This summer we showed you how to stencil on fabric at Bernina Club and many of you asked me how to make the burlap ruffles we added to our pillows.
So here as promised is a quick tutorial on making the wrinkled burlap ruffles.
The ruffles on these pillows were cut 4 1/2" wide and I utilized the selvage along the edge of the burlap as the outside edge of the ruffle which eliminated the need to hem one side. (I'm lazy cleaver that way).
The idea for this technique came from this $200 pillow.
They used a 4" wide burlap trim to make the ruffle which I have no idea where to find. So I used our $6.00 a yard burlap and made my own.
Lowly burlap never looked so regal.
To begin, measure 4 1/2" from the selvage and pull one of the vertical threads. This is called finding the straight of grain.
See, as I pull the thread it makes a straight line all the way along the length of the burlap.
When the thread is completely removed
it creates a straight line that can be used as a cutting guide. This technique is especially useful when you want to fray the edges of something like this...
When you pull a thread first and then cut and frey the fabric your freyed edge will be wonderfully straight. (Just thought you should know).
Anyway...
The length of your ruffle strip will measure twice the circumference of your finished pillow.
Join the ends of the strip to form a continuous circle
and serge or overcast the seam to keep it from unraveling. Serge or overcast the long cut edge of the ruffle too. (This is one of those projects that you'll be glad you have a serger - if you do have a serger...if you don't have a serger, you know what to do (661) 835-1738 - FYI: Bernina sale October 16th!
Fold over the serged edge and hem.
Run a gathering stitch along the folded edge and gather to fit the finished size of your pillow.
Normally I'm a huge fan of rufflers but in this case the old fashioned way of gathering works best. Just run a long stitch along the hemmed edge and gently pull the thread to gather.
Once the ruffle is made to size, wet the ruffle and scrunch it with your hands and let it dry all wrinkly. That's the look we're going for here. This is one of those rare times when wrinkles are desirable. In fact if you want super wrinkly ruffles don't prewash your burlap before starting this project. The sizing in the burlap will cause the burlap to be very, very wrinkled. Prewashed burlap is softer but not quite so wrinkled. Call it a trade off.
Once dry, top stitch the ruffle to your finished pillow sewing right on top of your gathering stitch. It's easy to ease in extra fullness or pull out a little fullness if need be at this point so the ruffle fits the pillow perfectly.
The back will look like this
You just line up the edge of the ruffle with your finished, unstuffed pillow and sew through all thicknesses. (Don't stress if it isn't perfect on the back. This professionally made pillow isn't perfect on the back and I bought it anyway. It just makes me feel better knowing that even expensive, professionally made pillows aren't always perfectly perfect)! (Call me insecure).
For this style of pillow you will want to use a zipper
or lap back
and a pillow form because if you don't it will be super hard to stuff the pillow after the ruffle is attached. Actually, it will be impossible to stuff the pillow after it's attached.
So there you have it.
Wrinkled burlap ruffles.
It's a good thing.
Encourage one another,
