Home Decor Sewing & Design Guides

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Pocket organizers are handy to hold many different things for many different ages. Kids can use it for toys and storybooks, teens can organize homework by subject, and adults can use it to brighten up their cubicle or office. You can add more pockets or change the size to meet your organizational needs. This one is perfect for the office or work space because it is sized to fit file folders. You also have the option of adding clear pockets for labels.

Box cushions are commonly found on couches or armchairs, and are used in many other applications like window seats, benches, outdoor seating or even dog beds. They are a simple upholstery project that you can easily customize. In this tutorial, I'll be giving a mid-century modern chair a new look by replacing the cushions. For a simpler way to make cushions with a Velcro closure see our dog bed / outdoor cushion tutorial.

Learn how to make Goblet pleats & Cartridge pleats with these simple step-by-step instructions. Goblet pleats have a traditional look while cartridge pleats have a more modern style, but they are made the same way. I'll show you how to make professional looking drapery headers for both types of pleats. I'm going with the cartridge pleat drapes for my room which will be stationary, but they also work well as functional curtains since they're easy to slide open and closed. Pick out some décor fabric and get started!