How to Sew an Upcycled Ring Bearer’s Pillow

Create a beautiful yet simple Ring Bearer’s Pillow using upcycled fabrics from your family heirloom garments or thrift store finds.

Finished size: approximately 8″ x 8″

Supplies

• Wedding or eveningwear garments to up-cycle
• Rotary cutter and mat
• 12″ x 12″ (or larger) square ruler
• 1/3 yard lightweight fusible interfacing
• Matching thread
• Pins
• Fiberfill stuffing
• Hand-sewing needle
• All-purpose foot (BERNINA Reverse Pattern Foot #1)
• 1/4″ presser foot (BERNINA Patchwork Foot #37)

step 1) Collect your materials.

“Harvest” fabric from your garments. I took satin from the ivory gown, satin and chiffon from the blue party dress, and lace from an old blouse.

step 2) Make the lace pillow front.

Apply fusible interfacing to the back of the ivory satin to stabilize it, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Cut two 9″ x 9″ squares from the interfaced satin.

Cut a piece of lace and lay it on top of one ivory satin square.

Pin the lace to the ivory square.

Trim the lace about 1″ larger than the ivory square.

Stitch the lace to the underlying square using a ¼″ seam allowance.

step 3) Make the satin band.

Harvest two pieces of fabric (dark teal and light teal shown here) about 11″ long and 4″ to 5″ wide.

Sew the strips together lengthwise, right sides together.

Turn right side out.

Pin the band to the top of the lace/satin square.

Stitch the short ends to the pillow top using a 1/4″-wide seam allowance.

Trim the pillow top to a 9″ x 9″ square.

step 4) Construct the pillow.

With right sides together, stitch the pillow top to the ivory satin square with a 1/2″-wide seam allowance, leaving a 3″ to 4″ hole along the lower edge.

Trim the corners as shown.

Turn the pillow cover right side out.

Stuff the pillow with fiberfill to the desired fullness.

Hand-stitch the opening closed.

step 5) Add the cording.

I tied satin cording from the ivory gown around the band.

I also used the satin cording to attach the wedding rings.

Tip: Need cording? Check out pillows and draperies in the home dec section of your local thrift store.