Level: Beginner

These personalized pillows make a great gift for Mother's Day or any special occasion. Mom will be so impressed with your creative talents and they will look great on her couch too! You can make them in just one afternoon with your Memory Craft 10000 and Janome software.

Download design files: Grandmother.arg and Mother.caf. These files, in Gigahoop and Customizer format, are "uncombined," allowing you to open them and substitute your own names.

Janome Supplies Required:

• Any Janome Embroidery Machine. This project was created on the Memory Craft 10000
• Customizer 10000, Customizer 11000 or Digitizer 10000, Digitizer Pro
• Embroidery Hoop"B" (Mother's Pillow)
• Square Hoop (MC11000 only)
• Gigahoop (Grandmother's Pillow)
• Floral Art & Quilting Design Floppy Disk
• Janome Embroidery thread to match fabric
• Clothsetter 10000 ( or other models)
• Piping Foot
• Janome Bobbin thread
• Blue Tip needle 75/11

Fabric and Notions Required:

• 1/2 yd. Fabric (for each pillow)
• Iron-on, tearaway stabilizer
• Pillow form or batting
• Awl
• Optional: Purchased cording

Mother's Pillow:

This pillow was created using EasyEdit in the Customizer 10000 program. The built-in lettering makes this fast and easy. The ability to plan your design on the computer screen before you sew it makes for a perfect project every time. We used the "B" Hoop so that everything was sewn with just one hooping.

Preparing the Design:

1. Open EasyEdit. in Customizer 10000.
2. Click the Monogram icon on the top toolbar.
3. Select Script 20 mm from the Font menu.
4. From the layout options, select Straight.
   
5. Place the cursor in the dialog box at the top of the window, then type in one name.
6. Click on the arrow next to the word Register.
   
7. The name will appear in the grid area.
8. The letters can be placed closer together by placing the cursor on the red anchor points at either end of the word and holding the left mouse button down, drag to adjust the spacing.
   
9. Selecting the Color icon on the lower left of the screen can change the color of the letters.
10. Click the OK button on the right side of the screen.
11. A pop up window will ask if you wish to save this design. Unless this is a name you will use many times select "NO".
12. The name will now appear on the Layout screen in EasyEdit.
    
    Hint: The size of the name can be adjusted up to 20% larger or smaller by moving the cursor to the corner of the lettering box until a double-sided arrow appears. Holding the left mouse button down, drag the arrow to resize. For this project we adjusted the letters to be 1 1/2 grids in height.
13. Continue adding names in the same manner as above. Arrange them as you wish. To make it more prominent, the word Mother was done using Script 30mm.
14. Insert Floral Designs and Quilting Floppy Disk into your computer.
15. To select a design, click on the Import icon on the top tool bar or choose Import Design from the File menu.
16. Select the "A" drive to read the selections on the floppy disk. (Or select the location of other design choices saved in other folders.)
17. Click on the design of your choice. For our example, we chose Floral designs #25 and #26. You can choose any design you like.
18. When the design appears on the layout screen, move it to the desired area.
19. Repeat for all other designs.

Hint: All designs can be altered in size, mirror imaged and rotated for interesting design options.

Complete Design:

1. After you have arranged the floral designs as you prefer, click on the Combine icon on the top toolbar.
   
2. To the left of the screen a dotted line box will appear.
3. Place the cursor in the box and drag it over the entire design.
4. All elements of the layout should be "grayed" out.
5. If any parts do not become gray, rearrange them to fit inside the box.
   

Note: The Combine box can be set to the hoop field for either the Standard A Hoop or Large B Hoop. For this project we set the combine feature to the B Hoop. This will allow the entire design to be sewn in one hooping.

Hint: It is recommended to save the design in the computer at this time.

Print Template:

1. From the File menu, select Print Template.
   

The template will show a crosshair within the design, which will be used with the Clothsetter for precise placement on the fabric.

Hint: Use an awl or punch to create a hole on each of the 4 "legs" of the crosshair. These will be used to mark the fabric for perfect placement.

Grandmother's Pillow:

The pillow shown here was created using both Customizer 10000 and Digitizer 10000 programs. The lettering in Digitizer 10000 provides more font and size options. The EasyGigaHoop layout program in Customizer 10000 enables the entire design to be sewn in the Giga Hoop without re-hooping the fabric.

Preparing the Design:

1. Open Digitzer 10000 in EasyDesign.
2. Click on Work Environment.
3. Select the "B" hoop.
   
4. Click the Lettering Icon from the right toolbar options.
   
5. From the font options select Liberty. Leave the Orientation at default.
6. Move the cursor to the dialogue box. Type in the name.
7. Click OK.
8. Place the cursor on the screen and click once. The name will appear.
9. Using the 8 black boxes around the name, adjust the size if desired.
10. After making the adjustment, right click, select Details from the pop up menu. Notice in the Size window (height), the dimension of your letters.
    Hint: You can maintain a consistent size of each name by typing in this same number for each name. The width will vary depending on the number of letters in the name.
11. Close the Lettering Details dialogue box.
12. Click on an open area to deselect the name.
13. Continue to select the Lettering icon and type in each name in the same manner described above.
14. You will need to enter each name separately.
15. Arrange the names in a group. Adjust placement to look pleasing.
16. Save this group.
    Hint: Save each group as a .Jan and .Jef file. The .Jan file format will allow you to make changes easily. Continue to make small groups of names and Save each group as completed.
17. After all the groups have been saved, test the placement by bringing all the groups on the screen.
18. Add a new group to the screen by selecting the Embroidery Icon on the top toolbar and selecting Insert Design.
19. Remember, this will be sewn in the Giga Hoop, which is wider than the Hoop seen on the screen.
20. Make any adjustments to the groups. Then save each group as a .JEF file.
21. Close Digitizer 10000 EasyDesign program.

Layout in the Gigahoop:

1. Open EasyGigaHoop in Customizer 10000.
2. Using the Import icon on the top toolbar bring each group of names on the screen. Arrange as desired.
3. Insert Floral Designs and Quilting Floppy Disk into your computer.
   Note: For the example Pillow Floral designs #17, #18 and scroll design #27 were chosen. (You can choose any design you like.)
4. To select a design, click on the Import icon on the top toolbar or choose Import Design from the File menu.
5. Select the "A" drive to read the selections on the floppy disk. (Or select the location of other design choices saved in other folders.)
6. Click on the design of your choice.
7. When the design appears on the layout screen, move it to the area of your choice.
8. Repeat for all other designs.
   Hint: All designs can be altered in size, mirror imaged and rotated for interesting design options.
9. Save this design on your computer.
10. From the file menu, select Print Template to create a template to be used for perfect placement with the Clothsetter.

Sending the Designs:
You have two options for sending the designs to your Memory Craft 10000:
Option 1 - Direct PC Link

1. Connect the Memory Craft 10000 to your computer using either the USB or RS232C cable.
2. Press the PC Link Mode Key on the MC10000.
3. Click Memory Craft on the top toolbar.
   
4. Select Send Designs. This will send the design directly to your Memory Craft 10000.
5.  

Option 2 - Saving to an ATA PC Card

1. Insert ATA PC Card into your computer.
   
2. Select the PC Card icon (Write One) on the top toolbar. A pop up window will appear.
3. Click on Write.
4. Remove the ATA PC Card from your computer.
   Note: If using a laptop with a PCMCIA port, you must stop the drive to safely remove the ATA PC Card
5. Insert into the PC Card Slot on the MC10000.
6. Press the PC-Link Mode Key on the MC10000.
   Note: If you checked the Open/Save File folder in the Write a Design pop up window, you will have to select the Embroidery Mode Key on the MC10000 and use the Open File Mode key to select your designs by name.
7. Select the PC Card tab at the bottom of the screen to select the designs saved to the ATA PC Card.
   Note: The designs saved will be seen as thumbnail images on the Visual Touch Screen on the MC10000.

Sewing the Design
Note: Each finished Pillow is 12" square.

1. Cut a 14" square for each pillow top.
2. Iron stabilizer to the wrong side of the fabric.
3. the printed template to center the design on pillow tops.
4. Mark the crosshair(s) with a fabric making pencil.

Mother's Pillow

1. Attach the "B" Hoop to the Clothsetter 10000 in the top bracket. Align the crosshairs marked on the fabric with the crosshair on the arm of the Clothsetter 10000 for perfect placement. Tighten the hoop.
2. Attach Hoop to the carriage.
3. Select the design on the Memory Craft 10000.
   Note: Do not select the Edit screen because the crosshair alignment will not agree with the template.
4. Press the Start button to sew, changing the thread colors as indicated.

Grandmother's Pillow:

Hint: It is only necessary to mark one side of the fabric with a crosshair.
1. Align the fabric in the Giga Hoop using the Clothsetter 10000, as previously described.
2. Attach Hoop to the carriage.
3. Select design #1.
   Note: Do not select the Edit screen because the crosshair alignment will not agree with the template.
4. Press the Start button to sew, changing the thread colors as indicated.
5. DO NOT REMOVE FABRIC. Remove hoop and "flip" to opposite side.
6. Attach Hoop to the carriage.
7. Select design #2.
8. Press the Start button to sew, changing the thread colors as indicated.

Finishing:
Any commercial pillow pattern can be used to complete the pillow. We chose a simple envelope method for finishing both pillows by trimming the pillow top to 12 1/2", using 1/2" seam allowances.

1. Cut two 12 1/2" x 9 1/2" pieces of fabric for the back. Sew a 1" hem on one raw edge of each piece.
2. Overlap the hemmed back pieces to measure 12 1/2".
3. Place these right sides together with the pillow top.
4. Sew around all edges.
5. Turn right side out.
6. Insert a 12" pillow form or stuff with fiberfill.

Optional Finishes:

• Purchased or matching piping can be inserted around all edges for a tailored look. Use the Piping foot for easy application.
• Create a flanged edge by sewing a straight or decorative stitch1 1/4" from the outside edges after turning the fabric to the right side. (I used stitch #167, width 4.4)

This project leaves lots of room for your own creativity. Add more built in stitches for borders or add a personal touch with one of mom's favorite flowers. Enjoy!