DIY: Halloween and Thanksgiving Table Runner

Ready for a great holiday project?  How about this reversible table runner and place mat set?  You can get it out for Halloween, and continue using it all the way through Thanksgiving!

Center of Thanksgiving side.

Thanksgiving Runner and place mats.

Thanksgiving Runner

Reverse side of place mats.

Halloween side of table runner.

It includes a pieced table runner, place mats, and a full-sized hand embroidery pattern!  Even better, it's free!  Head over to Burda Style to download the instructions, material requirements, and pattern!

DIY Chevron Rug

I was peeking around the internet for a yellow chevron rug the other day, and I found this:

Perfect and beautiful.

BUT then I saw the price.

$4400.

Cha-right.  Not going to happen.  Granted it's for an 11x19 which is bigger than I need, but still.

So I rolled up my DIY sleeves to see if anyone had attempted to recreate a chevron rug themselves.  Lo and behold, look at these great DIYers.

Camila from High Heeled Foot in the Door took a little fabric, a drop cloth and rug gripper to make this beauty.  It cost her about $55 plus a little tacky glue and scotchguard.  Amazing right?  I think this yellow fabric might work for the job.  You can see all of Camila's step by step instructions over on her blog.

This Little Miggy Stayed Home did this excellent fabric painting for her new chevron rug.  They spent about $30 plus a little paint starting with a rug similar to this and a couple sample paints.  You can see all the step by steps on their blog.  I love having the flexibility of choosing the exact colors I want and having it look a little worn out of the gate.

So what do you think?  Time to roll up the sleeves and create?  I'm thinking so.  Now if my birthday could come a little faster so I have a sewing machine at my beckon call!

July 4th Place Setting Pattern

Remember the project I completed for BurdaStyle for Mother's Day?  They asked me to complete some modifications to make it work for your July 4th get together!  You can see the full project tutorial and instructions with pictures on BurdaStyle here, here, and here!  (Did I mention it's a free pattern?)

How to Sew Pillows

 

So remember how I confessed a little while back that I don't know how to sew?  Well, I'm making an effort this year to learn how.  I figured I'd start with an easy project to get me going.  So here you have it, a step by step tutorial on how to sew your own pillows.

 

 

1.  Gather your supplies: Scissors (straight & pinking for raveling fabrics), measuring tape, pins, pillow stuffing, and a seam ripper.

2. Cut your fabric {I did 21"x21" square pillows for the green ones & 13"x19" for the patterned pillow} 

3. Pin the fabric together {Have the inside of the pillow fabric facing out}

 

4. Sew three sides completely {leaving about 1/3" on the edge}

 

5. On the fourth side, leave enough room to flip the pillow inside out and stuff it {about 3"} 

6. Tie off the ends near the opening. 

7. Cut the corners diagonally so the corners will lay correctly. 

8. Flip the pillow inside out. 

9. I used a seam ripper to help the corners lay correctly. 

10. I added the rosettes and then stuffed the pillow. 

11. Close the pillow using the machine or a whip stitch. 

 

For my first official sewing project, I'm feeling pretty good.  And as a bonus, my bedroom is looking even more complete.  I will keep sharing my progress of the room with you.  Be patient with me as I hunt for accessories and wall hangings!  {These last couple weeks have been a doozy}.

Hope you're having a great Monday.  Are you working on any fun sewing projects lately?

The Cafe Collection: Sewing Project

I LOVE to sew and I LOVE to design.  Here's a project I recently completed exclusively for BurdaStyle.



The best part?  It's one of their free downloads so if you'd like to stitch up a table runner, placemats, napkin rings, and the flowers to embellish all of them, head on over and download the full pattern and instructions (with photos) for each piece of the Cafe Collection!

Confession time: Sewing

I have a confession to make.

I don't know how to sew.

Well, that's not entirely true... I can fake my way through making a pillow and other easy projects, but I don't have the creative genius of people like this and this.

In hopes that my husband, or mother is reading this.  I'm begging for a sewing machine for my birthday so I can dink around and actually learn how to sew. 

Here are a few projects that are on my list already. 

The Rollie Pollie.  Finding the perfect fabric for this would be a treat!

A lovely bird mobile. 

Beautiful ruffle pillows.  A perfect addition to our nearly completed bedroom.  Don't you think?

Do you know how to sew?  How did you learn?  Do you have any great resources to share? 

Now, if my birthday could only come sooner.... August seems way too long to wait and get started on this!  Don't you agree? 

 

Inspiring Sites of Crafty Goodness

Hello everyone!  We are back.  We had a rough day with the server yesterday {we tried moving over to a new server & things didn't go as expected}.  But we are back today with some inspiration for you! 

I've been stumbling upon some really great sites out there that I'd like to share with you.  I am always amazed at how talented people are!

is•ly is wonderful blog full of goodies.  Melissa is multi-talented.  She can design, she can sew, she can plan parties that knock your socks off, and she's a great photographer.  Simply said, she is amazing.  I would love to have a little craft day with her.  And by that I mean I would just sit and watch her craft. 

Next stop... Homemade by Jill.  She's a sewing fanatic and darn good at it too.  But that's not all, she's super creative- refininshing dressers, and making dressing up curtains.  She would give Martha a run for her money, I think. 

 

Another blog that I've been watching for sometime is Freshly Picked.  She's a wiz with the sewing machine and gives tutorials that blow me away.  She's been discovered by Martha & would likely do circles around me in my craft room. 

I am seeing a theme in the sites I posted about today.  Sewing and ruffles.  Is it a sign?  Maybe I need to learn how to sew.  It's something I may not be able to avoid for much longer.

So now I'm curious, do you have favorite sites that you like to visit for inspiration?  Feel free to share in the comments below.