Tufted floor pillow

Sitting on the floor seems to run in my husband’s family. I prefer a couch, myself. But for those who lounge on the floor, how about getting comfy on a big, soft, tufted floor pillow? This pillow is HUGE, and the sewing part is really quick and easy. The tufting and covered buttons take the bulk of your time, but you’ll be surprised what a great pillow you get for little effort.

Bordered place mats

Last week, I showed you how to make mitered-corner napkins. This week, we’ll make coordinating place mats to go with them. My first attempt to make place mats came right when I taught myself to sew. I gave them to my grandmother. Looking back, boy were they awful! Funny, I’ve never seen them around her house. I guess they must have been bad if your grandma won’t pretend to like them. These place mats are super-easy to make, and they will hold up well in the wash.

Mitered-corner napkins

I love cloth napkins. I use them all the time, for no special occasion. Yet guests are always terrified to use them. They are so easy to make, good for the environment and make an average meal or snack feel a little bit special. Here is a quick and easy way to make napkins with nice mitered corners. Next week, we’ll make place mats with coordinating prints to go with these napkins for a full-on, fancy-pants dining experience.

Pillow trims

Pillows are a great way to spruce up your home. They add a warm, inviting touch and a comforting place to rest. But, boy, can they be expensive to buy. As sewers, we  are lucky enough to make our own decor items, and we can make them just how we want them. Pillows can be incredibly basic, or they can use pieced fabric design and fancy trims. This tutorial discusses adding rope lip cord and piping as trims to your pillows.

Pretty pieced pillows

Fancy throw pillows can cost an arm and a leg, but you can grab a few beautiful fabrics and make your own for a fraction of the cost. You choose the fabric combos and shapes and sizes. Piece together fabrics for variety and visual interest. You can make several pillows in just a day, and change the look of your whole room.