This holiday season, there’s no better way to infuse your home with festive cheer than by creating your own personalized decorations! Follow this step-by-step machine embroidery tutorial to create a Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow to display in your home or give as a gift! If you’ve never tried out cutwork embroidery, you’ll see just how fun and easy it is to create this beautiful effect! Using one of our Start Here Pillow Blanks saves time and effort, and you’ll have fun choosing background fabrics to show through your intricate cutwork designs! Grab your supplies, thread your machine, and let’s get started on this creative journey that will fill your home with warmth and festive charm this Christmas!

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow

Supplies:

Instructions:

Step 1

Mark center of the pillow by drawing a line diagonally from each corner. This will help with placement of the 4 tree designs.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow mark fabric

Step 2

Hoop one layer of AquaMesh Plus.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow hoop stabilizer

Step 3

Align the center line with the center of the hoop. Use placement tools on your machine to line up the design with the center mark.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow hoop fabric

Step 4

Stitch the cutline step. Cut just inside the thread with a craft knife. You can cut through the stabilizer to make it easier.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow stitch and cut with craft knife

Step 5

Once finished cutting, cover the top with a piece of AquaMesh Plus like a patch.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow top with AquaMesh

Step 6

Continue stitching the rest of the design according to the machine steps.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow finish stitching design

Step 7

Stitch the other 3 designs and then remove as much stabilizer as possible with scissors.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow remove stabilizer

Step 8

Once all designs are stitched out, wash away the remaining stabilizer.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow remove stabilizer

Step 9

Cut 4 pieces of fabric into 7.5×7.5” squares. Sew the 4 pieces together and square off. The final square should be 13.5×13.5”

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow cut fabric

Step 10

Sew the large square to the back of the pillowcase with the right side of fabric to wrong side of pillowcase. This will allow the fabric to show through the design. Make sure you sew on the pillowcase side, and match the fabric to the pillowcase. This will be a top stitch, but shouldn’t be very visible.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow sew fabric

Step 11

Follow instructions on the pillow blank and finish sewing together. Make sure the zipper is open and sew wrong side to wrong side. Sew on all 3 edges, leaving the zipper edge free. Turn the fabric inside out and stuff with a pillow form.

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow unzip blank

Step 12

Enjoy your new holiday decoration!

Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow finished project

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We hope you enjoyed this machine embroidery tutorial! Have you embroidered your own Christmas Tree Cutwork Pillow? Come show off your work in our private Facebook group, The Perfect Stitch!