Christmas pillow embroidery designs (and how to embroider a pillow cover)
Christmas pillow embroidery designs for 14, 16 and 18 in pillow covers: which design size to pick, the stabilizer, and how to embroider the front panel and sew an envelope cover, with vintage Christmas designs in 5 × 7, 6 × 10 and 8 × 12.
An embroidered pillow is one of the easiest Christmas makes to give or sell: the front panel is flat, it hoops easily, and a big design has room to shine. Here's what size to pick for your cover, what to stitch it on, and how to turn the panel into a pillow.
Heirloom 
$2.99Merry Christmas: Vintage Poinsettia
Embroidery file · 189×256 mmHeirloom 
$2.99Angels Are Near: Two Cardinals on Snowy Pine
Embroidery file · 189×238 mmHeirloom 
$2.99Home Sweet Home: Christmas Fireplace with Stockings
Embroidery file · 190×240 mm
What size design for a Christmas pillow?
Pick a design about half the height of the cover, or a little more, so there's a calm border of fabric around it.
| Pillow cover | Design height | Size to use |
|---|---|---|
| 12 × 12 or 14 × 14 in | about 5 to 7 in | the 5 × 7 size |
| 16 × 16 in | about 7.5 to 9.5 in | the 6 × 10 size |
| 18 × 18 or 20 × 20 in | about 9.5 to 11.5 in | the 8 × 12 size |
| 12 × 20 in lumbar | about 6 in tall | the 6 × 10 size of a wide design, like the red truck (5.9 × 5.9 in) |
Our sizes are each digitized on their own, not scaled, so a big pillow gets the detail it needs. For example, the Merry Christmas poinsettia is 5.9 × 8.0 in in the 6 × 10 size and 7.4 × 10.1 in in the 8 × 12, and the Noel reindeer is 5.2 × 9.6 in and 6.2 × 11.4 in. Every design page lists the exact size of each version.
Fabric and stabilizer
- Cotton canvas, duck cloth or a sturdy linen blend: these are the easiest. Use a firm tear-away under the hoop.
- A soft or loosely woven linen: use a medium cut-away. The back of the panel is hidden inside the pillow, so nobody sees it.
- Velvet or a fabric with a pile: add a water-soluble topping on top so the stitches don't sink.
- Wash and press the fabric first if the finished cover will be washed, so it doesn't shrink around the stitches later.
The designs are made for light fabric: cream, natural linen, oatmeal, white or light gray. The light parts of each picture are the fabric itself.
How to embroider a pillow cover
- Cut the front panel big. Cut it 3 in larger than the finished cover on every side, so it fits the hoop and leaves room to square it up afterwards.
- Mark the center. Fold the panel in half both ways and crease it, or draw the two center lines with a water-soluble pen.
- Hoop it with the stabilizer, with the center marks lined up with your hoop's template. Keep the fabric smooth and firm, not stretched.
- Stitch it out. The production sheet lists the threads in stitching order with the stitch count and run time.
- Finish the back. Tear or trim the stabilizer, trim any jump threads, and press the panel face down on a towel so you don't flatten the stitches.
- Sew the cover. Trim the panel to the cover size plus seam allowance, centering the design. For an envelope back, cut two back panels that overlap by about 4 in, hem the overlapping edges, then sew all around right sides together and turn it out. No zipper needed.
Already have a ready-made cover with a zipper? Open the zipper, hoop only the front layer with a sticky stabilizer (or float it), and keep the back pushed out of the way under the machine arm.
Designs that look good on a pillow
- With a word: Merry Christmas poinsettia, Home Sweet Home fireplace, Silent Night lantern, Let It Snow cabin, Merry & Bright tree and Noel reindeer.
- A keepsake: the Angels Are Near cardinals, a gift for someone missing a loved one at Christmas.
- With a name: the wreath monogram frame leaves its middle open for an initial, a family name or a year in your machine's lettering.
- For pet lovers: our Christmas dogs and cats in Santa hats.
Heirloom 
$2.99Noel: Reindeer with a Holly Wreath
Embroidery file · 156×289 mmHeirloom 
$2.99Heirloom Christmas Wreath Monogram Frame
Embroidery file · 148×189 mmHeirloom 
$2.99Golden Retriever Christmas Embroidery Design: Santa Hat and Holly
Embroidery file · 149×206 mm
Try a free one first
The holly sprig, the snowflake and the glass ornament are free with just your email, in 4 × 4 and 5 × 7: right for a small pillow, a pillow corner or a tea towel. More in free machine embroidery designs.
From $0.99 a design
Every design is priced on its own, $0.99 to $2.99, in all sizes and all six formats (PES, DST, JEF, EXP, VP3 and XXX). No subscription. Want your own logo or a child's drawing on a pillow instead? Your first custom design is free, up to 4 in.
Questions
Can I use a 5 × 7 hoop for an 18 in pillow?
You can. The 5 × 7 version is about 4.5 to 6.8 in tall, so it sits small in the middle of an 18 in cover, which suits a minimal look. For a design that fills the front, use the 8 × 12 size.
Should the design sit in the exact center?
For a square pillow, yes, centered both ways. On a lumbar pillow you can also set it off to one side for a modern look.
What size pillow form do I need?
The same size as the cover, or 1 to 2 in bigger for a fuller, plumper pillow.
Can I sell the pillows?
Yes. You can sell what you stitch with our designs. Just don't share or resell the files.