Creating A Wedding Cushion: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding cushions are a great way to add a unique touch to your special day. Whether you're looking for a ring bearer pillow, a gift for the happy couple, or a decorative piece to commemorate the occasion, making your own wedding cushion is a fun and creative project. With a few simple steps, you can create a beautiful and personalised cushion that will be cherished for years to come.

Choosing your fabric

When choosing your fabric, it's important to consider the overall theme and colour scheme of your wedding. You can opt for a simple fabric like satin, cotton, or burlap, or go for something more unique like embroidered fabric or chiffon. If you're crafting a rustic-style pillow, burlap, linen, or canvas are great options. For a fancier look, try silk, satin, or velvet.

If you're using a printed fabric, ensure that the print suits your wedding theme. You can also opt for a plain fabric and decorate it with lace, trim, or embroidery. Consider adding symbolic charms, ribbon rosettes, or tassels to elevate your design.

For a no-sew pillow, choose a heavier fabric that holds its shape, like burlap, linen, or canvas. If you're sewing your pillow, almost any fabric will work, but thicker materials may be more challenging to work with.

Remember to select a fabric that complements your wedding colours and theme, creating a cohesive and memorable look for your special day.

Cutting and stacking the fabric

To make a wedding cushion, you will need to cut two pieces of fabric. The first piece should measure 7.5" x 7.5" and will be used for the back of the cushion. The second piece should measure 7.5" x 17" and will be used for the top. Place the fabric for the back aside for now.

On the top piece, make small, light chalk marks at 2" intervals along the long sides, so that the marks are directly opposite each other. This will help you create the folds for the top piece.

Using an ironing board, begin to fold the fabric so that every other chalk mark matches up, and press. Pin the folds in place to secure them. Repeat this process until you have a 2" unfolded piece of fabric at either side. This will ensure that the top piece is now the same size as the back piece. If needed, you can trim the fabric to ensure they are the same size.

Now, you will stack the two pieces of fabric. Place the first square with the right side facing up. Take the second square (the top piece with the folds) and place it on top, with the right side facing down. Secure the edges with pins.

At this point, you can sew the pieces together, using a straight stitch and a matching thread colour. Sew along the three edges with a 1/4" seam allowance. Alternatively, you can secure the edges with hot glue or fabric glue and allow it to dry before proceeding to the next step.

Sewing the fabric together

Now that you have your fabric pieces ready, it's time to sew them together to create your wedding cushion! Here is a step-by-step guide to sewing the fabric pieces for a beautiful and elegant finish:

Step 1: Stack the Fabric Pieces: Place the two fabric squares together, ensuring the right sides of the fabric are facing each other. This means you will see the "wrong" side of the fabric on the outside, while the pretty sides face each other.

Step 2: Secure with Pins: Use pins to secure the edges of the fabric together. This will prevent the fabric from shifting as you sew. Place the pins perpendicular to the edge, about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) away from the edge. You can also use sewing clips instead of pins if you prefer.

Step 3: Sew Three Sides: Using a sewing machine or hand-sewing needle, sew along three edges of the square with a straight stitch. Use a thread colour that matches your fabric to make the stitches less noticeable. Remember to leave one side open, which will be the opening for turning and stuffing the cushion later.

If you are hand-sewing, a running stitch or backstitch will work well. If using a sewing machine, a straight stitch is a common choice. Remember to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching to secure the thread.

Step 4: Trim the Corners: Although optional, trimming the corners will help reduce bulk and create neater corners. Use sharp fabric scissors to carefully cut off the corners of the sewn edges, being careful not to cut the stitches themselves. This step will make turning the cushion right side out much easier.

Step 5: Turn the Cushion Right Side Out: Reach into the open side and pull the fabric through the opening, turning the cushion right side out. Use a blunt, pointy tool, such as a knitting needle or pencil, to gently push out the corners from the inside. This will give your cushion crisp and defined corners.

Your fabric pieces are now sewn together, and you're almost done! The next steps will involve stuffing the cushion and closing the opening.

Trimming the corners

Using a pair of fabric scissors, cut as close to the stitching as possible without cutting through the thread. Be sure to clip the corners along the edge you left open. This will make it easier to sew the pillow shut later.

If you are making a no-sew pillow, you will also want to clip the corners by 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm). This will reduce bulk when you fold the fabric and help to conceal the raw edges.

Stuffing the cushion

Now that you have sewn the cushion together, it's time to stuff it! Polyester stuffing is the best option, but you can also use foam or a pre-made mini pillow as the filling. Push the stuffing into the pillow, making sure it doesn't stick out. Once you're happy with the amount of stuffing, fold the raw edges of the opening inwards by 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) and secure them with sewing pins. Then, hand sew the opening closed with a ladder stitch, removing the pins as you go.

If you don't want to sew, you can use hot glue or fabric glue to seal the opening. For hot glue, work in 1-inch (2.5 cm) sections at a time, pressing and holding each section until the glue sets before moving on to the next. For fabric glue, work in 1-inch sections and secure each section with a clothespin until the glue dries.

Now that your cushion is stuffed and sealed, it's ready to be decorated!

Frequently asked questions