Level: Beginner

Nancy says, "Explore the built-in decorative stitches of your Memory Craft by stitching up a simple valentine pillow. Easy, fun, fast. Add your favorite embroidery design to personalize this pillow for your sweetheart."

Janome Supplies Required:

• Memory Craft 11000, 10001, 10000, 9700 or 9500
• Custom Crafted Zig-Zag Foot
• Memory Card or PC Design Card of your choice (Our samples were made with (PC Design Card 1008, Small Flower Collection)
• Clothsetter for your Memory Craft model
• Embroidery hoop for you Memory Craft Model
• Janome Embroidery thread in assorted colors
• Janome Bobbin thread
• Blue tip needle 75/11

Fabric and Notions Required:

• Two 15" squares of fabric for each pillow
• 12" pillow form
• Tear away stabilizer
• 1 1/2 yd. decorative fringe
• Water-soluble fabric marker
• Ruler

Instructions:

1. Fold one square of fabric in quarters to determine the middle. Mark this point.
2. After determining the finished size of the embroidery design you've chosen, draw a square the size needed to accommodate the design in the center of the pillow -- i.e., the embroidery design in our sample was approximately 2" x 2" so we drew a 2 1/2"square in the center of the pillow.
3. Place the tear away stabilizer under the fabric.
4. Place a full bobbin wound with bobbin thread in the machine and thread the needle with embroidery thread. Snap on the Custom Crafted Zig-Zag Foot.
5. Select a decorative stitch and line up the outside edge of the foot with the line on the fabric. Sew the square pivoting at the corners.
6. Place the ruler on the diagonal as shown in the diagram and mark lines from corner to corner.
7. Select a different decorative stitch and change the color of the embroidery thread.
8. Place the fabric under the presser foot so that the needle will penetrate the line, and the left outside edge of the foot skims the edge of the previous stitching.
9. Sew a new row of decorative stitches pivoting at the diagonal lines. Continue sewing rows of decorative stitches until you are about 1 1/2" from the outside edge.
10. Set up the machine for Professional-Style Embroidery, and using the Clothsetter and templates, embroider a design in the center square.
11. Remove any loose stabilizer; wash out the lines with cold water and press. Trim the pillow front and back to 12" square.
12. Pin the fringe to the right side of the pillow front. Stitch in place with a 1/4" seam.
13. Pin the right side of the pillow back to the right side of the pillow front. Stitch in place with a 3/8" seam around three sides.
14. Turn right side out, insert the pillow form, whip stitch the last side.