stuffing down.
