Embroidered Zipperless Pillow Sham

This fantastic Pillow Sham is not only zipperless, it's reversible, too!

Button-up your home decor projects with a pillow that can change from holiday to everyday in mere seconds.

Spruce up the living room, family room, or bedroom with this versatile pillow sham. Choose any design and fabric that suits your decorating style.

With no zippers to sew, this pillow is twice the fun to sew and use in your home, or to give as a gift!

The finished size for this project is 18 x 18 inches.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies needed:

18 x 18 inch pillow form
1/4 yard light-weight canvas - for small center block (Side 1)
1/2 yard micro suede fabric - for large center block (Side 2)
2 yards of solid-color quilter's cotton (1 1/2 yard green, 1/2 yard red)
1 1/2 yards print quilter's cotton (1 yard holly print, 1/2 yard poinsettia print)
32 x 32 inch piece of batting
Medium weight, cut-away stabilizer
Air-erase pen
Temporary spray adhesive
Large piece of tag board
Buttons ** Needle and thread for hand sewing

The designs used in this tutorial include:

Reindeer Stipple - Medium also available in Small and Large and X-Large
The Night Before Christmas Block 11- Medium also available in Small, Large, and X-Large
The Night Before Christmas Block 28 - X-Large also available in Small, Medium, and Large

Gather Materials:

Side 1, Center Block

Measure and mark a 6 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch square on the light-weight canvas. Mark the center of the square by measuring each side of the square and dividing by two. Draw lines through by connecting the marks as shown.

Hand drawing a square and grid lines on light fabric with a purple fabric marker, with visible thumb and pen tip in the lower right corner.

Using embroidery software, create a paper template of the design by printing it at full size. Cut around the template to make it a manageable size. Poke a hole in the center of the template and center it within the square.

Make sure the design fits well within the square. There should be at least one inch of space between the design and the edges of the square.

Hand holding a fabric marking pen pointing to a printed embroidery pattern pinned to beige fabric, depicting three reindeer and a person framed by text lines.

Start Embroidering:

Spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric over the stabilizer.

Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.

Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric, and embroider the design.

Rectangular embroidery hoop with light blue edges holds white fabric with purple grid lines and a small purple cross at center, on a neutral background.

Side 2, Center Block

Mark a 12 1/2 x 12 1/2 square onto the center block fabric.

Repeat the same process for the other center block; print the template at full size, draw the lines, hoop the fabric. Then, attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric, and embroider the design.

Once the designs have been embroidered, carefully trim away the excess stabilizer.

Hand holding orange scissors cutting white fabric with black embroidered text over a red fabric background. Embroidery partially visible underneath.

Cut the square shapes for both center panels.

Two embroidered fabric pieces with holiday designs on a wooden table, one red with a cat and moon, one white with reindeer. Orange scissors nearby.

Side 1, Front Panel

Cut four 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch squares for the solid-colored quilter's cotton and four 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch squares from the print quilter's cotton.

Two sets of rectangular fabric pieces with corner notches lie on a dark wood table, one set in beige floral print and the other in solid red. Orange scissors also rest on the table.

Lay out the pieces with the solid and print squares around the embroidered block as shown.

Quilt block with nine squares on wooden table; center square has an embroidered design of horses with text, surrounded by patterned and red fabric squares.

Align the side squares, right sides together, with the center squares and pin along the inner edges.

Flat fabric pieces arranged on a wood table: four red solid fabric pieces and four greenish-beige floral patterned pieces, with a centered printed paper showing a colorful design and text.

Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges and then press the seams open on the backside of the fabric.

Iron pressing a square piece of beige fabric with small green and red floral patterns, layered on red and other patterned fabrics on a flat surface.

Align the top and bottom row, right sides together, with the center row and pin along the inner edges. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edge and press the seams open.

Fabric pieces arranged on a wooden table for sewing, with red and beige patterned floral fabrics, and a small blue booklet partially visible.

Side 1, Folding Flaps

Create a pattern for the flaps using the tag board.

Draw an 18 inch vertical line using a straight edge. Mark the center point of the line. Draw an 11 inch horizontal line out from the center point. Add a 2 inch vertical line centered at the end of the 11 inch horizontal line.

Hand holding a pen drawing intersecting straight lines on a white surface, likely for a sewing or embroidery pattern.

Draw lines connecting the 18 inch line and the 2 inch line. Measure and mark 1/4 inch on the outside of the 18 inch line and 1/2 inch on the outside of the remaining lines. Draw lines connecting these marks. (These lines represent the seam allowances.)

Close-up of a hand drawing a right triangle with parallel line segments inside on white paper using a blue pen, placed on a dark surface.

Cut out the shape along the outer lines.

Hand cutting a white paper pattern piece with two triangular sections and a curved line on a dark wooden surface using orange scissors.

Trace and cut out four of the pattern shapes on the quilter's cotton. We chose two pieces of the print and two pieces from the solid fabrics.

Two pieces of fabric, one solid red and one floral print in yellow and green on cream, cut into similar pointed shapes, lie on a wooden table next to orange-handled scissors and a paper pattern.

Lay the Side 1 piece right side up and align two opposite flap pieces, right sides together, with the pieced blocks. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges.

Partially constructed pillow sham with red fabric border and center panel of beige with green leaf pattern, and an embroidered square with horses and text.

Pin the second two flaps in place and sew with a 1/4 inch seam.

Pieces of fabric laid out on a dark wooden table, including a printed rectangular panel with a cowboy embroidery design and text.

Press the seams flat on the back side of the fabric.

Lay the fabric on top of the backing. Cut the backing to the shape of the fabric.

Lay the fabric on top of the quilter's cotton and cut out the shape. Layer the fabric and batting with the quilter's cotton on the bottom, batting in the middle, and the assembled side on top, right side up. Pin the layers in place.

Quilted pillow sham with red, beige floral, and yellow plaid fabric squares. Center shows an embroidered deer scene in a blue frame. Back layers visible.

Side 1, Front Panel Stipple

Lay the pinned layers of Side 1 right side up. Mark the center of the solid squares by measuring each side and dividing by two. Draw lines connecting the marks.

Hand holding a white marker measuring a red fabric square with a metal Westcott ruler on a wooden surface. A floral patterned fabric is partially visible.

Make sure there is at least one inch of space between the design and the edges of the square.

Hand holding a blue fabric marking pen drawing on a white square template with sketched patterns, placed on green patterned and red fabric pieces.

Hoop the three layers together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.

Embroidery hoop holding red fabric partially stitched, placed over green and beige fabric with a foliage pattern on a wooden surface.

Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric, and embroider the design.

Repeat this process for all four squares.

Embroidery machine stitching a leaping unicorn outline in tan thread on red fabric, framed by green and white floral fabric beneath the hoop.

Side 2, Front Panel

Cut the printed quilter's cotton to 18 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch pieces and two 12 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.

Three rectangular fabric pieces with red floral patterns on a cream background are laid out on a wooden surface beside orange-handled scissors.

Lay the embroidered fabric right side up. Align the short pieces, right sides together, with the left and right sides of the block. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges.

Partially completed red fabric pillow sham with embroidered mouse in winter scene holding a candy cane and Santa flying in a sleigh; white fabric pieces pinned for assembly.

Align the long pieces with the top and bottom of the center block, right sides together. Pin and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges.

Rectangular fabric piece pinned on dark wood table with a snowman, moon, and cottage embroidery in blue and white center panel, bordered by beige and red fabrics with floral and text patterns.

Side 2, Folding Flaps

Trace and cut four more pieces of quilter's cotton using the tag board flap pattern. Pin and sew the pieces to the Side 2 assembled block as you did with the first side.

Assemble Sides 1 and 2 Lay Side 1 of the pillow sham right side up. Align Side 2, right side down, on top of Side 1. Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the pinned edge, leaving one flap open for turning.

Unfinished embroidered pillow sham project on table with green fabric, red border, and central white square featuring sailboat and text.

Turn the sham right side out and press the seams. Turn in the edges on the open flap 1/2 inch, press in place, and pin in place. Top stitch the around the entire edge of the sham with a 1/4 inch seam.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching dark green fabric with a red-headed pin and a straight pin placed nearby on the fabric.

Button Closures

Lay the sham with Side 2 right side up. Sew a button on the on bottom side of the right flap 3 1/2 inches from the tip of the flap.

Hand holding a red fabric pillow sham with a large wooden button, resting on a quilt with red, green, and blue patchwork background.

Add a button hole 3/4 inch from the tip of the left flap.

Flip the sham over so that Side 1 is right side up. Add a button to the bottom of the side bottom flap 3 1/2 inches from the tip.

Add a button hole 3/4 inch from the tip of the top flap.

Close-up of a hand holding the corner of a green fabric piece with a stitched buttonhole, resting on a quilt with red, beige, and patterned patches.

Lay the fabric flat and lay the pillow form over the pillow sham. Align the pillow with the center square, and fold the flaps to meet in the center and button in place.

Hand holding open corner of a pillow sham with green fabric and beige panel featuring small embroidered pine branches and red accents, revealing white pillow inside.

Fold the other flaps in and button in place.

You can also add tassels to the corners for a little extra flair. The tassels will be seen either way the pillow is buttoned!

Square pillow with a cream and green floral fabric base, covered by overlapping red fabric flaps fastened by a single wooden button in the center.

Get Inspired:

This reversible and zipperless pillow makes it possible to change your decor from season-to-season or minute-to-minute!

Two square pillow shams on light blue, one with red-green floral squares and a cartoon horse and jockey, the other with a red panel and a dog in snow.