No budget for binding? Try this quick patchwork method for repurposing your fabric scraps into binding, flat bias tape and piping. It’s very easy (thanks to the Bias Tape Maker tool) and produces yards and yards of professionally crafted trim for free! This scrappy-style embellishment will add a unique finish to your quilts, blankets, curtains, tablecloths and other home sewing projects without adding cost. Instructions next page.
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Old ticking is by far my favorite yarn-dyed cotton. I love the tight twill weave, soft hand and shaded colors. I started collecting vintage ticks (mattress and pillow sacks) 15 years ago and soon realized the stripe designs are vast ranging from the common all-American indigo & white single-stripe to the unique multi-color French awning patterns from the early 1900’s. It’s easy to want them all!
This traditional fabric is one of the most adaptable for eco-home décor and offers endless design opportunities for re-purposing.
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I went to a neighborhood estate sale last weekend and came home with a bag of happiness. It’s hard to resist charming embroidered linens from the 1950’s, and earlier. The cheery floral designs and colorful stitching are definitely mood enhancers!
Originally designed as table runners, dresser scarves and arm rest covers these decorative pieces inspire many new uses like a bolster wrap. Read on for pics and how-to.
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Creating a new use for an old textile item, in most cases, is one of the most sustainable methods of furnishing our homes. That’s because the used textile has already had a chance to out gas and the repurposing or upcycling process requires significantly fewer resources compared to manufacturing a new item.
Tablecloths, sheets and curtains for example, are some of the easiest and most versatile home textiles to repurpose. They’re instant yardage! Zero to little deconstruction required. I turned this pretty vintage tablecloth into a machine-quilted coverlet, which can also be used as throw. I backed it with a like-new flannel sheet and I used a thin layer of organic cotton batting.
Hunt down a new-used or vintage tablecloth of your own and get started. Here’s how.
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