All Instructions

Tooth Fairy Pillow Tutorial

Finished embroidered fairy pillow with glow-in-the-dark thread, a pocket, and a ribbon handle.

Materials for 5x7 Hoop

Two pieces of pillow fabric, each 6x8 inches (slightly larger than your embroidery hoop area).

One piece of appliqué fabric for the fairy, approximately 3 x 2.5 inches.

One piece of fabric for the pocket, 3.5 inches wide by 6 inches high.

Materials for 6x10 Hoop

Two pieces of pillow fabric, each 7x11 inches (slightly larger than your embroidery hoop area).

One piece of appliqué fabric for the fairy, approximately 3.5 x 3 inches.

One piece of fabric for the pocket, 4 inches wide by 7 inches high.

Additional Supplies

You will also need a ribbon for the handle; the size is optional.

Glow-in-the-dark thread. I purchased a no-name brand with five colors from Amazon, but this design can also be sewn using a single color of glow-in-the-dark thread.

Five spools of different colored glow-in-the-dark embroidery thread.

Color Sequence Overview

Embroidery design color chart for the fairy pillow.

  1. Color 1: Stitches the main pillow outline to secure the fabric and the placement line for the fairy appliqué.
  2. Color 2: Tacks down the fairy appliqué fabric.
  3. Color 3 (Glow-in-the-dark yellow thread): Wand and crown.
  4. Color 4 (Glow-in-the-dark white thread): Fairy body, wings, and swirls.
  5. Color 5 (Glow-in-the-dark light pink thread): Stars.
  6. Color 6: Fairy outline (optional).
  7. Color 7: Pocket placement outline.
  8. Color 8: Pocket fabric tack-down seam.
  9. Color 9: Pocket fabric satin stitch.
  10. Color 10 (Glow-in-the-dark thread): Pocket top outline and wand details.
  11. Color 11: Final pillow outline.

Detailed color chart for the fairy pillow embroidery design.

Stitching Instructions

Hoop the tear-away stabilizer along with the front piece of the pillow fabric. Stitch Color 1, which creates the main pillow outline to secure the fabric in place, as well as the placement outline for the fairy appliqué.

Pillow and fairy appliqué placement lines stitched onto the main fabric.

Step 1: Appliqué the Fairy

Place the fairy appliqué fabric inside the stitched shape and stitch Color 2 to tack down the fabric.

Appliqué fabric placed over the fairy placement outline.

Tack-down stitch sewn around the fairy appliqué fabric.

Trim the excess appliqué fabric as close to the seam as possible.

Step 2: Embroider Details

Continue with the embroidery. Colors 3 through 6 will stitch the fairy and pillow decorations.

Completed embroidery of the fairy, wand, crown, and stars.

Step 3: Create the Pocket

Next, stitch the pocket placement outline (Color 7).

Pocket placement outline stitched below the embroidered fairy.

Fold the pocket fabric in half.

A piece of fabric for the pocket, folded in half.

Place the folded fabric inside the stitched shape, aligning the folded edge with the pocket placement guideline.

Folded pocket fabric positioned over the placement line.

It is helpful to use tape or pins to ensure the fabric remains flat while stitching.

Pocket fabric taped in place.

Stitch the pocket tack-down seam (Color 8).

Tack-down seam stitched around the pocket fabric.

Trim the excess appliqué fabric.

Finish the pocket with a wide satin stitch (Color 9).

Satin stitch being applied to the pocket edge.

Stitch the pocket's top stitch line and wand details with glow-in-the-dark thread (Color 10).

Completed pocket with decorative top stitching.

Step 4: Final Assembly

Before the final outline stitch, position the ribbon for the handle and secure it with tape.

Ribbon handle taped to the top of the pillow.

The ribbon length is optional.

Close-up of the taped ribbon handle.

Place the back piece of the pillow fabric on top with right sides together. Stitch the final outline (Color 11), leaving an opening at the bottom for turning.

When the design is finished, remove the tape, unhoop the project, and gently tear away the excess stabilizer.

Backing fabric placed over the pillow front.

Step 5: Finishing

Cut out the pillow shape and clip the corners (optional).

Pillow shape cut out from the fabric.

Turn the pillow right side out through the opening you left at the bottom.

Stuff the pillow and sew the opening closed, either by hand or with a sewing machine.

The completed and stuffed fairy pillow.

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