fabricate: Fretwork

I love when I see something I want to make. It happens a lot, it’s true, but I get pretty excited when challenged with something I have never attempted before. Not long ago my friend, Autumn pinned this pretty pillow.

This is an Aegean Fretwork decorative pillow from Inside Avenue that retails for $345 (yikes!) Good news though it is on sale for $240 (stifling a derisive cough). For that price this pillow better offer the choice of Swedish or shiatsu while I lean against it. Although at that price I would have to stick it in a glass case like in a museum to keep my five children from even breathing on it. :)

Ok, so now for the really good news: You can have this look for much less! I was really excited to try this. I used an ivory grosgrain ribbon and black linen inspired buy this Millcreek print.

My tools were a gridded mat, a quilter’s ruler, and plenty of pins. I cut my fabric using an acrylic template I had made, and a rotary cutter. This gives a really clean straight cut.

My first attempt to create the pattern with the ribbon first didn’t work. I figured that out pretty quick. Instead, what did work was measuring and pinning the ribbon to the fabric, creating the pattern as I went. The trick is to fold the fabric on itself, pin it at an angle just shy of the 45 degree line. This allows the ribbon to conceal the excess ribbon underneath when opened. Once you have pulled the ribbon open to a right angle pin again.

Continue to measure and pin so that the pattern is symmetrical. Measure, pin, repeat.

Then topstitch the ribbon down to the fabric staying close to the outside edges. I also topstitch the mitered corners. Another tip is to draw out your design with measurements first. I made a rough sketch like this:

This will help you create the pattern with exact symmetry. Here is the finished Aegean design. I have to admit, I was feeling giddy at this point :)

To give it a really sharp look, I decided to frame this design with a welt also in ivory. Here’s the finished product… for a lot less. It’s $75 for a 20” square pillow cover. Get it here.