Home Decor Sewing & Design 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.

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.

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.

Looking for a fun Valentines Day Project? This decorative burlap heart pillow is great for Valentine's Day as a gift or décor. Craft burlap can be used for a bunch of different projects but its loose weave makes it the perfect material for weaving in the ribbon. This pillow can be made with any color canvas and ribbon like grosgrain ribbon or satin ribbon. You can also create other shapes for holidays or even monograms.

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.

I have here a chair which has seen better days, so I'm going to make a slipcover for it. You can use many different fabrics like denim, twill, canvas, or home décor fabric. The techniques in this tutorial can be adapted to many other styles of chairs and couches. One of the great things about slipcovers is they're washable. Whether you're covering ugly or stained upholstery or want to protect nice upholstery, making your own slipcovers is inexpensive and practical.

Sewing your own decorative throw pillow is a great DIY project for all sewing levels. There are many different styles of pillows, this one is a basic throw pillow that's sewn closed. It's easy to make and a quick way to update your decor with the fabric of your choice.

I'm going to show you how to give your dining chairs a fresh look by reupholstering the seat cushion. Many dining chairs have a cushion that can be easily detached, which makes reupholstering a simple project. When choosing a fabric for you chair, keep in mind that it doesn't necessarily have to be a heavy upholstery fabric like this. You can also use a medium weight drapery fabric, especially if the chair isn't going to be heavily used. And you can always reupholster it any time you want.

Old spools like this one are fairly common at antique shops and tag sales. I found this one at the Brimfield flea market last year. It says "Bethlehem Strand", and probably held wire rope made at the now defunct Bethlehem Steel in Pennsylvania. I'm going to give it new life by turning it into a rustic ottoman. The top will be removable so it can double as a coffee table.

Can't decide what kind of burlap wreath to make for fall? Make 2! These no sew burlap wreaths are perfect for seasonal décor and you can use almost any combination of burlap fabric or ribbon. If these aren't quite your style, check out these burlap flower wreaths for every season.

By making your own tablecloth you can get exactly the look and size you want. You can make tablecloths out of many different fabrics. Gingham, oilcloth, and flannel backed vinyl are great for casual eating or themed parties. For lightweight tablecloths, try broadcloth or cotton prints. Linen is classic and works for many styles and many events.

Making a fabric book cover is super easy. I'm making one for a textbook, but you can use in on any hardcover book, journal, or binder. This is a great back to school project to beautify and protect all your books and binders. You could also use it to add color and pattern to books on a shelf or coffee table.

Learn how to make a no-sew valance that has pleats at the corners and an accent band at the bottom. This simple design will go with many décor styles. You can also make variations with box pleats or add decorative trim to make it your own. Add this valance to existing curtains, sheers, or blinds, or make matching custom curtains!

One of our finds from this year's Brimfield Antique Flea Market was an old beat up book shelf. The wood was scratched and the back was stained, but with a little fabric and RustOleum paint I was able to transform it into a unique rustic shelf. Check out some highlights from our trip to Brimfield.

Many of our curtain tutorials have been at more of a DIY level, but for these inverted box pleat curtains, we're going to take it up a notch. The difference is that with professional looking curtains, you won't see any visible topstitching on the front and more of the work will be done by hand. This takes more time, but still, any patient DIY-er can do it. You can use these techniques with any other heading style to create many different kinds of professional looking curtains. Take a look at our other drapery tutorials for more ways to make curtains.

We picked up this industrial wire basket at the world-famous Brimfield Antique Flea Market. This is a basket from Kaspar Wire Works, but you can find this type of wire basket many places. I'm going to weave strips of fabric through it to make a unique decorative storage basket. This is a no sew project that's great for using all your old scraps of fabric on. See what else we found at Brimfield.

This simple DIY floor cushion makes for comfortable seating for the living room, bedroom, or playroom. The optional zipper opening makes it easy to switch out the pillow form if it starts to get flat.

I'm going to make a simple flanged pillow sham with an envelope back. The flange refers to the extra fabric around the edges. You can use quilting weight cotton, sheeting, or décor fabric. Customize your pillow sham in any way you want. Want to make a matching duvet cover?

If you can't find the exact duvet cover you want, make it! You can use quilting weight cottons, sheeting fabric, broadcloth, pre-made flat sheets, or decor fabric. Choose different fabrics for the front and back if you want it to be reversible. Or you can use a flat sheet on the bottom and a more decorative fabric on top. Making your own duvet cover may not necessarily be cheaper that buying one, depending on the fabric, but you can get exactly what you want.

If you like the look of a wallpaper feature wall, but you're renting or are afraid of commitment, fabric wallpaper is the way to go. It's easy to apply to the wall using liquid starch, and it's also easy to peel off when you're ready to take it down. Light to medium weight cotton fabrics work well, like quilting fabric or drapery fabric. Other natural fibers like linen or linen blends can also be used. Polyester and other synthetic materials may not adhere as well and should be tested before doing a whole wall.

Pencil pleats are thin, even pleats used in drapery headings, valances, and bed skirts. Using shirring tape makes creating these pleats simple. You can control how tight or loose you want the pleats. Like the fabric used in this project? Drapery fabric isn't just for decor.

There are many creative ways to take an inexpensive piece of furniture and turn it into something unique. I'm going to be transforming an Ikea side table by covering it with vinyl and adding a decorative nail head trim. Adding nail head trim is a great way to add interest to an otherwise plain piece of furniture from headboards to chairs to tables.

Shag rugs add a fun, decorative look to bedrooms, playrooms, and more. I'm using different colored fabrics, but you can use just 1 color if you prefer. Jersey cotton is best to use because it doesn't fray, but other soft fabrics will work well too. It's also a great way to recycle old t-shirts.

Roman shades give windows a clean appearance that goes well with many styles from traditional to modern. There are many ways to make Roman shades. With the method shown here, there's minimal stitching visible on the front for a professional look. This shade is made with wooden dowels (as opposed to the mini blind method). If you plan on raising and lowering the Roman shade a lot, it's worth using a cord lock and pulleys so it operates smoothly and easily.

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.

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.

Poufs are a trendy and functional décor item, but they can be pricey. By creating your own, you can save money and make it exactly how you want. You can use your pouf as an ottoman or foot rest, as extra seating, or as floor pillows. They're especially great for kids' spaces.