Victorian Velvet Pillow With Ribbon Roses

Materials:

small handful pillow stuffing
1-1/2" x 2" crinoline rectangle
needle
thread
scissors
ruler
4-1/2" x 9" dyed pink "lingerie" velvet
24" of 1-1/2" wide pale pink "cherry blossom" satin bias-cut silk ribbon
1-1/2 yards of 7/16" wide medium pink "lingerie" bias-cut silk ribbon
12" of 1" wide medium pink "lingerie" bias cut silk ribbon
12" of 1" wide pale pink "cherry blossom" bias-cut silk ribbon
12" of 1" wide creamy pink "blushing bride" bias-cut silk ribbon
15" of 7/16" wide olive green "mossy rock" bias-cut silk ribbon

A copy of Helen's book, Ribbonwork -The Complete Guide is helpful for a better understanding of how to make ribbon flowers.

Steps:

1. Fold the piece of velvet in half, with the right sides together, so a square is formed. Sew up two of the sides and partially across the third side, leaving an opening for turning (figure A).

2. Turn the pillow right side out. Lightly stuff the pillow and then sew closed the opening (figure B).

3. Ruche 1-1/2 yards of 7/16-inch-wide pink ribbon using the zigzag ruching technique (figure C).

4. Gather to fit around the edge of the pillow; then stitch to the pillow (figures D and E).

5. Make three ribbon candy roses using 12 inches of 1-inch-wide bias cut silk ribbon for each rose. Fold the raw edge over so an envelope point is made and tack this point down with three or four backstitches (figure F).

6. Sew the stitch pattern shown, being sure to take very large stitches (the same size as the width of the ribbon) (figure G). Firmly gather the ribbon so a rose shape is formed (figure H).

Note: If the folds are aligned, simply twist the layers of ribbon. Each rose will look different. (figure I)

7. Make three sets of loop leaves using 5 inches of 7/16-inch-wide green silk ribbon and the two-loop bow technique for each set (figure J). Be sure to fan out the loops.

8. Sew one set of loop leaves to the back of each rose (figure K).

9. Make one milliner's bow using 24 inches of 1-1/2-inch-wide satin bias-cut silk ribbon and referring to the two-loop bow technique. Cut the ribbon into two 12-inch lengths. On one piece of ribbon, make two uneven loops, folding the tail back under the two loops. Gather through all the ribbon layers at the bottom of the loops and then stitch the half bow to crinoline. Repeat for the second piece of ribbon (figure L).

10. Sew three rose/leaf combinations onto the center of the crinoline and between the bow loops (figure M).

11. Cut away the excess crinoline and sew the bow composition to the center of the pillow (figure N).