Do it Yourself Embroidered Pillowcases
Pillowcases embellished with embroidery give your bed a charming, welcoming air, suggesting a love of fine needlework and of handmade objects. You can buy embroidered pillowcases in the linen departments of many stores, but if you want to try making them yourself, it's easy to find the materials. Embroidering your own pillowcases can be a relaxing, fulfilling experience.
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Materials
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To make your own embroidered pillowcases, you'll need pillowcases, embroidery transfers or wash-out pens, embroidery floss, embroidery needles and scissors. Though it's not essential, consider using an embroidery hoop, which will hold your work tautly in place and make it easier to keep your stitches even.
Kits
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At many craft supply and fabric stores, you can buy kits that include pillowcases already stamped with an embroidery design. Some come with only the pillowcases and a list of other materials you'll need, such as the colors and quantities of embroidery floss you'll need. Other kits will have everything required to complete the project---pillowcases, floss, needles, transfers or pens, and instructions---except, most likely, an embroidery hoop.
Start From Scratch
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If you prefer, you can buy each item you need separately. You can get the pillowcases at department stores, mass merchandisers and discounters. The other items---embroidery transfers, floss, needles, scissors, and hoops---you can easily find at craft supply or fabric stores. This can be a useful approach if you want to use different colors of floss than those included in a kit.
Process
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If you've bought 100 percent cotton pillowcases, preshrink them by washing them in hot water. Dry them and iron them before you start to embroider them. If your pillowcases are a polyester/cotton blend, wash them in warm water to remove any dust or sizing, and then dry and iron them.
If you're using a transfer, follow the instructions to put the embroidery design on the pillowcases. If you are confident about your drawing skills, however, you can use a wash-out pen to draw your own design directly on the pillowcase.
If you are using a hoop, pick the place where you want to start your work, put the hoop into place around it, tighten the screw on the underside of it, and then pull the fabric tight in the hoop. Then, thread your needle and start embroidering. It's usually more efficient to complete all the parts that are the same color at the same time.
When you've finished the embroidery, put the pillowcase on your ironing board, cover it with a clean tea towel, and press it lightly. Once they've cooled off, the cases are ready to go on your pillows.
If you're feeling ambitious, you can finish off the edges of your pillowcases with cutwork embroidery, or add edgings of lace or rickrack.
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