Fabric & Sewing How-To Guides

Looking for some decorative bolster pillows? We'll show you how to make them in two different ways. One has a Velcro opening and flat ends and the other has gathered, tufted ends. Either way, you'll have easy pillows that are a great addition to armchairs, sofas, and beds. Not only are they beautiful, but they can also help support your back, arms, or neck.

Winter is coming and so is the final season of Game of Thrones! Here's how to make a GOT inspired blanket that will keep you warm through the long night and your premiere party! UPDATE: This blanket is absolutely perfect for cuddling up and crying yourself to sleep over the death and destruction of your favorite television show.

Make your own pillowcase with this simple roll up method! We're making a satin pillowcase with charmeuse satin because it is less abrasive on our hair than traditional cotton sheets. This easy DIY project can be made with other materials too, like sheeting, broadcloth, cotton prints, or flannel. Here's a really easy way to make pillowcases that are beautiful and only take about 20 minutes to put together.

Traditional shower towels are really abrasive on your hair. That's because the piles on the towels act almost like little hooks that pull on the fibers of your hair and make them split and bunch up. Here's a super easy to make a towel wrap that will do less damage to your hair and will stay in place.

Looking to cut down on waste? These baking dish and bowl covers are great for storing food in the fridge and they're washable so they can be reused. Also, if you use 100% cotton thread and cloth materials (instead of vinyl) these dish covers can be microwavable.

Shawls are a great addition to any outfit as a statement piece or simply to add some outer wear to your look. The nice fringe on this shawl makes it easy to dress up or down for any occasion. Just pick your fabric and get to sewing your new favorite piece in your wardrobe.

Remember how I said I love these stinking sustainability projects? Well I have another one for you. Single use plastic bags are the most frustrating form of waste to me. I never know what to do once I get handed a bag. Like "thank you, let me just bring this home and throw it away.

Did you know you could dye Easter eggs with Rit Dye? And, by using different techniques you can create all different textured looks! Rit Dye is nontoxic but we recommend that you use these eggs for decorative purposes only. To get started, make your dye baths. Put one cut of boiling water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 3-6 teaspoons of whatever dye colors you want in a dish.

Looking for a fun Easter craft to do with the kids? Or are you looking for egg hunt goody bags? Look no further! These three super easy DIY goody bags are a great way to decorate for the holidays, are inexpensive, and can be used again and again.

Ready for another sustainability project? ! Get rid of plastic wrap and cut down on waste. Here's a great way to make beeswax wraps for your leftovers. Beeswax wraps can be used for about a year if taken care of properly, just wash with cool water and hang to dry.

It's time to start decorating for Easter! Here are some easy Easter DIY projects that are inexpensive and only take about a half an hour to throw together.

Got some cold little piggy's? Keep them warm with these Sherpa lined fleece slippers. These slippers are super easy to make and one yard of fabric is enough to make around 4 pairs of medium sized slippers so you can give them away as gifts or just have a few extra pairs for yourself.

Ripped, broken, and sagging cane are common problems with antique cane chairs. Fortunately, there are ways to replace the cane. There are 2 types of cane chairs. They can be hand caned or have pressed cane. You can easily tell which kind you have by looking at the way it is attached.

I really love sustainability projects. I think they are really important and that more people should start adopting clean practices in lieu of what is "easy" and disposable. A saying that I really love is "The world does not need one person doing zero waste perfectly, but 7 billion doing it imperfectly" So I have set a goal for myself to share with you as many sustainability projects as I can while still bringing you our classic OFS Content. Today, I am making a sustainable alternative to paper towels (The UN paper towel) with a little bit of cotton print fabric and terry cloth.

Dog toys can be expensive and if you're fur baby is like Winnie, those new toys rarely last more than a day or two. Even those branded as "indestructible" are no match to her very patient, very calculated, gnawing and nibbling. Then, when she finally reaches the stuffing on the inside she will remove it (ALL of it) with the full amount of care a dog can have. Winnie has met her match with this one though. Today I'm going to show you how to make a heavy-duty toy that your dog will love and won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Whether you're team Nikon or team Canon, I think we can all agree that the camera straps are pretty ugly. I'm going to cover an existing camera strap with new fabric and make a detachable lens cover pouch to go with it. This strap makes my camera feel unique and gives it some personality. This project is so easy, you can change out the fabric whenever you feel like it.

Making Christmas stockings is a fast and easy project that anyone can do. You can use a variety of materials for the outer fabric and lining. Leave the stocking simple, or personalize it with a name on the cuff. For some decorations like appliques or embroidery, you may want to do them before sewing the stocking together.

Whether your little hero is in need of a costume for Halloween, dress up, or a snack emergency, this matching cape and mask set will do the job. This reversible cape with matching mask combo will prepare you for when that costume crisis strikes. If you're feeling fancy, you could also add some decorations or symbols to each piece. Your little superhero will love being able to dress up and save the day!

Sitting through an entire game on a hard seat or bleacher can get uncomfortable, especially if your team is losing. This stadium cushion has a handle and Velcro closure so the cover can be washed. Whether you're at a high school football game or a professional baseball game, get comfortable with a stadium cushion. It's a winning gift for sports fans.

If you've got a faded pair of jeans that you want to revive, why not dye them? I'm using Black Dylon Permanent Dye for one pair and Denim Blue Rit All-Purpose Dye for another pair. You can use either type of dye for both denim blue and black. You can also try different colors for unique looks.

The people who make and use these kitchen scrubbers swear they are better than anything you can buy. Our nylon netting is super popular for these scrubbies. You can also use tulle but the texture of the nylon netting works particularly well. They last a surprisingly long time and can be washed on the top rack of your dishwasher. There are many other ways to crochet scrubbies with different combinations of stitches.

I say pah-jah-mus, you might say pah-jam-us, jah-mies, jam-ies, jim-jams… however you say it, learn how to make it! I'm making pajama pants out of a fun cotton print using an existing pair as a pattern, and I'll be adding an optional drawstring. These pajama pants make great gifts, especially for that holiday family photo with the matching pairs.

Hi, I'm Cathy. I was trying to figure out a way to let my cats enjoy some nip without making a mess, and thought 'What would happen if I sandwiched some of that good stuff between fabric? '… Well, it turned out to be pretty simple to do, and they loved it. So if you're someone like me who doesn't know a whole lot about sewing, but you still want to make something that's pretty quick and easy for your fur babies, this is the tutorial for you, so let's get started.

Marbling's been around for centuries. It mimics a natural design that's found in stone (or a nice rib eye). You've probably seen the marbling technique used on things like end papers in a book, or in a stationary store. But did you know that you can marble fabric, too? I'm going to be using liquid Rit Dye and shaving cream to deck out some plain white pillowcases.

Fabric dye isn't just for fabric. You can use Rit dye to stain wood and wicker as well. This adds color without covering the grain of the wood. The finish has greater texture and dimension than paint. Today, I'm staining an unfinished set of drawers.

Here are 3 different ways that you can make linen napkins. Each napkin has a different finish along the edges giving them different looks to add to your table decor.

These 5 simple silverware holders are easy to make, and add that extra touch to your table decor. Try one of these silverware holders on your table!

Halloween is such a fun time of year to decorate or make your own costumes. In this tutorial I decided to make simple, quick, and cute projects that involve no sewing what-so-ever. Try them out and let us know how they turned out!

These pair of leggings consist of cotton jersey. I'm using an old pair of leggings to use as my pattern for a good fit. Any stretch fabric that has at least 5% of spandex in it will work fine for these leggings. Leggings are so comfy to wear especially lounging around the house!

Circle skirts are so versatile and can be made from a range of different fabrics. The best fabric to choose for a circle skirt depends on your desired look and feel. If you're looking for something light and airy, a lightweight cotton or rayon blend would work well. For a more structured look, something like a twill or denim would be a great choice; or go luxurious with silk or satin. Whichever fabric you choose, make sure to pre-wash if possible to avoid any shrinkage after the skirt is sewn.