Embroidered Patchwork Pillow

Combine classic quilting techniques with machine embroidery. The result is a creative way to showcase your favorite embroidery designs! A contemporary color scheme of grey and yellow adds a contemporary look to this project.

Supplies & Materials:

Project Needs & Notes

18" x 18" pillow form
1/2 yard solid-colored quilter's cotton
Twelve 5" x 5" pieces of quilter's cotton
3/4 yard print quilter's cotton
Medium weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
Temporary spray adhesive (like Gunold KK100)
Air-erase pen
18" all-purpose zipper or invisible zipper

When selecting quilter's cotton, choose a good quality, such as Kona cotton.

For this tutorial I used E6627, the 6.39" x 5.84" size of the Birch Leaf Trio design. Find even more seasonal designs in the Seasons category here.

Finished size:

18" x 18"

This project was featured in the following:

Pillow Party Lookbook

Pillow Party Trunk Show 3 Video

Gather Materials:

First, prepare the fabric for the front center square.

Using an air-erase pen, draw a 9 1/2" x 9 1/2" square on the solid-colored cotton fabric.

Leave a few inches of excess fabric around the shape.

Mark the center of each side of the square and draw lines connecting the marks. These lines will be used for hooping.

Hand holding purple marker and metal ruler on white fabric with light purple square and cross markings drawn on it, on wooden surface.

Start Embroidering:

Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer; embroider the design.

White fabric hooped in an embroidery frame on a wooden surface, marked with faint purple grid lines and a stitched rectangular outline with rounded corners.

After the design has finished, cut out the shape.

There is no need to cut the excess stabilizer away. Leave it covering the entire back of the square to avoid the edges of the stabilizer from forming a ridge under the cotton.

Hand holding orange scissors cutting gray fabric with yellow and brown leaf embroidery; fabric has faint grid lines on wooden surface.

To prepare the outer squares for the front of the pillow, cut twelve pieces of quilter's cotton to 5" x 5". This example shows square from four different print and solid fabrics.

Several fabric squares in different yellow and blue patterns arranged on a wooden surface, along with an orange-handled scissors.

Arrange the center embroidered piece and the squares as you wish to have them in the pillow.

Patchwork pillow layout with 16 fabric squares in yellow and gray floral patterns surrounding a central square embroidered with three yellow leaves.

Align the side squares (the squares that are just to the right and left sides of the center square) together. Place the right sides together and pin in place.

Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge only.

Three fabric pieces on a dark wooden table: a white square with three embroidered yellow leaves in the center, and two folded fabric pieces in yellow and gray floral patterns on either side.

Press the back seam open.

Iron and two fabric squares, one yellow and one pale yellow with small floral print, on a blue ironing surface.

Align the assembled side squares on top of the embroidered center square, right sides together, and pin in place.

Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edges only and then press the back seams open.

Embroidered fabric with three yellow and gray patchwork quilt blocks on a wooden surface. The embroidery features three large yellow and gold leaves.

Align the top outer squares together, in pairs of two, with the right sides together.

Pin in place, sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge.

Press the seams.

Two pairs of rectangular fabric pieces on a dark wood surface. Left pair: yellow fabric with small white floral print and solid yellow fabric. Right pair: gray fabric with white floral print and solid yellow fabric. Each pair is partially overlapped.

Align the inner edges of the center squares of each pair together, right sides together.

Pin in place, sew a 1/4" seam, and press. Repeat this process for the row of bottom outer squares, too.

Four fabric squares sewn together in a row on a dark wood surface. Fabrics are yellow with small white flowers, solid yellow, blue with white floral pattern, and yellow with a subtle floral design.

Align the assembled top and bottom outer squares with the assembled center/side portion, right sides together. Pin in place and sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edges only. Then, press the back seams.

Folded fabric piece with yellow and gray patchwork sections, embroidered with yellow and brown leaves, lying on a wooden surface.

To prepare the top and bottom front borders, cut two pieces of fabric to 17 1/2" x 1 1/4".

Align the pieces with the top and bottom edges of the assembled front piece, right sides together.

Pin in place, sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edges, and press.

Hand-sewn fabric square patch quilt with yellow, gray, and floral designs, featuring three embroidered yellow leaves in the center on a wooden table.

To prepare the side front borders, cut two pieces of fabric to 19" x 1 1/4".

Align the pieces with the sides of the assembled front piece, right sides together. Pin in place, sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edges, and press.

Square fabric patchwork piece with yellow and gray floral blocks, centered on a lavender square embroidered with three yellow-gold leaves, pinned at edges.

When preparing the back fabric piece, lay the assembled front piece on top of the print fabric and cut out the shape. Align the pieces together, right sides together, and pin in place at the top and sides.

Align the bottom edge of the zipper with the bottom edge of the back fabric with the right sides together. Pin in place.

Patchwork pillow with yellow, white, and gray floral fabric squares; central white square with embroidered yellow leaf; held fabric edges pinned on wooden surface.

Using a zipper foot on your machine, sew a seam along the bottom edge of the zipper.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching white fabric onto a gray fabric with white floral print. Blue pins hold the fabrics together.

Align the opposite edge of the zipper with the bottom edge of the front fabric, right sides together.

Pin in place and sew a seam along the outer edge of the zipper.

Unzip the zipper and sew a 1/2" seam along the side and top edges of the pillow. Turn the fabric right side out, insert the pillow inside, and zip it up.

Close-up of a beige zipper being sewn onto a quilted fabric pillow cover with yellow, white, and gray patchwork and leaf embroidery.

Get Inspired:

Yellow and grey fabric brings a contemporary look to this pillow. Experiment with different colors of fabric, and different embroidery designs, to make this project uniquely yours!

Square pillow with a central embroidered design of three yellow leaves on a pale background, surrounded by a patchwork border of yellow and gray floral fabrics, placed on a blue upholstered chair.