How To Make Pillow Shams With Ruffles

Okay, so picture this: me, last weekend, sprawled on the couch, desperately trying to make my living room look less like a student's dorm and more like... well, a grown-up's living room. The throw pillows were sad, the shams were even sadder (think faded floral nightmares), and I just knew a little ruffle action was the answer. Ruffles just scream 'effortlessly chic,' right? Or maybe just 'I own a sewing machine and I'm not afraid to use it.' Either way, the mission was set: ruffle-fied pillow shams were about to happen. And guess what? You can totally do it too! Even if your sewing skills peak at 'attaching a button' (been there!).

So, let’s dive into how to make your own adorable, ruffle-tastic pillow shams. This project is surprisingly beginner-friendly, and the results are seriously rewarding. Trust me, once you've made one, you'll be itching to ruffle all the things. (Curtains, anyone? No? Just me? Okay.)

What You'll Need

Alright, gather your troops (aka your supplies). Here's the shopping list:

• Fabric: This is where you get to be creative! Cotton, linen, even a fun print. Think about the vibe you're going for. Pro tip: Wash and dry your fabric before you start sewing. Shrinkage is real, people!
• Pillow Sham Form: Make sure you know the size you're working with! Nothing worse than ending up with a sham that's too small.
• Ruffle Fabric: This can be the same fabric as the sham, or something contrasting for a pop of color. I went with a contrasting fabric because I'm feeling bold (and also because I had some scraps lying around. Waste not, want not!).
• Sewing Machine: Obviously. Unless you're going full-on hand-sewing (respect!), you'll need a machine.
• Thread: Matching your fabric, preferably. Unless you're going for that intentionally mismatched look. Which, hey, could work!
• Scissors or Rotary Cutter: For cutting your fabric. Sharp ones are your friend.
• Measuring Tape or Ruler: Precision is key, my friend. (Or, you know, close enough. We're not building rockets here.)
• Pins: To hold everything in place. So important!
• Iron and Ironing Board: Ironing makes everything look neater. And feel more professional. Plus, it's oddly satisfying.

Let's Get Sewing: The Sham Body

First, you'll need to create the main body of the pillow sham.

1. Measure Your Pillow Form: Add seam allowance! I usually add about 1/2 inch on each side. So, if your pillow form is 20x20 inches, cut your fabric to 21x21 inches (two pieces).
2. Cut Your Fabric: Two squares (or rectangles, depending on your pillow) are what you need.
3. Sew the Seams (almost!): Place the two pieces of fabric right sides together and pin along three sides. Sew along these three sides, leaving one side completely open. This is where you'll insert the pillow. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam to secure it. Seriously, backstitch. You don't want your seams to unravel.
4. Press the Seams: Iron those seams flat! It makes a world of difference.

Ruffle Time: The Fun Part!

Now for the ruffles! This is where the magic happens.

1. Cut Your Ruffle Strips: The length of your ruffle strips depends on how gathered you want them to be. A good rule of thumb is to cut them about 1.5 to 2 times the perimeter of your pillow sham. So, if your sham is 20x20 inches, the perimeter is 80 inches, so you'll need about 120-160 inches of ruffle fabric. Cut strips that are the width you want your ruffles to be (plus seam allowance). I usually go for about 3-4 inches wide.
2. Sew the Ruffle Strips Together: If you need to join multiple strips to achieve the desired length, sew them end-to-end, right sides together. Press the seams open.
3. Hem One Edge of the Ruffle Strip: Fold over one long edge of the ruffle strip by about 1/4 inch, then fold it over again another 1/4 inch. Press and sew along the fold to create a neat hem. This will be the visible edge of your ruffle. Don't skip the hem! It'll make it look so much more polished.
4. Gather the Ruffle Strip: There are a few ways to do this. You can use a gathering foot on your sewing machine (if you have one). Or, you can sew two parallel lines of basting stitches (long, loose stitches) along the unhemmed edge of the ruffle strip. Then, gently pull on the top threads of both lines to gather the fabric. Distribute the gathers evenly. This part can be a little fiddly, but be patient!
5. Attach the Ruffle to the Sham: Pin the gathered ruffle strip to the right side of the pillow sham, along the edges where you want the ruffles to be. Make sure the raw edge of the ruffle aligns with the raw edge of the sham. Sew the ruffle to the sham, using the seam allowance you used before (usually 1/2 inch).

Finishing Touches

1. Trim the Corners: Clip the corners of your sham to reduce bulk. Be careful not to clip too close to the stitching!
2. Turn Right Side Out: Carefully turn the pillow sham right side out. Use a point turner (or a chopstick, or even a dull pencil) to push out the corners.
3. Press Again: Iron the sham one last time. Pay special attention to the seams and the ruffles.
4. Insert Pillow Form: Stuff your pillow form into the sham.
5. Close the Opening: Fold in the raw edges of the opening and pin them together. You can either hand-stitch the opening closed (for an invisible finish) or machine-stitch it closed. I usually machine-stitch because I'm all about efficiency (read: laziness).

And there you have it! A beautiful, ruffle-adorned pillow sham. Now go forth and ruffle all the things! You deserve it.