Yet another (!) fabulous element from Eunice and Daniel's wedding was this handmade ring pillow. Designed by Eunice & Tricia Roush of House of Nines Design, this ring pillow can be yours! Read on for complete how-to instructions...
In addition to the pillow, Tricia also made the cockades for the groomsmen. Learn more about Tricia and her impressive millinery skills here, and visit her etsy site here.
Pin-tucked Ring Pillow How-to Guide
This linen ring pillow is decorated with pin tucks and a narrow pleated edge. We used seam tape, an inexpensive, delicate ribbon that is available in a range of pretty colors, for the edging and to tie the rings onto the pillow.
You'll Need
Materials (Makes 1 ring pillow)
1/4 yard linen 1/4 yard medium-weight quilting cotton in a light, solid color (no patterns) 1 bag fiberfill 3 yards 1/2" seam tape or ribbon, or 1 yard pre-pleated edge trim 1 yard 1/8" seam tape or ribbon Thread to match the linen
Tools
Quilting ruler Rotary cutter Sewing machine, and/or sewing needle Steam iron Scissors Straight pins Light colored tailor's chalk or chalk pen, like the Clover Pen-Style Chaco Liner Circle template with a 1" circle (optional)
How to: 1. Make the pillow insert. It's important to make a pillow insert to ensure that the lumps in the fiberfill don't show through the fabric of your finished product.
Using your rotary cutter, cut 2 squares of medium-weight cotton measuring 8.25" x 8.25." This will result an insert that is 7.75" x 7.75", for an 8" x 8" ring pillow (1/2" is used for a seam allowance). If you would like your ring pillow to be a different size, use the following formula: Canvas insert = Finished size + 1/4". Ring pillow = Finished size +1/2".
On the wrong side of one of the pieces, using the ruler and chalk, mark a line at 1/4" in from each of the edges. You have drawn a square, centered on the fabric, that measures 7.75" square. Using the circle template and chalk, round off the corners of the chalk square. If you don't have a circle template, try using a round household item, such as a jar lid. Layer the 2 squares one on top of the other, wrong side out. Starting about two inches in from one of the corners, sew using a running stitch on the chalk line, at 1/4" in from the edge along 3 sides plus about two inches at either end of the fourth side, leaving a gap in the center of the fourth side wide enough to slip your hand into. You can do this using a sewing machine, or by hand. Tie a knot and cut the thread. Cut off the excess fabric at the corners in a rounded shape to parallel the seam, leaving 1/4" for seam allowance. Turn right side out. Gather a handful of fiberfill. Pull apart to smooth out any lumps. Gently stuff into the pillow insert, using enough fiberfill to get a padded, but not overstuffed shape. Sew the open side shut using a ladder stitch.
2. Make the ring pillowcase top. Using your rotary cutter, cut 1 rectangle of linen measuring 8.5" x 12.5". To make the pin tucks (Figure 1): Lay the rectangle out in front of you, right (exterior) side up, with the long edges running from side to side. Starting at 2.5" from the left side edge, using the ruler and chalk, mark 16 vertical lines on the linen from top to bottom, every half inch. Starting with the first two chalk lines on the left, fold the linen matching the first line to the second, with the ridge of the tuck sticking out on the right (exterior) side. Pin in place and sew from top to bottom along the joined chalk lines with a running stitch, and iron the tuck toward the left edge of the pillow. Repeat this process with the third and fourth chalk line, and so on across the face of the pillow top until you have created 8 tucks. The pillow top should now measure 8.5" square.
On the wrong side of the pillow top piece, using the ruler and chalk, mark a line at 1/4" in from each of the edges. You have drawn a square, centered on the fabric, that measures 8" square. Using the circle template and chalk, round off the corners of the chalk square. If you don't have a circle template, try using a round household item, such as a jar lid.
3. Make the pleated edging. Lay out your 1/2" seam tape and starting from one end, measure 1/2" to the right, make a mark. From there measure 1/4" over & mark. Measure 1/2" from there, mark, move another 1/4", mark. See the pattern? You're making a series of 1/2" and 1/4" wide sections. Keep going until you reach the end.
Once all the pleats are marked, snip at each mark (a very tiny snip, needless to say). Fold the first pleat by pinching together the two sides of the first 1/2" segment and folding it down to the right so that the fold meets up with the next 1/4" mark. Stitch in place. Continue along, holding each pleat in place while you sew it down. You can also pin all the pleats down first and then run them through the sewing machine.
To save time, pre-pleated edging may be used instead.
4. Make the ring pillowcase bottom and attach the edging. Using your rotary cutter, cut 1 square of linen measuring 8.5" x 8.5."
On the right (exterior) side of the pillowcase bottom piece, using the ruler and chalk, mark a line at 1/4" in from each of the edges. You have drawn a square, centered on the fabric, that measures 8" square. Using the circle template and chalk, round off the corners of the chalk square. If you don't have a circle template, try using a round household item, such as a jar lid.
Lay the pillowcase bottom in front of you, right (exterior) side up. Place one end of the edging along one edge of the fabric, with the edging's sewn edge facing toward the outer edge of the fabric, and the ruffled edge facing the center of the pillow. The stitch line on the edging should be positioned at 1/8" in from the edge of the fabric. Leaving a 'tail' of about edging about 1" long free at the beginning, sew the edging to the pillow bottom all the way around, following the rounded corners as you go, stopping when you are about 1" before the place where the beginning and end of the edging will overlap. If sewing by machine, remove the piece from the machine and cut the thread ends off. To create a seamless look to the place where the edging joins, cut off any excess from the beginning and end of the edging, leaving 1/2" extra on for overlap. Where the two ends meet, fold the overlap over so that the join is covered and hidden in the fold. Iron lightly and pin in place. Sew the remainder of the edging down as before, joining the beginning and end as you attach them to the pillowcase bottom. Remove the pin, tie off and cut off thread ends.
5. Complete the ring pillowcase. Layer the 2 squares one on top of the other, wrong side out. Starting about two inches in from one of the corners on a side without pin tucks, sew using a running stitch on the chalk line, at 1/4" in from the edge along 3 sides plus about 2 inches at either end of the fourth side, leaving a gap in the center of the fourth side wide enough to slip your hand into. You can do this using a sewing machine, or by hand. You'll be sewing through both layers of the pillowcase, plus the pleated edging near its sewn edge. Tie a knot and cut the thread. Cut off the excess linen at the corners in a rounded shape to parallel the seam, leaving 1/4" for seam allowance. Turn right side out. The pleated edging should form a ruffle around the outside seam of the pillow. Fold the raw edges of the gap along the chalk lines (1/4" in from the edge), and gently press the folds flat with the iron to set them in place. Slip the pillowcase over the canvas pillow insert. Using the sewing needle and a slip stitch, stitch the gap closed. Tie a small, neat knot and cut the thread. Brush off any chalk that still shows on the pillow.
Cut two pieces of the 1/8" ribbon about 1 foot long each, and using a small, neat stitch and knot, attach them near their centers to the center of the ring pillow top.
Download the template here.