Guest Picks: Fabric and Home Decor Tutorials
There are so many great DIY ways out there to use colorful fabric in the home, so I've linked each swatch with a tutorial. Some tutorials don't even require a sewing machine, and all of them are geared toward beginners. — Melissa from I Still Love You
I love this small Ikat print. It would be great on a chair. Learn how to upholster a simple chair here.
Decorating for man's best friend doesn't have to be cheesy in order to be a little on-the-nose. I would totally channel my inner post-modernist and decorate a doggy pillow for my pet (if I had one). Make a doggy pillow out of a suitcase here.
I love the randomness of this pattern. The neutral tone and the random bubbles would make for a perfect little catchall for keys or mail. Make a catch-all box here.
I love that the bold gray and black stripes are broken up with fine white stripes. This fabric would be perfect for roman shades. Make your own no-sew roman shades here.
I like the wave and the neutral color palette. This colorway would work well with both browns and blacks. This would be fantastic for a pillow! Envelope pillow tutorial found here.
This Greek-inspired print is on a quilting-weight cotton, which would be the perfect weight for napkins, curtains or faux wallpaper. If you live in a space with boring white walls, this would certainly add a lot more spice to the mix. Make fabric into renter-friendly wallpaper here.
I love this pattern. It's atypical from what I've seen around in the home decor realms. While it is a bold print, it's in a neutral tone, which would be perfect for mixing with other prints. I would use this to make a tufted headboard, as seen here.
With the overwhelming popularity of the chevron pattern, this variation has been popping up in all sorts of places. I love it! This would be perfect for a bow pillow, and you could do the bow with an alternating fabric. It'd be a great way to mix hard and soft styles within a home. Bow pillow tutorial can be found here.
This fabric would coordinate so well with the Swavelle Fabric featured in this ideabook. The print reminds me of tumbleweeds in a way. This would work perfectly for a pillow. Make a pillow with an invisible zipper here.
This drapery fabric would be great for homemade drapes. It's lightweight and has a lot of white in the print with only little bits of color. As someone who is very sensitive to the tone of light coming through the windows, this would allow for white light to come through the windows and still provide a bold statement in your room. Make your own drapes as seen here.
This is such a fun pattern! The simple color scheme and the ornate print would make for a fantastic headboard. Make a no-sew headboard with upholstery tacks here.
This is a really bright, floral laminate fabric. Given enough time, I'd make a set of four floor pillows with this print. It would make for some really memorable picnics with the family. Make your own floor pillows here.
The play between positive and negative space is fantastic here. The simple color scheme is also a plus. I would use this fabric to make simple cloth napkins. Make simple napkins here.
I love this flat pattern and the little added dimension of the analogous color scheme. This would be perfect in the kitchen for short drapes or tea towels. Or, if you're really crafty (or know someone who is), this print would make for fantastic oven mitts!Make your own oven mitts here.
I have a few tufted upholstery projects I've been thinking about recently, and one of the biggest hurdles is finding the right fabric for the job. I want something unique and beautiful, but because of the tufts, it can't have a very prominent print on it. This herringbone would provide some texture, but since it's still very simple in nature, it wouldn't be completely eye-searing. Learn how to make a diamond tufted headboard here.
The rough nature of the stripes reminds me of a very impressionistic Ikat. I love the colorway on this; it would go well as a pillow, bedsheets or cafe curtains. Make up some cafe curtains in a jiffy with this tutorial.
There must be something about blue Ikat patterns these days; I'm seeing so many fantastic blue patterns out there. I don't really have any blue in my house, but I think I should start adding pieces here and there. This would be the perfect pop of color for a handmade booster seat. Make a booster seat out of discarded phone books here.
This bold pattern would make for a great accent on the bottom of curtains, couch pillows or place mats! I'd use it sparingly, though, because the print really packs a punch.A quick and easy place mat tutorial can be found here.
Jewel tones have become increasingly popular in fashion, so why not in home decor? I could see myself using this fabric in a big-girl room. It would be great for pillow shams. Let's be honest though, I'd likely end up buying an extra yard or two and wearing the fabric as well. This would also be fantastic for a pillow. An envelope pillow tutorial can be found here.Next: 10 Fabulous Fabrics and Textiles for your Home
How fantastic would this be as a pillow on a gray armchair next to a little stool with a sweet terrarium inside? I love the mix of organic shapes with the stark color contrast. Make a euro-sham with flanges with this tutorial.
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