Pleated Ruffle Pillow – Tutorial to Make Your Own Adorably Cute Pillow

I think a pleated ruffle pillow is the sweetest thing!

One of the cutest details I use on pillows is the little corner ruffle or pleat. You can see just how often I use this detail by glancing through Pillows or Pillow Details in The Gallery

Today’s batch of pillows is all about the pleated ruffle instead of a gathered ruffle. Two pillows are pleated only on the corners and while the other is pleated all the way around. 

To create the 14×20 white embroidered pleated ruffle pillow I used a 1″ pleat around the entire pillow.

I made this pleat by hand. I’m sure there’s a pleater tool out there somewhere I should look for. It would make my life a lot easier.

I made each pleat 1″ wide with a 1/2″ fold.

The fabric used for the pleat was cut 3″ wide, folded in half lengthwise forming a 1.5″ strip. Once sewn in place using a 1/2″ seam allowance the finished pleat is 1″ high.

A good estimate for the length of fabric needed for a pleated ruffle is 2 to 3 times the perimeter of your pillow.

For example: This pleated ruffle pillow is 14×20 so 14+20+14+20=68″ x 2 or 3. You can stop “pleating” once you’ve reached a few inches past your perimeter. In this case 68″.

I tend to go with too much fabric is better than not enough.

Sew pleated ruffle to pillow top. For this pillow I included a zipper behind the ruffle on one 14″ end. (not shown)

This process is a bit time consuming…at least it was the way I did it…but so worth it!

So sweet!

The two gold pillows are 24×24″ and finished with a tiny 1/2″ flange with pleated corners. 

I pleated the flange 4″ in on both sides of each corner.
On the finished pleated ruffle pillow the pleat measures 3.5″ in on each corner.

Be sure to visit The Gallery for more pillow details and inspiration.

Fabrics
Downton Gold by Covington Fabrics
Deane Embroidery Smoke by P Kaufmann