The Vintage Ruching Trick That Makes Cross Stitch Pillows Look Boutique

Jennifer Wilson · 2026-10-07

There's something about a hand-finished cross stitch pillow that just feels special. And when you add a ruched ribbon border? It goes from cute to absolutely boutique. Today, we're walking through the exact ruching technique Denise shared during the FlossTube Livestream on September 16th, 2026. Whether you've got a finished stitch begging to become a pillow or you're just curious about this vintage-inspired detail, you're in the right place. First things first: you'll need to finish your piece as a pillow with a center back seam. Denise covers that in the video (jump to the 1:10:00 mark for the ruching demo). Once your pillow is stuffed and sewn, come back here for the step-by-step. ### What You'll Need for the Ruching Gather these supplies before you start stitching: - Any non-wire ribbon (satin, grosgrain, velvet—whatever speaks to you) - Clover Black Gold Size 10 Sharp Needles - Clear premium invisible polyester thread - Lady Dot Creates ribbon (if you want a curated option) - Stash 'n Stores from It's Sew Emma for organization ### Pillow Finishing Supplies If you're starting from scratch, here's what Denise used: - Blue Notes Number Two by October House Fiber Arts - Pellon Shape Flex Woven Fuse (20" wide by the yard, or 20" x 36" pre-cut) - 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 ### Denise's Ruching Technique, Step by Step Here's the breakdown so you can bookmark it and stitch along: 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 final length yet. You'll trim later. Fold the raw end over twice toward the pillow to hide the edge. 3. Anchor that 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 running stitches 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 your 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. > "The magic is in the tension—pull snug, but not so tight that the ribbon loses its puff." — Denise ### Stitch and Share 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 so we can share your work. Happy stitching!