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By Alyssa Davis
Don’t throw out those worn-out jeans. Save that damaged cocktail dress. These are the hidden treasures that, combined with some old throw pillows, turn into stylish accents for your home. You can add style to a ho-hum room by simply pulling some old clothes out of your closet. All you need to pull off a low-cost throw pillow makeover are some basic tools:
– Old pillows
– Old clothes – A cloth tape measure – Old newspaper or tissue paper – A sewing machine – A properly sized sewing machine needle – Matching thread – Matching zipper
Before you start collecting your supplies, it’s a good idea to consider the look you want to create. What is the style of the room you are adding these accent pillows to? Formal, Victorian, country, sophisticated, rustic-each of these decorating schemes demand a different kind of accent.
Here are some tips for picking the right clothes for different decorating schemes:
Formal: Choose clothes that have sophisticated textures-silks, damasks, jacquards, velvets. Clothing designs that have simple, classic lines will make pillow covers that have the necessary elegance to fit within a formal living room or bedroom.
Victorian: Choose clothes with tucks, ruffles and/or lace. Plain silks and velvets are typical Victorian fabrics. Taffeta and chintz are also typical Victorian fabrics. Look for embroidery that uses silk thread. Victorian embroidery is usually glossy.
Country: Choose clothes in natural fabrics. Checks, plaids, solids and florals all fit well in a country theme. Ruffles are common and less delicate forms of lace are seen everywhere. Look for garments that combine these elements. And don’t overlook the potential of denim in all the many colors it comes in. Country embroidery is usually cotton or wool.
Sophisticated: Choose clothes with shiny finishes. Metallics, sequins, and leathers can all say cutting edge. These fabrics are sometimes more difficult to work with, but choosing the right sewing machine needle can make a major difference.
Rustic: Choose clothes that have an outdoors’ man feel. Tweeds, wools, coarse weaves, and suede support a rustic ambiance. Distressed leather and sweater knits also say rustic. Denim may fit into this look as well.
Once you have chosen the right clothes. The next step is to decide whether you want to use a zipper, overlap the fabric at the back of the pillow, or hand stitch the opening closed. I prefer using an invisible zipper for square and rectangular pillows, because it’s also a lot easier to figure measurements and I can wash the covers if necessary. I can also design my pillows to be viewed two ways. When I feel in the mood for the more decorative side, I can have that side facing out. When my mood changes, I can flip the pillow to a plain version.
Now, it’s time to take measurements. I take a cloth tape measure and measure the width and height of the throw pillow. I add one inch to each of these measurements. This provides 1/2-inch of ease all around, so the cover isn’t too tight. I like to make a paper pattern using old newspaper or tissue paper. That way I can divide the pattern into pieces.
It’s rare to find a garment that will let you cut out a square in one piece. This is where creativity comes in. If you divide your pattern into pieces, you can create a unique pillow cover that takes advantage of any special seams or design elements in the garment. For example, you can position a pocket somewhere on the pillow (even one that was hidden in the seam). The only rule that you must remember is that every edge of the pattern piece needs a seam allowance. I recommend that you add 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch. You can use notches to mark which pieces match each other.
You will need two faces for each pillow-front and back. Before you can assemble the pillow cover, you have to sew each face completely so it forms one square (or rectangle or circle). Now, using an invisible zipper foot, stitch one side of the zipper to the front piece, with the zipper to the side you want facing out. Then match the back piece so the zipper lines up properly and stitch the other side in place. Now you can stitch the two halves together. If you have any questions, look at the instructions for installing an invisible zipper in a garment. I find that if I start at the bottom of the zipper and stitch all the way around the pillow until I reach the zipper pull, I get good results. Just remember to leave the zipper open, or you will have trouble turning the cover right side out. Trim bulk out of the corners and turn right side out. Insert the pillow, zip, and you have a neat, stylish pillow that looks good from either side.
If you prefer to have an overlap on the back side of the pillow, make two copies of your pattern. Cut the second pattern in half. Add four inches along the cut edge. After you cut the fabric, fold two inches of the fabric to the wrong side on each piece. Stitch the raw edge in place. Now, overlap the two pieces so that they are the same size as the front piece. Sew together along the outside edges. Trim bulk out of the corners and turn right side out. Insert the pillow, and you have a stylish new accent pillow for almost no cost.
If you decided to stitch your pillow cover closed and use neither a zipper nor an overlap, place the front and back pieces together, right sides touching. Stitch around the outside edges, leaving an opening that is about 4-inches smaller than the pillow’s measurement on that edge. Trim out the bulky corners, turn right side out, and insert the pillow. Slip stitch the opening closed by hand.
There you have it. Stylish pillows that you would never find anywhere else. You will be the envy of all your friends.
About the Author: Top designer and writer, Alyssa Davis of Metal-Wall-Art.com, has many ideas for bringing style to your home with metal wall art and black metal wall sculptures.
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