The Ruching Trick That Turns Any Cross Stitch Into a Vintage Heirloom

Lisa Bos · 2026-10-07

You've just finished a cross stitch piece you're proud of. Now what? You could frame it, or you could turn it into something soft and touchable—a pillow with a little vintage flair. That's exactly what Denise showed us during the FlossTube Livestream, and honestly, it's one of those techniques that looks way harder than it actually is. So grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let's walk through how to add a ruched ribbon border to your finished cross stitch pillow. Trust me, once you try it, you'll want to ruch everything. ### What You'll Need for the Ruching First things first: gather your supplies. You don't need much, and most of it is probably already in your stash. - Ribbon (any non-wire ribbon works—satin, grosgrain, whatever you love) - Clover Black Gold Size 10 Sharp Needles - Clear premium invisible polyester thread - Stash 'n Stores from It's Sew Emma (for keeping things organized) ### Pillow Finishing Supplies If you're starting from scratch and need to finish the pillow itself, here's what Denise recommends: - Blue Notes Number Two by October House Fiber Arts - Pellon Shape Flex Woven Fuse (20-inch wide, by the yard) - Pellon 20" x 36" Shape Flex Woven Fuse - Nantucket Summer by Camille Roskelley - Heat n Bond Ultrahold 17" x 1 Yard Pack - 1 lb White Core Wool Roving - Stuffing Tool by Benzie Design - Black Fineliner Frixion Erasable Marker - Ultimate Pressing Cloth Once you've sewn, stuffed, and finished your pillow with a center back seam, you're ready for the fun part. ### Denise's Ruching Technique: Step by Step Denise jumps into the ruching demo around the 1:10:00 mark in the video. Here's the breakdown so you can bookmark it and come back anytime. 1. Thread your needle and secure it to the center bottom seam of the pillow with 2–3 knots. Trim the tail. 2. Cut a straight edge on your ribbon, but don't cut it to length yet—you'll trim at the end. Fold the raw end over twice toward the pillow to hide it. 3. Anchor the folded edge with 1–2 tacking stitches. 4. Starting at the edge closest to you, make two running stitches away from you at a 45-degree angle (/), then two back toward you at a 45-degree angle (\). Finish with two running stitches straight along the center (–). It looks like a triangle with a tail! 5. Pull your stitches snug to gather the ribbon, then tack it down with a single stitch. 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 around the entire perimeter. At corners, make your ruching extra tight and add a few extra tacking stitches to keep it full. 7. When you have ½"–1" left before reaching your starting point, switch to only the 45-degree stitches (/ \) for the final gathers. 8. Trim the ribbon to fit, fold the end over twice, nestle it along the starting fold, tack it down, and secure with 2–3 knots. 9. Bury or trim the thread to finish. And that's it! You've just added a beautiful, vintage-inspired detail that makes your pillow look like a boutique find. ### Why This Finish Works So Well Ruching isn't just pretty—it's forgiving. If your pillow edges aren't perfectly straight or your stitching isn't flawless, the gathered ribbon hides a multitude of sins. Plus, it adds texture and dimension that flat finishes just can't match. It's also a great way to use up ribbon scraps. You can mix colors, widths, and textures for a truly custom look. Denise used a single ribbon, but don't be afraid to experiment. > "The best part about ruching? It's like giving your cross stitch a little hug." — Denise ### Stitch and Share With Us We'd love to see your ruched finishes! Follow Fat Quarter Shop on Facebook and Instagram for updates, or join Kimberly's Stitch Squad Facebook Group—a supportive community of quilters and stitchers. Tag us when you post your work so we can celebrate with you. Happy stitching!