Runners for the Bride

As in "table linens," of course, not sprinters.

The bride who had me make a sash for her dress also wanted coordinating runners to decorate the tables at the reception.




The fabric is actually more navy than it appears in the photo, and the lining is more ecru than actual white. It has a poly/cotton fiber content. It had to be a closely-woven cotton or cotton-blend, because the bride plans to have a wreath design screen printed on to match the graphics on the wedding invitations. Each of the runners is seven feet long by one foot wide, with a decorative seam two inches from the edge.

Simply elegant.

Cushy Redo

Sometimes you just need something new. Or at least something that looks new. Moth and rust doth corrupt, after all--as do our beloved pets...

In this case, my client's dogs had decided that it would be fun to tear up the covers of her couch cushions. When she decided to redecorate, the interior designer with whom she was working told her to get a new couch. That is not an inexpensive proposition.

The couch itself was in good shape, but the cushions looked decidedly the worse for wear. Besides, she liked the couch. So she contacted me about recovering the cushions and making some new throw pillows.

When she brought the cushions to me, she had already cut off and thrown away the old covers. If she had not done so, I could have used them for patterns. I managed just fine without them, though. (The finished cushions are on my daybed in the photo; I wanted a picture of them but knew I would not be able to see them in her house.) The throw pillows are simple chenile squares. The covers for the couch cushions have piping around the edges and zippers on the bottoms, since she wanted to be able to remove and wash the covers. Considering the fact that she has dogs, that was not a bad idea.

Her ottoman also needed reviving. She was particularly pleased with how well it turned out, and so was I. The top cushion has a zipper on the bottom and is attached to the base with Velcro, again making it possible to remove and wash the cover. The base itself has an elasticized cover so that it, too, can be taken off.

This project cost her much less than buying a new couch would have, and she still got to update her decor the way she wanted. It is great to be able to resuscitate someone's "treasure."

Pillowed Parlors

Throw pillows can really make a big difference in a room. They can either complement or contrast with the overall decor, emphasizing different aspects of the color scheme. They also make the room cozier and more welcoming, inviting people to settle in and be comfortable.

In this case, my client wanted throw pillows for two very different rooms: the living room and the game room. She had fabric to work with both rooms; I just had to turn the material into pillows. The style of pillow is the same for both rooms, although the piping size is different for the two rooms.

This is in the living room. The small photo at the top of the post is of the left-hand pillow on the couch. Once again, the camera flash caused a color change.

This is in the game room. The walls in this room are actually the same shade of pale blue that is in the paisley pattern of the fabric. In both rooms, throw pillows were an easy way to add interest and comfort to the decor.

Not Just a Scarf Anymore

One of the great things about sewing is being able to take one thing and turn it into something else. In this case, my client had a window scarf that she wanted made into a valance for her kitchen. She loved the material, but it just was not what she wanted for the room. Since I am quite accustomed to looking at just about any fabric item as a possible supply source for another project, it was easy for me to envision the scarf as something else. Not everyone can mentally "see" finished products like that, but my client could. In fact, she knew just how she wanted the valance to look and made me a sketch of it. I love working with creative, artsy people like that. They know what they want; I just have to figure out how to construct it.

After taking the measurements and with my client's sketch and the details she had given me about additional accents, I set off to find the necessary material and buttons. It does not show up very much in the photos, but the scarf fabric has dark sage green stripes among all the reds, oranges, and golds. I found some gabardine that nicely picked up the green. Finding the wooden buttons was harder; they must not be especially popular right now. However, I eventually discovered some that would work.

Since the scarf material was very fluid, I lined the valance with unbleached cotton muslin to give it some body. The straps are for decoration only; they cannot be unbuttoned. Since, as you can see, there is considerable wall space between the top of the window and the ceiling, the length of the valance visually extends the window and makes the room itself seem taller and more spacious.

It really looks good in her lovely kitchen. She told me that she receives many compliments on it, and that is always gratifying to hear.