How to Make or Knit a Ringbearer Pillow

Make the pillow up in your wedding colors or in all-white.

Make a ring bearer pillow from satin and lace for an elegant formal wedding. Make the pillow an heirloom by trimming it with lace from a family wedding dress. This is a good way to use and preserve a small amount of lace. If you like to knit, you can make a casual ring bearer pillow to add a handcrafted touch to the ceremony. In the future, this knitted pillow can be used to decorate a baby's room.

Things You'll Need

• Heavy Satin
• Scissors
• Pre-gathered 3-inch lace trim
• Straight pins
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• 1 yard narrow ribbon
• Needle
• Size 7 knitting needles
• Medium weight yarn
• Tapestry needle

Instructions

Sewing a Ring Bearer Pillow

1. Cut two 12-inch squares of satin. Cut a length of lace 46 inches long.

2. Pin the lace around the edge of one of the satin squares on the right side of the fabric. Starting in the middle of one side, align the gathered edge of the lace with the edge of the fabric. The lace should be turned in to the center of the square. Fold the lace under 1/4-inch at the end. The cut edges of the lace should overlap.

3. Baste the lace to the fabric, sewing in the "ditch" between the gathered lace and the tape it is gathered onto.

4. Sew the front of the pillow to the back of the pillow, right sides together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Leave a 3-inch opening in one side for turning. Turn the pillow right side out. Remove the pins and tug gently on the lace all around to shape the pillow.

5. Stuff the pillow and slipstitch the opening closed. If you would like a flatter pillow, tack the two sides of the pillow together in the center. Sew two 18-inch lengths of narrow ribbon to the center of one side of the pillow. Tie rings onto the pillow.

Knitting a Ring Bearer Pillow

1. Check your gauge starting with size 7 needles. Knit a square 10 stitches wide by 10 stitches long. Your gauge should be five stitches equals 1 inch, so your sample should measure 2 inches by 2 inches. Switch to larger or smaller needles until your sample is the correct size.

2. Cast on 60 stitches. Knit four, purl four to the end of the row. Do this row four times.

3. Knit all the way across the next four rows to the last four stitches. Purl the last four stitches. Repeat this row four times.

4. Continue the pattern until you have a square. Bind off the stitches following the pattern. Make the other side by knitting one row and purling one row until the squares are the same size.

5. Sew together three sides of the pillow using a tapestry needle. Stuff the pillow and sew up the remaining side. Sew two 18-inch lengths of narrow ribbon to the center of either side of the pillow. Tie rings onto the pillow.

Tips & Warnings

• You may add lace appliques to the fabric before you sew the gathered lace onto the edge.

• Sew trim to the knitted pillow before you stuff it, or use a tapestry needle to weave narrow ribbon through the pillow.

• You can buy very inexpensive rings for the pillow at a bakery, craft or bakery supply store. Little boys lose things.

References

• flickr: Pattern: Kitty Simplicity pillow