Ballard Inspired Valentine Flower Pillow Tutorial

Sissy brought this pillow to my attention because she wanted one but didn't want to pay $75 for it from Ballard Designs. We pulled out our favorite expression, "We can make that..." and off we went to the fabric store.

To make this pillow, you'll need: 1/2 yard linen, assorted scrap fabrics, 12" grosgrain ribbon, pillow form, button, thread to match your pillow top/bottom and a darker green thread than the fabric for your stem and leaves, embroidery floss in a color to match the pillow top, disappearing ink fabric marker.

We made a 16" pillow so we used 16" pillow forms. I cut the material exactly 16" so it would be a bit over stuffed. I really wanted that button to tuft in the center.
Cut two pieces of linen, 16" x 16". Set aside.
We used various household items to get the four graduated circles: tupperware, drinking glasses, cereal bowls and tin cans. After cutting out flower circles, set aside. I cut out the leaves freehand.
After cutting out the four circles from your fabric scraps, you need to place them in the center of the pillow. I do it this way - fold the linen in half and then in half again.
Make a mark at the center point with a disappearing ink fabric marker. The center point is that double folded corner (in the pic on the bottom) at the bottom of the picture.
Do the same with the flower circles. Lay them out one on top of the other and carefully fold them in half and then in half again. Mark the center point of the flower and lay it on top of the center point of the pillow top. Pin and sew in place.
Lay out grosgrain ribbon and leaves on pillow top and pin in place. Using the darker green thread, zigzag stitch along the sides of the flower stem and the leaves.

The completed pillow top.
Place the two pillow pieces together, right sides facing each other. Pin and sew a 1/4" seam around the edge of the pillow, making sure to leave a large enough gap on the bottom to stuff in your pillow form. Turn inside out, stuff pillow with pillow form and pin the open bottom seam together.
Using a ladder stitch, close the bottom seam.

To attach the button, thread about 24" of embroidery floss on a needle and go into the pillow from the back panel, coming up in the center of the flower. Make sure to leave about a 6" tail coming out the back. This required a little pushing and pulling of the needle because my pillow was pretty densely stuffed. Thread the button on the floss and go back down into the center of the flower, pushing the needle out the back panel close to where you started. Gently pull on the threads a bit to tuft the pillow and then tie them together and knot the floss when you're happy with the tufting!

Fluff it up and you have a new pillow.
This is a good thing. I love it. Love. It.