Home Decor: March 2012 Archives

Here are the details on some of the products I have in my room. Let me know if you have questions on anything else you see in the room.

My previous sewing room video

Hanging lamp (My husband added the switch, it's from the hardware store)

Scrap Drawers under cutting table

Favorite Fabric Collection: Erin Michael Uptown by Moda

Hanging clips (on thumbtacks on wall)

You can see my Lorax (Free Pattern here) in the sewing table scene

Sewing Machine Cover (This is SUPER during pollen season which coincidences with open window season)

Make the shirt I'm wearing

Fabric covered plates tutorial

Spring is here and that means garden season. I love to garden and hardly need a reason to poke around my seeds, flowers or tools. Finding a great place to keep all my paraphernalia close at hand is a tricky one. However, with any small (or large depending on your tools, I guess) shelving unit you can make all that dirt, seed packets and pots disappear behind a magic curtain. Here's how to make your own custom Laminated Fabric Garden Cabinet.

First, measure your cabinet for height and width of the front. Add 4 in. to the width for 1 in. double turn side hems and 5 in. for two-2.5 in. box pleat on the front (this will give you extra room at the bottom so you can swing that curtain out of the way). Here's an example:

Measured width of cabinet: 30 in.
                +4 in. for side seams
                +5 in. for box pleat
                =39 in. cutting width

You will want to do something similar for the length adding 2 in. for a double turned top hem and 5 in. for a double turned bottom hem. Example:
                Measured length of cabinet: 42 in.
                +2 in. for top hem
                + 5 in. for bottom hem
                = 49 in. cutting length

Order the amount of Laminated Cotton or Oil Cloth fabric needed to cut out your size curtain. Measure, pin and stitch your side seams and bottom hem. Mark the center top of your curtain and mark 2.5 in. on either side of the center and 5 in. out from the center. You will now have 5 marks. Meet one your 5 in. marks at the center mark with a fold in the back at the 2.5 in. mark. Repeat for the other pleat and pin both in place. Baste pleats in place. Double turn a 1 in. hem across the top securing your pleats in place. Sew a piece of ¾ in. Velcro across the top hem and two 1 in. pieces at each bottom corner to secure your curtain when windy. Staple the opposite side of the Velcro across the top of your shelving unit. Attach your curtain along the top and then mark the placement for your bottom Velcro pieces and staple in place. You are DONE!

You can use this idea indoors as well for toys, media and sewing gear.  Also try some of our Outdoor Fabric!

Back before I had my little one, I snagged a sweet deal on a glider on craigslist. I had big plans to recover it into the ultimate nursery chair. Well, my baby is 3 now and no longer uses the chair for anything other than pretending to surf. Thus it has been removed from her room and found new residence in my studio. While it was being spit up on I was able to justify putting off recovering but now that it sits in the corner of my room all day I can no longer bear the sight of it's early 90's baby blue velour (that has seen better days, mind you). So I set about recovering. No problem, I thought I can just trace some new covers, add a zipper and done! Ahh, not so much. This was possible for the back cushion since it had a weird tufted shell pattern on it that meant I had to trace and sew (the glider is similar but not exact to the one below- be glad I did not take a before picture, it would have burned your eyes). But the bottom and arm cushions involved some tricky pleating and gussets that meant I had to rip off the old cover and use them as templates. Here's how it went down.

This picture is the back cushion. You can see how the tufting makes it impossible to remove the cover for tracing. I traced the cushion and added an inch all around. I left the bottom open for a zipper so I can remove it for washing.

I was able to remove and bottom cushion and after some heavy ironing, I traced it without adding a seam allowance (just using the ½ in. seam allowance already on the cover piece). You can see the weird T shape at the top. This is pleating and a gusset that fits around the arms of the frame. When you remove the cover, leave one side (top or bottom cover) pleated and with the gusset in place and use the other side for ironing and tracing. Then when it comes time to recreate this intricate pleating you have a model to go by. I didn't do this and it took a good 30 min. with the seam ripper to finally figure it out. Also, you can see where all the pleating clips are, transfer these marks onto your new fabric. This cushion would also look great with some piping added. I inserted a zipper in the back for washing as well.

Here is the arm rest cover completely dismantles and ironed. I learned my lesson from the bottom cushion and left the other arm rest cover intact to use as a model for assembly. This one was almost as tricky as the bottom cushion but took me 1/3 the time to assemble.

Overall, I didn't like this glider to begin with but it was comfy and useful. I really wish I had updated it soon! We spray painted the frame and with the new cover (which covers the 90's styling) it is a whole new and great looking chair. It is now worthy of my studio! 

In the ongoing effort to decorate our new house, I have moved up to our playroom. This room is currently invaded by our 3 yr old daughter, we plan on adding to her invading force in the future so I am leaning towards a gender neutral theme. She is just as happy with cars and trucks as she is with butterflies and unicorns so I went with the all pleasing Mickey Mouse when creating window treatments for her playroom. I love the idea of café curtains in this room to let in light while adding to the décor. These simple flat café curtains are perfect for appliqué work such as Mickey's Buttons so feel free to be inspired and go in whatever direction makes you happy. Mickey's Buttons are made of fleece for added texture. I love adding texture wherever possible so my little one can touch and explore her whole surroundings (because she will touch whether or not I want her to). Making your own is simple.

Each Café Curtain takes approx 1 yd of red cotton twill and ½ yd of white fleece.

Measure the inside of your window to the width and length to find your finished curtain size. Add 6.5 in. to the length (2.5 in. for the rod pocket and 4 in. for a double turned bottom hem.) and 4 in. to the width (1 in. double turn hem on both sides). Once your curtain is all stitched up and ready, draw an oval that is 6 in. long by 3.5 in. wide. Use this as your pattern piece and cut 2 from the white fleece (you can double it if your fleece is too thin). Line the buttons up by folding the curtain in half width wise pressing and then folding again. This creates 3 creases, a center and 2 side creases. Line up each button centered on a side crease, 2 in. down from the rod pocket. Pin in the place and Zig Zag around each button. You're done; now enjoy a nice break while your little one is distracted by this new addition!