A pillowcase is a simple tube, open at one end, which makes it one of the easier home items to personalize: a name for a child's bed, a monogram for a wedding gift, a small flower for a guest room. The tricks are hooping only one layer and putting the design where it shows without ending up under someone's cheek.
This guide covers bed pillowcases and decorative pillow covers: how to hoop through the opening, where the design goes near the hem, sizes for each, and which backing to use when the inside of the case can be seen. For a classic name or initials, the monogram maker is the quickest start.
Where the design goes on a pillowcase
Pillowcase embroidery traditionally sits at the open end: on the hem band, the deep strip of fabric that finishes the opening, or just above it on the body of the case. That keeps the stitches away from the middle, where a face rests, and puts them where they show when the bed is made.
- On the hem band: center the design on the band, side to side and top to bottom, with at least about 1/2 in (12 mm) clear of the band's seams.
- Just above the hem band: center it about 1–2 in (25–50 mm) above the band seam. There's more room here for a larger monogram or motif.
- Think about how it's seen. On a made bed the open end usually sits at the side, so a design meant to read upright on the pillow runs at 90° to the hem. Put the case on a pillow, arrange it the way it'll be used and mark it there. You can rotate a design in 90° steps in the digitizer before downloading.
- Pairs: mark both cases from the same edge with the same measurements, so the designs line up when the pillows sit side by side. The digitizer can also mirror a design if you want a pair to face each other.
Put the case on a pillow and look at it on the bed before you mark the final position. A design centered on the flat case can sit too close to the edge or a fold once the pillow fills it.
Design sizes for pillowcases and covers
| Item | Typical size | Design size | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard pillowcase, on the hem band | About 20 × 30 in (51 × 76 cm); bands are often 3–4 in deep | About 1.5–3 in (40–75 mm) tall, sized to the band | A name, a monogram or a row of small motifs |
| Pillowcase, above the hem | As above | About 3–5 in (75–125 mm) tall | Room for a larger monogram |
| Square cushion cover | About 16–18 in (40–45 cm) | About 6–8 in (150–200 mm), centered | Clear of the seams by a couple of inches |
| Small cushion cover | About 12–14 in (30–35 cm) | About 4–6 in (100–150 mm) | A 5×7 in hoop covers most designs |
| Lumbar pillow | Often about 12 × 20 in (30 × 50 cm) | A short, wide name or word, about 8–11 in (200–280 mm) wide | Needs a large hoop, such as 8×12 in turned sideways |
Queen and king pillowcases are longer but usually the same width, so the hem-band sizes stay the same. Measure the band on your own cases before choosing a size: a design that suits a deep, hotel-style band can crowd a narrow one. The placement guide suggests about 6–8 in for a pillow, and the monogram embroidery file page lists monogram sizes for pillows and other items.
Try it with your own design
Sign up free, upload an image and get a stitch preview in under a minute.
Drop your image here
PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG · stays on your device
Hooping a pillowcase through the opening
- Wash and press the pillowcase first. Cotton can shrink a little in the first wash, and creases are hard to press out from under stitches.
- Mark the center of the design with chalk or a water-soluble pen, plus a short line along the hem so you can keep the design square.
- Slide the hoop's outer ring into the open end, so it sits between the two layers of the case. Lay the backing on the ring and smooth the top layer over it.
- Press in the inner ring, matching your marks to the hoop's center marks. Cotton should be smooth and firm, like a drum.
- Push the rest of the case and the back layer away from the needle and clip them clear. Check underneath by hand: only the top layer and the backing should be under the needle.
Most hem bands are two layers of fabric, folded or sewn together, and stitching through both is normal; the back of the design ends up on the inside of the band. If a band is too narrow to clamp, float it: hoop sticky backing on its own and press the band onto it. On a finished pillow cover, open the zip or envelope back and hoop the front panel the same way. When you sew the cover yourself, stitch the front panel before you assemble it.
Backing when both sides show
Look inside the open end of a pillowcase and you see the back of the hem band, so whatever backing you use there stays visible. Choose it with that in mind:
| Fabric and design | Backing | Needle |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton percale or sateen, light or open design | Wash-away, or a light tear-away (1.5 oz) | 75/11 sharp |
| Cotton, medium design | Medium tear-away (2 oz) | 75/11 sharp |
| Cotton, dense design | Medium cut-away, or two layers of tear-away | 75/11 sharp |
| Satin, silk or very fine fabric | Wash-away mesh, one or two layers; light designs only | 65/9 or 70/10 sharp |
Wash-away (water-soluble) stabilizer dissolves when the case is rinsed or washed, so nothing is left on the back. It suits light, open designs on stable cotton, such as lettering, outlines and small motifs. Denser designs need more support: tear-away leaves only small fragments behind once it's torn close to the stitches, while cut-away gives the most support but stays visible, so it's best kept for cushion covers, where the inside is hidden. The stabilizer guide compares every type.
Designs, comfort and washing
- Keep it light. A pillowcase is slept on. Lettering, outlines and open motifs stay soft; a large solid fill feels stiff and scratchy against the skin.
- Keep it at the edge. Stitches in the middle of the case end up under a cheek. Cushion covers aren't slept on, so a bigger centered design is fine there.
- Make it readable. Script names need capitals about 10 mm tall or more to keep their joins clean; bold block letters can go down to about 5 mm. The embroidery fonts page shows a name in 12 lettering fonts.
- Use polyester thread, which generally holds its color through frequent hot washes better than rayon.
- Wash inside out and press from the back, never directly on the stitches.
Florals and seasonal motifs suit cushion covers: the free flower designs include a sunflower and a tulip bouquet, and home sweet home makes a ready-made housewarming gift.
Step-by-step: embroidering a pillowcase
- Wash and press the case, decide the placement and measure the hem band.
- Make the design: a name in the text to embroidery tool, initials in the monogram maker, or your own artwork in the digitizer with the woven preset. Sign in with your free account; trying sizes and previewing are free.
- Set the size to fit the band with a margin, and rotate the design if it should read across the hem.
- Download your machine's format; downloads need a plan.
- Hoop the top layer with the backing, fit a 75/11 sharp needle and sew. If it's a gift, test on a spare case or a scrap of similar cotton first.
- Tear or trim the backing, or rinse out the wash-away, and press from the back.
