Cross stitching of pillows is a fashionable and widespread phenomenon, thanks to which unusual accents of interiors are obtained. Why is embroidery on pillows so fashionable, what patterns are the most fashionable, how to cross stitch a product? About this and other further
- Why is pillow embroidery so popular?
- Fashionable cross stitch patterns for pillows
- Cross Stitch Pillow: Diagrams and Explanations
- Modern Cross Stitch Pillows: Kits
- Is it difficult to cross stitch a pillow with your own hands?
- How to cross stitch a pillow
- A few tips before you get started
- Assembling the pillow after embroidery
Why is pillow embroidery so popular?
Embroidery on pillows is extremely popular because such accessories become a harmonious and beautiful addition to various designer interiors and sofas. Often, it is the sofa pillows embroidered with your own hands that you can immediately pay attention to when entering the room. They become the main color accent of the interior, a decor that can bring comfort and beauty to the home. In addition, a good quality item made with your own hands always attracts attention and adds a special charm to the interior in the boho or vintage style.

Fashionable cross stitch patterns for pillows
The most fashionable cross stitch patterns for pillows and canvas are abstraction, openwork and floral satin stitch patterns. It is no less interesting to combine geometric patterns presented on curtains with pillows, complement the embroidery with turquoise ribbons, rhinestones, vervaco beads and other accessories. Cross stitch patterns in the form of tree branches or Moroccan buildings look beautiful and unusual. Drawings that can be seen in the mehendi style look original. Pillows with large flowers, satin children's animal inserts and floral children's edging are fashionable.

Soft accessories with a pattern, the continuation of which can be seen on another pillow, are also considered stylish. This is how entire surrealistic plots are created. Grandmother's motifs and cross-stitch patterns in addition to flowers made of satin ribbons are gradually going out of fashion.
Please note! Satin pillows combined with machine embroidery and cross-stitch patterns with tassels at the ends are still popular.
Cross Stitch Pillow: Diagrams and Explanations
For cross stitching, you need to take a tapestry needle, a pattern, threads and a product. For beginner needlewomen, it is better to choose sets where the pillow is presented with a cover. Also, where there is a cross stitch pillow pattern. It is important to note that there are different embroidery patterns. Below are the patterns themselves and explanations for them:
- Single cross stitch or traditional method: This is made from several diagonally placed stitches that are placed on top of each other. To achieve this, insert a needle and thread from the back to the outside and make a stitch from the left corner to the upper right. Then remove the needle at the lower right corner and place it in the upper left corner.

- Rows of cross stitches or Danish method: Create four stitches from left to right using the traditional method, then repeat the stitches over those created from right to left.
Picture 5. Rows of crosses
- Double-sided cross: the first row is made with half-crosses or zigzags, and on top of it, the opposite zigzag is made.

There is also an interesting cross stitch technique called Slavic, Bulgarian and Italian cross. All of them are shown in the pictures below.
Modern Cross Stitch Pillows: Kits
Today, the market for handicrafts is overflowing with ready-made kits for pillow embroidery. At the same time, there are a wide variety of motifs: from creating animals, plants and insects to forming flowers and entire fairy-tale plots. Kits are in demand, where in addition to cross-stitching, you can complement the finished product with colorful pompoms, beads, sequins or rhinestones of a certain tone.
Such a pillow will not fulfill its main purpose, it will not be suitable for sleeping, but it will be just right for decorating the interior.
There are kits that contain patterns that serve only as a guide to action, but not as clear instructions. This means that there is an opportunity to connect your imagination. For example, a pattern is given for creating a cross-stitch border, and in the center there is a free field, a remainder that can be decorated with some bright cartoon character or diversified with a large flower in the form of a rose or orchid.

Please note! There are also products on sale where you can embroider a cross-stitch pattern on one side and satin or textile inserts with fittings on the other. This will result in universal pillow embroidery, with which you can diversify the look of your interior every day.
There are also ready-made wool pillows embroidered with a cross for children, where almost all the work has already been done and all that remains is to decorate with the necessary accessories.
Is it difficult to cross stitch a pillow with your own hands?
According to numerous responses from people who bought kits for creating soft accessories in different places and looked at all the information on the topic of cross-stitching pillows, they say that cross-stitching a pillow with your own hands is not as difficult as it may seem at first. You just need to put in maximum effort and patience. As a rule, this can be done in 15-20 hours of free time. However, this figure may vary, depending on the complexity of the pattern and other factors.
For example, it takes about 4 hours to create an inscription of 3-5 words, and 2 full days to create a floral pattern with small plants of about 20-30 centimeters. It is important that each kit or description provides information on how much time on average can be spent on creating a drawing. There are kits for both beginners and experienced craftsmen. They differ from each other in the complexity of the embroidery, design and number of finished parts.

How to cross stitch a pillow
There are many patterns and kits that provide clear explanations on how to cross-stitch a pillow. If you don't have them and are acting on your own ideas, you can get inspired and do everything correctly by looking at special training lessons. You can cross-stitch in different styles. There are regular cross stitches, and there are stitches that resemble a snowflake or a window opening.
The technique of each is always simple and clear. Both adults and children can handle it. The most important thing in embroidery is to securely fix the created pattern with a double stitch on the back side. This is the only way to ensure that the created creation will not be spoiled as a result of a small mistake.
Also, many needlewomen recommend conditionally dividing the intended pattern into 5-10 parts and embroidering everything one by one. They do not advise making a pattern in one color at first, then suddenly moving to the second. As a result, it may turn out that as you embroider, the pattern does not converge. Everything must be done gradually. It is better to start from the extreme upper or lower corner and move to the opposite one. Then repeat the same action with another row. Do this until a full picture is embroidered.
Additional information! Some advise to stop at specific details and then move on to others. For example, if the drawing is supposed to embroider a tit, background leaves and roses, then first you need to finish the bird, then move on to the background and only at the end to the roses. In addition, this way the color balance will be maintained and a bunch of irreparable mistakes will not occur. It is better to add accessories not provided in the set at the very end. This way it will be clear whether it is needed or not.
A few tips before you get started
Before starting work with a decorative product, many users recommend familiarizing yourself with the diagram, instructions for work. If there are no already drawn outlines, they must be created, since it will be difficult to try to connect your imagination and embroider at the same time when working with a clearly selected pattern or character.

It is also advisable to relax and calm down, if there is an emotional experience, tune in to a positive mood, since this is the only way to make not just a beautiful product, but also one that adds coziness to any interior. If a cross-stitch pillow is created without a set, it is necessary to select needles and threads as carefully as possible, based on the density of the material, type of textile, design and other criteria.
Important! It is recommended to choose a needle that will be convenient for sewing and will not make unnecessary noticeable holes with its eye. As for threads, it is best to give preference to floss. This is a large group of high-quality and durable threads that look beautiful on any item.
Assembling the pillow after embroidery
Assembly of the pillow after embroidery is usually limited to the fact that foam rubber, cotton wool or other stuffing is returned to the structure of the product itself, and it is sewn or zipped. Sometimes assembly includes sewing on additional elements that are included in the set, for example, tassels and fittings.
As a rule, all that is required from the master is to remove all protruding threads by burning or cutting, and no additional manipulations are required. Rarely, when it is necessary to fix decorative volumetric elements as tightly as possible. Then, in addition to sewing, they should be glued.

In general, cross stitching pillows is not as difficult as it may seem. The main thing is to follow the clear instructions on the packaging of the ready-made kit or adhere to the rules from users to get a beautiful and fashionable pattern.