This festive Christmas pillow features a classic plaid background accented by a stunning oversized bow crafted with a Baby Lock Acclaim and the Beading Foot. Gold thread and pearl beading adds elegance and precision, giving the pillow a beautifully finished, gift-like look—perfect for holiday décor or as a handmade seasonal centerpiece.
Created by Kailen Kinsey, B-Sew Inn Education Specialist
- Materials:
- 14” x WOF plaid fabric
- 2.5” x 18”—21” strips of canvas (5) Roll of pearl trim
- Bag of polyester stuffing
- Gold 12-weight decorative thread
- Standard serger thread
- Standard sewing thread
- Beading Foot
- Instructions:
- Cut two 14” squares from the plaid material. Set aside.
- Prepare the ribbon:
- Set up Acclaim Serger for 3-thread rolled hem with a stitch length of 3 and gold 12-weight thread in the upper looper.
- Attach the Beading Foot to the Acclaim. Set differential Feed to .6
- Attach pearl trim to both long edges of all 2.5” wide canvas strips.
- Cut two of the prepared ribbon strips to 14” long.
- Cut off two beads into the edges of both short sides to remove beads from seam allowance when attaching to pillow front.
- Center one piece of 14” long ribbon horizontally on one 14” sq piece of plaid fabric. Pin in place and stitch onto plaid material on both short edges. Do not stitch entire long edge onto pillow. Leaving it free will increase the illusion of a “wrapped present.”
- Center another piece of 14” long ribbon vertically on the same piece of plaid fabric. Pin in place and stitch two short raw edges down. Where the ribbon pieces cross in the center of the plaid fabric, tack in place.
- Take two more pieces of the prepared ribbon and cut off two beads into the edges of both short sides to remove beads from seam allowance.
- Fold one piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, raw edges even. Seam together.
- Open up seamed ribbon into loop. Center seam allowance on center back of loop, folding in half.
- Place center of loop over the center of the pillow front, where your two 14” pieces of ribbon cross each other. Tack loop into place at this center mark.
- Using heavyweight thread (the 12 wt from the rolled hem will do), hand stitch around tacking stitch, wrapping both beaded edges into stitch and sinching together the loop. This gives the illusion of a tied bow.
- Repeat steps 8 through 11 with other piece of prepared ribbon, but place at a 90 degree angle to the first loop.
- Take one 6” piece of prepared ribbon, with two beads at each raw edge removed, and fold in half wrong sides together. Seam together.
- Open up seamed ribbon into loop. Center seam
allowance on the center back of loop, folding loop in half. - Take heavy weight thread and stitch long basting
stitch along seam, pull fabric into a gather along this
seam. Tack gathered loop with loop running horizontally over center of pillow, hand stitching into place over all layers of prepared ribbon. Tie off securely. - Place other 14” piece of plaid material over pillow front, right sides together. Stitch together, leaving 4” seam allowance along bottom edge of pillow.
- Stuff with polyester stuffing. Hand-stitch the opening shut.
Download Full Instructions with Photos Here
