Home generalSewing letters - instructions and tips for letter cushions

Sewing letters - instructions and tips for letter cushions

  • Material and preparation
  • Sew letter chain
    • Quick guide
  • Sew letter cushions
    • Quick guide

Today I would like to introduce you to two exciting projects where you can process high quality cotton woven fabric. The nice thing is that here you have the opportunity to use your scraps from other projects, such as patchwork work. For my projects, however, I have each used a new piece of fabric, because I wanted in the first variant, that the pattern in the individual letters is continuous and the second variant, I wanted to sew larger letters, as rich fabric remnants only as patchwork.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to sew letters from fabric. And although in two different versions. Variant 1: You can also make a name chain from these little letter cushions. Depending on how and where you want to hang it, the procedure is different. Option 2: Sew large letter cushions to cuddle with 3D effect.

Difficulty level 1-3 / 5
(This guide for a name chain is also suitable for beginners, the instructions for the letter cushions can be handled by beginners with some patience)

Material costs 1-2 / 5
(Depending on the choice of fabric and variant, you can also sew letters from leftovers)

Time required 1.5-3 / 5
(depending on experience and accuracy about 15-20 minutes including cutting per letter pad for the name chain, about 1-2 hours per letter pad depending on the letter - the I is very light, A heavier.)

Material and preparation

The material selection

Basically, this is not suitable for stretchable fabrics. Ideally, use opaque woven fabric for your letter cushions. If you sew too thin fabrics, these can deform badly during stuffing. Thicker materials can not be processed so well, especially for smaller workpieces.

TIP: Stretchy materials are also possible. Simply iron fleece under it and take care not to use too much filling material.

Sew letter chain

Variant 1: sewing letters for a chain of letters - The pattern

For the pattern, I first thought about what I want to "write". Since this is a tutorial for Talu, I have selected "Talu". I will stitch with you the font of the logo of the website as a name chain. For this I enlarged the logo to about 15cm height and printed in black and white. I then cut out the individual letters as templates.

TIP: In this version to sew the letter is not turned! The right ("beautiful") fabric side is sewn from the outside and the edges remain open and visible! Be sure to use the ironing pad to prevent the open edges from fraying! If you sew with felt, you will save yourself this "problem".

Letters like the little "a" have a hole in the middle. This makes turning difficult. That's why I opted for this stitching variant. If you would like to sew larger lettering on how to use "right" pillows, I would sew them with 3D effect, thus inserting a "depth" laterally, a strip of fabric that makes them more plastic. Then it works with the turn!

My favorite fabric I folded left to left (ie with the "beautiful" fabric sides to the outside) and with a trick marker (which dissolves by itself) my letters copied. Make sure you have enough space between the individual letters for both seam allowances!

Since the fabric is double-layered, I have fixed the individual letters in several places with pins and then cut them with a seam allowance of about 0.7 cm.

Before sewing:

Consider whether and how you want to attach your letters to the tape for hanging. If every letter cushion is to be dowelled from above, you will now need to sew in loops. You can also sew a small loop at the back of each letter, then pull the ribbon through it. But that has to be done NOW. After sewing the two fabric pieces together, it is not that easy anymore. The application of snaps is an option.

I do not want permanent attachment to the string as I will still use the letters for other purposes. That's why I just pinned them to the tape with needles.

It is sewn:

Now stitch the two layers of the letter cushions exactly on the marking line with the exception of one turning opening.

TIP: In the photo you can see that many long strings are hanging on my letter. This is because I did NOT sew the beginning and end of my seams and left the threads a little longer, so I can close the turn-around opening after filling them.

Now fill in all the letters with your favorite filling material. I have used wadding, but you can also use spelled fur or scraps. Ready filled now also have the turning openings are closed. For this I use the threads of the machine seam and steppe Handisch. You can also sew with the machine, but then you will always see the multiple stitches at this point. Finally, I pinpoint and cut off the threads.

The final touch I miss the outer edge with my zig-zag scissors. If you do not have such scissors, you can also use the normal fabric scissors to cut spikes or waves to the edge to complete the look.

And the name chain is ready!

Other variants:

As mentioned earlier in the text, you can also sew beautiful letters from felt. The advantage here are the open edges that do not fray. A zig-zag pair of scissors is also a good tip here, as it completes the picture. In the felt variant, which is also quilted from the outside, I would decorate the individual letters of the name chain yet. For this purpose, I have already given you some tutorials such as: applications, 3D applications, fabric flowers and self-sewn fabric roses. And especially with felt in the self-adhesive variant, here are many beautiful design options as the Christmas tree decorations from this manual: Christmas decoration sewing

Quick guide

01. Print template and cut or draw stencils yourself.
02. Reinforce with iron-on fleece as desired.
03. Double cut each letter twice (front, back) with 1cm seam allowance.
04. Attach or sew on loops (for hanging up).
05. Sew front and back together left to left, avoid turning opening.
06. Close filling and turning opening.
07. And the name chain is done!

Sew letter cushions

Variant 2: sewing letter cushions - The pattern

Here I have chosen the letter "A" to show straightaway how to sew the "holes" in the letters. For this I have again printed a letter in the desired size and cut out. You can make your template as big as you like and drawing yourself is a nice option.

TIP: The bigger the pillow should be, the easier it is to sew.

The letter is now cut in two layers against each other (front and back). Place the fabrics right to the right (ie the "nice" sides to each other) on top of each other, lay your template on it and cut with 1cm seam allowance. You also need the side strips to give the letter the desired depth. My page strip should be as wide as the line width of the letter. These are in my case 5cm plus 2cm seam allowance (which comes on both sides), so 7cm.

The length corresponds in each case to the measured edge. So if I measure the long side of the "A" and add 1cm seam allowance at both ends, I have the length for my side strip at this point. Here you can also see what the finished blank should look like. This step is repeated for all edge strokes, including the small triangle in the middle.

TIP: For motifs, please make sure that the pattern is always applied in the same direction. That just looks much more coherent.

It is sewn:

Start best with sewing on the side stripes. Sew from the side where you transferred the pattern exactly from one corner to the other. Sew on beginning and end.

Fold the side piece just sewed to the left just at the seam end. Now lay the next strip with the same edge and insert it firmly. Apply the project and start with the new seam exactly in the previous seam end.

TIP: To accurately hit the seam end, place the workpiece under the needle. Lower the needle slowly and adjust your project until the needle pierces the fabric exactly where you want it. Then lower the presser foot and start sewing.

Now put the two new edges of the just sewn-on side strips right to right on the same edge and sew them together. Leave the last centimeter open - there you want to sew the back "A". If you've sewed exactly, the corner from the outside should look like this.

TIP: Make sure to always put only two layers of fabric together!

If you come to the lower inside corners, cut in advance the seam allowances at an angle to the marked corner. Be careful not to cut too far. The following suture should be entirely within the cuts. While you're at it, just cut the corners at the "hole" of the "A". Continue sewing and closing until all side panels are in place.

Do the same with the hole edges in the middle of the letter, except that they iron the back edge (that is, the one that will face the back) inward around the seam allowance. So that something is clearer, what I mean, I have drawn a 2cm distance on my side stripes with self-resolving trick marker. Now I have to put the edge only on the left of this line and can iron it over.

Sewing these three punched tape was a bit fiddly with me, because my "A" is quite small. If you sew a cuddly pillow you will do so much easier due to the size. Here, the side strips are sewn together to the temple edge.

TIP: Cut off the top seam allowance at the top so that no bulge occurs.

When all side edges are sewn on and sew together, sew the back all the way around. Cut the tips in the hole again in advance, fold them to the left and iron over them.

Start sewing again at the top. The seams at the center hole remain open, because that's your turning opening.

After turning, sew one long and one short side of the hole in the middle of the letter by hand with a mattress, ladder, or suture, and then use the needle to hang the thread on it while you fill it. Finally, close the last edge by hand.

And already the first letter pillow is ready!

Other variants:

The pillow variant can also be sewn with a continuous side strip. This variant is implemented faster in time, but the corners look much less accurate.

Quick guide

01. print or draw letter and cut out.
02. Cut the side strip.
03. Sew on the side strips at the front and on each other.
04. For inside corners, cut the seam allowance at an angle.
05. Cut in the seam allowance at the hole, iron in seam allowance at side seams, sew on.
06. Also cut the inner seam allowances in the hole at the back and iron on the left.
07. Sew on the reverse side (leave the hole open).
08. Turn through the hole, close 2/3 of the hole edges by hand.
09. Fill and close the last edge manually.
10. And the letter pillow is done!

The twisted pirate

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