Fabric & Sewing How-To Guides

If you're looking for a few quick and easy last-minute fall table decorations, we've got you covered. These projects are simple and mostly involve no sewing, perfect for thanksgiving dinner decorations!

Rust-Oleum products are great for turning ordinary objects into fun and festive decorations. These projects are fall themed, but Rust-Oleum is available in many colors to suit any season. When using these products make sure to follow the instructions listed on the can.

Rain ponchos are great to have to help protect your hair and clothing from the rain. The one I'm going to make is a short poncho with a hood. Nylon is the best to use because it's lightweight and waterproof. You can also use a lightweight clear plastic or even an old shower curtain.

Workout tanks are easy to make and comfortable to move in while exercising. I'm going to show you how to make a muscle tank top that is breathable when working out. Cotton jersey is best to use because of its stretch and flexibility. You can leave the back as is or gather together like I did for more of a design.

There are many different styles for making ponchos. I'm going to make a winter poncho with a cowl neck that can also be worn as a hood. Fleece works well because it's soft and warm making it very cozy to wear.

This fabric wreath is great to hang because it displays a range of colors and prints. There is no sewing involved, just cut and glue. If the wreath is going to be outdoors, outdoor fabric is a great option because it's water and sun resistant.

In this no-sew project I'm going to add a pop of color to this plain tray by spray painting it and adding fabric to the bottom. This is a quick and easy way to personalize an otherwise boring wooden tray.

If your ironing board is starting to show stains or burns, making a new cover is a quick and easy sewing project that will give it a fresh look. This works for most ironing boards, including table top and full-sized. By making your own ironing board cover, you'll be sure of a good fit and, compared to commercial covers, you'll have so many more choices of fabric to brighten up your laundry or sewing space.

Giving your office chair a makeover is an easy way to bring personality to your work space. Of course there are many different styles of office chairs, but the chair I used here is pretty typical. The separate back and bottom cushions make it a simple project with no sewing required. I also chose to spray paint the plastic backings, but this is optional.

If your mouse pad is looking dingy or just plain boring, it's quick and easy to give it new life with oilcloth. There's plenty of fun patterns and colors to choose from. The great thing about oilcloth is it's super easy to wipe off so it will never get stained. You can also use faux leather vinyl if you prefer that look.

A jewelry organizer is a great way to hold all your jewelry together in one place without it all getting tangled. This quick and easy jewelry organizer is made from an old frame. The lace is for earrings, and the ribbon is for bracelets and necklaces. You can hang this frame or lean it up against a wall.

Beach towels are essential to have in the summer, whether you're laying out by the pool or on the beach. I'm going to show you how to make a double sided beach towel using terry cloth fabric. Terry cloth is the best fabric to use for towels because it's really soft and absorbs water quickly.

This no sew fleece pillow is a quick and easy project. The one I'm going to make is a 16 by 16 inch kid's pillow. Stretch knit fabrics are also great to use because they don't fray and they tie well. These pillows make great gifts and you can make them any size you want.

This no sew fleece dog bed is perfect for a small to medium sized dog, but can easily be customized to match the size of your pet. You can also use pillow inserts instead of stuffing if you prefer. Other materials that will be more durable than fleece are outdoor fabrics and medium to heavyweight cottons.

A tree skirt adds that finishing touch to your Christmas decorations. This tree skirt is an easy project that doesn't require any sewing. The ruffled burlap is great for a rustic yet refined look. But if burlap's not your thing, you can use any other material, like muslin, canvas, décor fabric or cotton prints to create a look that will compliment your other holiday decorations.

With leftover scraps of fabric you can create this fun, decorative throw pillow. No machine is required, just hand stitching. You can stitch the shapes closer together or farther apart depending on how full you want the pillow to look. It's a great way to use up those leftover scraps of fabric and re-use them. Samples of fabric will also work too.

Decoupage is a quick and easy way to add interest to otherwise plain surfaces, like furniture, boxes, and other crafts. Mod Podge is great for gluing and sealing paper or fabric to surfaces like cardboard, canvas, or wood.

The fabric cork board I'm gong to make involves no sewing or stapling, making it fun and easy. For displaying options, you can hang the cork board, or place it against a wall. They're great for tacking notes or pictures to.

If your looking for an easy scarf to make that is warm and soft, then look no further. In this tutorial Jen makes a football fleece scarf with fringe on each end to give it more flare. You can stitch the ends as well if that's what you prefer.

This DIY felt pencil holder brings a pop of color to the desktop and can hold all of your utensils. You can choose any colors and designs you like. Clara decided to go with a colorful geometric design that is cut to fit the pencil holder evenly. Felt works well for anything from complex designs to fun shapes for kids' crafts.

Today I'm going to make double sided napkins with mitered corners. A mitered corner is when two sides forming a corner come together at a 45 degree angle. You can use this technique to create a polished look on many sewing projects, like tablecloths, blankets, quilts, and curtains.

Today I'm going to turn a plain, boring, white lampshade into a snazzy, fabric covered lampshade. This is a quick & easy, no-sew project that you can customize to your style.

In this tutorial, I'm making a storage bin made out of fabric and cardboard, with an optional chalkcloth label. I'm using a Premier Prints décor fabric for the outside and broadcloth as the lining. This bin is perfect for storing all sorts of stuff, like toys or sewing supplies. You can make these storage bins in a wide range of sizes to suit your needs. Using your bin on open shelving adds both storage and style to your space.

If you want a traditional look for your curtains, pinch pleats, also known as French pleats, are a great option. These triple pleat curtains may look intimidating, but using pleater tape and hooks makes this project simple for sewers of any level. You can also easily add a drapery lining to these curtains. Cut the lining the same size as the finished curtain and tuck it under the hems and sides before sewing. For more information on drapery lining, see How to Pick Drapery Lining.

Making fabric wall art is an easy and inexpensive way to add color and pattern to your home decor. You can hang a single canvas, or create a whole gallery wall of fabric art.

Ombre is popular in fashion, hair, and decor. It describes the blending of one color to another or light to dark. This gradient is easy to create by dip dyeing fabric or clothing. You can ombre pre-made items like shirts, dresses, curtains, or pillow covers, or dye fabric and use it to create something of your own.

The low water immersion technique will create a mottled, uneven effect when dyeing fabric. By using little water and tightly packing the fabric, you'll get a strong pattern like this, or use more water and get a subtler result. You can also create other patterns by tying or folding the fabric in different ways.

Batik fabric is traditionally made using wax as a resist. Designs are created by painting or stamping hot wax onto the fabric and then dyeing it. The wax stops the dye from penetrating the fabric. You can create a similar effect much more easily by using glue instead of hot wax.

You can make pot holders out of almost any fabric you want, but it's best to use a fabric that's either absorbent, or heat resistant. If you do not want to make your own bias tape, there is pre-packaged bias tape available as well. Making it is fun because you can choose the fabric you want, and the bias tape maker is easy to use. I chose to stitch the diamonds on the waffle cloth for a quilted look, but it's all about what you prefer.

With the Shibori folding technique, you can create geometric patterns like squares, triangles and hexagons by simply folding the fabric in different ways. You can also clamp flat objects to both sides of the fabric before dyeing. The area that is covered will remain white, adding another element to the pattern.