Bedroom Makeover: Throw Pillows

Guest Bedroom Makeover

Day 11: Throw Pillows (or: How to Sew a Ruched Throw Pillow)

**Note: This is part of a 12-step bedroom makeover series. Find the previous steps at the bottom of this post.**

 

 

This tutorial is kind of cheating. It's like take-n-bake pizza, where the metaphorical "pizza place" that does all the hard work is this lady's tutorial on how to sew an envelope pillow, and your hypothetical "oven" is my post here on how to do the ruching.

 

Which...mmmmm...pizza.

 

So. First become familiar with how to do an envelope-style pillow. Then combine that knowledge with the simple steps in this post. Then pop something pre-made into the oven and feel domestic.

 

*For explanation purposes, I'm assuming a square pillow form. If yours is different, adjust accordingly.*

 

For the front (ruched) pillow piece, you'll want a rectangle that's as wide as your pillow form (maybe give yourself an extra half inch, but don't go too big) and about 2ish times as long as it is wide. (Longer than that for a more intense ruche, shorter than that for more subtle gethers. Measure to your taste.)

 

Decide how many lines of gathering you want in your ruche. (I wanted 4.) To figure out uniform spacing between each ruche line, divide the width of your pillow by one more than that (in my case, 5) to determine the spacing between each ruche line. 

 

So, for example: if your pillow width is 18" and you want 4 ruche lines, you would divide 18 by 5 for a spacing distance of approx. 3.5". (You can fudge the actual measurements slightly.)

 

Start by doing a baste-stitch along the two sides as close to the edge as you can safely do it. Then measure, mark (pin or pencil on the fabric's wrong side), and baste-stitch (or ruffle-stitch) down each of those lines, which run the length of your fabric piece.

 

Because I wanted four lines of ruching on my pillow, I ended up actually sewing six lines. This is because the two sides must be gathered in order to fit to the pillow's back-side fabric. (They're hard to see on the photo above, but the lines are there in light blue thread.)

 

Gather a line until it is as long as the width of your fabric (for example, 18"). Secure it in place by sewing a regular stitch on top (or just to the side) of your baste-stitch. (You can then rip out your baste stitches if you want. I did not, because you can't really see the thread anyway on mine.)  

 

 

Do this for each baste-stitch line. This is the most time-consuming part, for sure. You should have a securely ruched square when you're done. Sew your ruched piece to your two envelope-style back pieces (right sides together), all four sides.

 

 

From the back:

 

Turn it right-side out, and put in your pillow form. Success!

 

Come back for Day 12: Putting it All Together to see the whole room (mostly) completed! This is my favorite day of this whole process, hands down, when I get to share the finish line with you all.

Check out the previous steps to this bedroom makeover:

Day 1: Inspiration Board

Day 2: Paint Walls

Day 3: Ikea Malm Dresser Makeover

Day 4: How to Make a Pallet Headboard

Day 5: Beautifying Large Bookshelves

Day 6: Anthropologie-Inspired Curtains

Day 7: Nightstands

Day 8: Reading Lamps

Day 9: Stuff on the Walls

Day 10: Bedding

 

Featured!

  

 

{shared: Boogieboard Cottage, Brassy Apple, Craft-O-Maniac,  Creating my Way to Success, DIY by Design, DIY Dreamer, GingerSnap Crafts, I Gotta Try That, I Should be Mopping the Floor, Ladybug Blessings, Lil Luna, Lines Across, Making the World Cuter, My Girlish Whims, Pinkapotamus, Project Inspire, Sew Can Do, Shades of Amber, Sugar Bee, The Kurtz Corner, The Rustic Pig, The Winthrop Chronicles}