Hand Embroidered Pillow Using Cricut Washable Pen

This project mixes a bit of tech and a bit of handmade charm - using the Cricut Washable Pen to draw the design, and then finishing it off with hand embroidery to make a cute, cozy pillow for your home.

The Cricut Washable Pen is honestly such a handy tool. You pop it into your Cricut, and it draws your design right onto the fabric for you. Then you can just follow the lines with your embroidery - no guessing, no tracing by hand. And when you’re done, the ink washes right out, leaving only your beautiful stitching behind. It’s one of those little tools that makes crafting easier and way more fun.

Materials:

• 12-inch pillow form
• Fabric for pillow front and back
• Cricut Washable Pen
• Cricut FabricGrip Mat
• Hand embroidery supplies
• Sewing machine and basic sewing supplies
• Cricut brayer (optional)

Directions:

Start by cutting out two fabric squares for your pillow, each about 13 by 13 inches. You’ll want to use white or another light-colored fabric for the front - that’s where your design and embroidery will really stand out. For the back, pick a coordinating fabric that complements your front piece - maybe something with a subtle pattern or a nice pop of color.

You can create your own design right in Cricut Design Space, customizing it however you like - choose your favorite font, add some shapes, or even upload your own artwork. If you’d rather skip the setup and get crafting right away, you can go straight to this project and use the ready-made design. Either way, you’ll have a beautiful pattern ready for your Cricut to draw onto your fabric.

Go ahead and insert the Cricut Washable Pen into clamp A on your Cricut machine - that’s the spot where the pen goes.

Next, take your pillow front fabric and place it smoothly on the Cricut FabricGrip Mat. You want it to be nice and flat so your design draws cleanly and doesn’t shift around. If you have a Cricut brayer, this is the perfect time to use it - just roll it gently over the fabric to press out any wrinkles or bubbles and make sure everything sticks evenly to the mat.

Make the project, letting your Cricut draw the design right onto the front of your fabric, marking exactly where your embroidery will go. This step gives you a perfect guide to follow with your needle and thread, so you can focus on stitching without worrying about guessing where the design should be.

Now it’s time to stitch your design! You can use simple embroidery stitches like straight stitch, satin stitch, French knots, or chain stitch to bring your pattern to life. Don’t worry if you’re new to embroidery - starting with these basic stitches is easy and really satisfying.

If you want a little guidance or a quick refresher on how to do each stitch, a stitch guide or beginner’s embroidery tutorial can be super helpful. One great option is the Stitched Stories Stitch Guide which shows step-by-step instructions and diagrams for all the basic stitches you’ll need to get started. It’s perfect for beginners and makes stitching feel much more approachable.

Once you’ve finished your embroidery, grab a damp cloth and gently wipe away any remaining pen marks on the fabric. The ink from the Cricut Washable Pen is designed to disappear with a little moisture, so this step is quick and easy.

Now it’s time to assemble your pillow. Start by placing the front and back pieces together with the right sides facing each other and secure them with pins so they don’t shift while you sew. Using your sewing machine, sew around three sides of the pillow with a ½-inch seam allowance.

Leave the fourth side partly open - it should be big enough to turn the pillow right side out and to insert your pillow form later. Once the pillow is turned right side out and stuffed, fold the raw edges of the opening inward, pin it closed, and then hand-stitch it neatly to finish.

It’s amazing how combining a little tech with your Cricut Washable Pen and some simple hand embroidery can turn plain fabric into something so special. Whether you keep it for yourself or gift it to someone you love, this pillow is sure to bring a smile. Happy crafting!

Do More with Cricut and Fabric:

If you loved making this embroidered pillow, there are plenty of other fun fabric projects to try with your Cricut!

Hand-Embroidered Wall Quilt

Use Cricut Infusible Ink to add bold, colorful designs to fabric, then finish with hand embroidery for a beautiful, personalized wall quilt.

Custom Fabric Neck Pillow

Create a cozy neck pillow with your favorite fabrics for a one-of-a-kind accessory.

Personalized Pet Bandana

Make a cute, custom bandana for your pet using fabric - perfect for gifts or everyday wear.