This sweet heart appliqué pillow is a great addition to any home décor. The hearts can be customized to any shape and fabric, making this a great project for any beginner or advanced sewer. The features of the Baby Lock Brilliant allows you to appliqué this pillow with ease. Download printable instructions.

Materials:

• 2 to 3 Fat quarter prints
• 1 Yard of beige home decorator fabric
• Baby Lock Cut-Away Fusible Appliqué Stabilizer
• Madeira® embroidery thread for appliqué
• Sizzix Big Shot or Plus Cutting System
• Sizzix Bigz Die Hearts (656782 or 659143)
• Pillow form (12” x 18”)
• Basic sewing supplies
• Frixion pen

Tools:

• Baby Lock Brilliant sewing machine

Steps:

1. Cut several strips five inches wide from the fat quarter print fabrics.

2. Cut two sections from the beige decorator fabrics that measure 13” x 23”

3. Fuse the Baby Lock Cut-Away Fusible Appliquéd Stabilizer to the back side of the fabric strip while following the manufacturer’s directions.

4. Set up the Sizzix Big Shot cutting system for cutting. Place the fused fabric sections over the heart die.

   1. Run the die sections with the appropriate sized spacers to cut the heart shapes.

5. Peel off the paper from the fused heart sections and place them on the top side on one of the 13” x 23” sections

   1. In the sample, the hearts were staggered in two rows, five on the top and four on the bottom

6. Using the Frixion pen, draw stem lines down from each of the heart cutouts. Remove the hearts from the fabric and set them aside.

7. Set up the machine for sewing the stems:

   1. Thread the machine with green thread on the top and in the bobbin.

   2. Attach the “J” foot.

   3. Select the Couching stitch

   4. Adjust the width and length as desired.

   5. Stitch over the drawn lines to create the stems.

   6. Tip: Sew on a sample piece of fabric first to test the look of the stitch. Make any adjustments at that time.

8. Reposition the hearts over the stems. Cover the starting point of the stem with the hearts.

9. In the sample, the hearts were sewn down using a blanket stitch. But feel free to use any type of zig zag or decorative stitch of your choice. Select your stitch at this time.

10. Rethread the machine with a thread color that coordinates with your fabric. Stitch to secure the hearts to the pillow top. Stitch at slow, even pace, rotating the fabric as you go.

    1. The straight edge of the blanket stitch, if you are using a blanket stitch, should run along the raw edge of the hearts.

    2. Tip: Do a test sew before you begin sewing down the hearts.

11. Iron the pillow top to remove any marks left from the pen and make the appliquéd hearts lay nice and flat.

12. With right sides together (pillow front and back), and using a ½” seam allowance, stitch around the outer edge while leaving an 8” opening on one of the long sides to insert the pillow form.

13. Insert the pillow form and hand stitch the opening closed