Home Decor Sewing & Design Guides

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.

Marine Vinyl and standard vinyl are really the same thing, except marine-grade vinyl has two extra features. It has additional UV protection to prevent the color from fading in sunlight. And it also has antibacterial and antifungal additives to make it mildew resistant. Marine vinyl is great for any outdoor application or anywhere else it would be exposed to direct sunlight or moisture. Uses include outdoor seating, awnings, and boat cushions, but you can also use it indoors.

Cotton upholstery batting is 100% cotton that is soft and fluffy to give comfort and support to a sofa or chair. This batting can be used for upholstery, padding, and backings on furniture. It's about 2 inches thick and can easily wrap around edges. It conforms to contours without separation and is easy to cut with scissors or a knife. This upholstery batting is also available in organic cotton.

Velvet upholstery fabric is a symbol of luxury and comfort that has adorned homes and commercial spaces for generations. Known for its plush texture and rich appearance, the best velvet for upholstery brings elegance and sophistication to furniture pieces like chairs, sofas, benches, and headboards. Whether you're a designer seeking the best velvet upholstery fabric or a homeowner looking to refresh your living space, understanding the types of velvet upholstery fabric is key to making the right choice. In this guide, we'll explore the various options available in velvet fabric for upholstery, from classic cotton velvet to highly durable micro velvet. Each type offers unique characteristics that cater to different needs and aesthetics.

Rebond foam is made from recycled shredded scrap foam with a liquid polyurethane added to bond the scraps together while being compressed into a block. It's a dense, open cell foam that provides a firm, solid support base and holds its shape well without sacrificing longevity. Rebond foam is popular for a wide range of applications because it's resilient, lightweight, mildew resistant, and sound absorbent. This versatile foam has remarkable density and ILD (Indentation Load Deflection). The density of rebond foam depends on a few factors, including thickness, but is generally 6 to 8 pounds.

Pillow inserts can be filled with down and feathers, polyester, or a combination of the two. Down and polyester look and feel differently and each have their own benefits. We have square, rectangular, round, and bolster pillows. We suggest getting a pillow form that is 1" – 2" larger than your pillow cover to create a full looking pillow. Pillow forms come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

There are many different kinds of foam with different purposes. When looking for an upholstery foam, you'll find several densities, sizes, and thicknesses from 1 inch to 6 inches. So what's the difference difference between high density and medium density upholstery foam? It's common to think that a foam's density would relate to how firm it feels, but that's actually not the case. Density correlates to the foam's durability.

Office makeovers can be just as big of a job as home makeovers or they can be small and less stressful with just a few changes that will brighten up your space and give it more personality. After creating a cubicle makeover here at OFS, we decided to do a office makeover challenge with customers. The challenge was to send us a photo of your ugly office space that desperately needed a makeover and we would choose which office needed it the most. We would then plan out our makeover and create several DIY projects for the winner's work space and send them to her. The winner of our office makeover challenge styled her office space and sent us some photos!

We divide décor fabric into two main categories: drapery fabric and upholstery fabric. But that doesn't mean drapery fabric can't be used for upholstery and vice versa. And of course there are a whole lot of other uses for these fabrics, even beyond décor. In this article, we'll explain the differences between drapery and upholstery fabric, what you can use them for, and what double rubs means.

Sunbrella fabric is renowned for its water and sun resistance, making it a preferred choice for both outdoor and indoor applications. Known for its durability and stain resistance, sunbrella fabric is perfect for upholstery, awnings, marine uses, and more. Let's explore the unique characteristics and types of Sunbrella fabric that make it a versatile choice for various projects.

There are different types of drapery linings that serve different purposes like insulation, light reduction, water repellency, and more. There are many variations of these linings available. Water repellent and resistant drapery lining is designed to protect the face fabric from water stains caused by rain, moisture, and condensation. Blackout drapery lining is made by taking a base fabric and spraying it with acrylic foam, then spraying on a coat of black opaque membrane, then spraying a third layer coat of white. This is 3 pass, there is also 2 pass which skips the first coat.

Upholstery denim varies from medium weight to heavy weight and has a strong tear resistance. Bull denim is 100% cotton and is typically used for slipcovers, casual window treatments, upholstery, and apparel. Unlike typical jeans denim, bull denim is dyed after it is woven, making it a solid, uniform color. Jeans denim is woven with a colored yarn (usually indigo) going in one direction and white yarn going in the other. The difference between regular bull denim and topsider bull denim is the weight.

You may have wondered why 100% cotton décor fabric often says dry clean only or dry cleaning recommended. And if you do wash it…? We'll explain what may happen if you decide to machine wash your fabric. As long as you know the possible consequences, you can make your own decision. This article is specifically about 100% cotton home décor weight fabrics, but the same is often true for other natural fibers, like linen, or blends.

Ticking is a strong, functional fabric traditionally used to cover pillows and mattresses because its tight weave of 100% cotton or linen, does not allow feathers to penetrate it. Ticking often has a recognizable stripe, commonly navy on a cream background, or it can come in solid white or natural. True ticking is featherproof, but the term may also refer to a striped pattern that is used for décor purposes, like drapery, upholstery, slipcovers, tablecloths, and throw pillows. This decorative ticking comes in a variety of colors. 47″ ACA Blue Ticking is a durable tightly woven twill weave fabric that is typically used for mattress covers, quilt backings, pillows, and bedding to prevent feather spines from poking through.

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.

There are many ways to sew a zipper but this method is great for home décor projects like cushions or pillows with zippers. This technique creates flaps over the zipper to make it less visible. Our YKK upholstery zippers are available in many lengths and have durable brass teeth. See How to Make Box Cushions with a Zipper for the full tutorial on making box cushions.

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.

Here at OFS we have taken one of our not so good looking cubicles and gave it a makeover. All of the items in the cubicle are DIY projects made by Clara and Jen. We were inspired to do this makeover after realizing how bad this cubicle was and also realizing how easy it would be to give it a makeover with DIY fabric inspired projects. Below are before and after photos of our transformed cubicle space, and the individual projects that are featured! If you're looking to give your cubicle a makeover, make sure to check out our selection of décor fabric.

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.