Making your own bedding, curtain, cushions and your own clothes is not always the most economical approach as there is a vast amount of ready-made duvet cover sets and other bedding available to buy at very low prices.But some time the standard size or a complete coordinating look, including bed drapes, is not readily available. Then the free illustrated instruction on this site will teach you how to make your own unique styles.Your own unique style is the most important element for any type of home design.
Inserting a Zipper Place the 2 edges of fabric, right sides together and tack along the seam line. Stitch the seam, close to the tacking stitches, leaving an opening where the zip is to be inserted. Press the seam allowance open. Place the zip, wrong side up, over the tacked section of the seam. The…
Making Zipped Cushions Instructions: A zip is usually added to a cushion cover to enable it to be easily removed for cleaning. This is especially useful when using feather filled cushion pads. The zip can be fitted into the side seam of the cushion pad, making the cushion reversible, or across the centre of…
Patchwork Cushion Tutorial: Cathedral window is a layered patchwork that gives a 3D effect. Although time consuming, it is relatively easy to do even if you have a minimal amount of sewing experience. For the best results use a plain coloured background fabric with either a contrasting colour or patterned fabric for the “windows”….
Curtains with an Attached Valance Instructions Attaching a valance to the top of curtains means that you can have the enhanced look of a double layer without the need for two tracks. This is especially useful where space is a premium. When a single valance is attached across the top of a pair of…
Curtain Heading Styles Curtain headings are a way of customizing and styling blinds and valances so that the overall width of the fabric is reduced, creating a range of pleats or folds. Ready Made Heading Tape Some headings can be created using various types of tape that is sewn close to the top edge of…
Mitring a Hem This is a neat way of finishing a corner and is less bulky, especially on heavier fabrics: • Fold up a single or a double hem, mark with a pin where the top fold will come, and press. • Fold in the side hem, mark with a pin where the inside…
Binding and Piping Instructions Binding is a way of neatening a raw edge using a separate length of fabric, usually in a contrasting colour. Piping is a way to emphasize a seam or edge and can add strength to corners that might receive a lot of wear. For both binding and piping strips of…
Box Cushion Instructions A box or welted cushion is used mainly for seating on chairs or window seats where more depth is required. To achieve this, side sections or welts are added between the top and bottom cushion pieces. They can be made in a range of fabrics to match, contrast or co-ordinate with your…
Cafe Curtains Instructions Cafe curtains are an economical way of screening the lower part of a window to give privacy. They can be used in any room of the home but are ideal in the kitchen. Rods, decorative poles or curtain wires can be used to hang cafe curtains and they are positioned inside the…
Measuring Up for Curtains Measuring up for your window treatments should be one of the first steps, and probably one of the most important, you make. Get this wrong and no matter how well you sew your curtains the desired effect will not be achieved. For curtains outside the recess the track or pole needs…
