Change the Look of Your Pillows in Minutes with Ribbons

You dont have to be a seamstress to make fabulous designs on pillows. If youve grown tired of the look of your throw pillows, get out a needle and thread, then get creative. Narrow ribbon is easy to tack onto the pillow with a few stitches. With the ribbons you can make any number of designs that are easy but look fabulous.

Decide on the design you want for your pillows. You can create a checkerboard pattern or mere stripes. The design is up to you entirely. Cut the pieces you will need to complete the particular design you have in mind. Although you can make any number of designs using ribbon its very simple to make straight designs because ribbon is straight.

Cut two lengths of ribbon to add an "x" to your pillow. Use needle and thread to tack one end of one piece of ribbon to the pillow corner. A couple of stitches, and a knot, are all you need. Pull the ribbon to the opposite corner and tack it in place. Repeat the steps to add the second ribbon, diagonally, across the pillow. Dont pull the ribbon so tightly that it buckles and wrinkles the pillow. Do, however, pull the ribbon tight enough so that it lays flat against the pillow. If you get it tight enough - without being too tight - you will not need stitches down the entire length of the "x". There are many simple designs you can do without having to stitch the ribbon all the way down the pillow. Use ribbon to make three or four stripes across a pillow, vertically on a pillow, or both. Place the ribbons close together, or spread them far apart, to create the design you want. There are other things you can use to create similar designs on the pillow without using ribbon. If you have no ribbon try narrow lace, hem binding or even seam tape. If you have none of those notions youll find them - at a cheap price - at any store that sells sewing supplies. Even though the ribbon or other notions are tacked to the pillow itself its not hard to change the look any time you want. Clip the knots on each end of each ribbon and remove them. Add new ribbon, seam tape or other embellishments by using the ribbon-tacking technique. Although you can use wider ribbon or lace to create a new look for your pillow it will take a few more stitches to attach the wider notions to the pillow. Using wider ribbon or lace you can create even more different designs. Still make the "x" on the pillow, but this time, tack the first end of the lace, twist the lace, then tack the opposite end to the pillow. Where previously your ribbon or lace would lay flat against the pillow this design gives you a completely different look. Tack other things onto the ribbon or lace, if you want, to make the pillow look even more different. For example, after attaching ribbons in an "x" shape on a pillow, tack a silk flower in the center where the two ribbons cross. A stitch or two is all it will take to attach the flower to just the top ribbon, or to both. Its easy to change the look of your pillows in minutes and the technique can help you easily decorate for any occasion. Use red, white and blue striped ribbons for the 4th of July, or red velvet ribbons for Christmas. Just choose the type of materials you want to work with, design your simple pattern, and get busy creating the best looking throw pillows ever!