February 12, 2016
A friend of mine was at the house around Christmas and seemed just fascinated with the runner on my dining table. The truth is, it was just a couple of yards of ivory satin. I fold the edges under and sort of swirled it around the candles and centerpiece until I was happy with the look. I’ve done this a long time and it hadn’t occurred to me that a lot of people think a table runner needs to be designed for that use. Here are a couple of views.
I think there’s nothing prettier than satin.
Unless it’s velvet.
Or a fun metallic.
I guess you get the picture.
I LOVE fabric!
This is a really cute Easter table with the runner done the same way from Lori’s Favorite Things…
Around the holidays I tend to use a lot of that ivory satin, and for the past few years, a 3 or 4 yards of it have been the skirt under our Christmas tree. Again, I just tuck under the raw edges and swirl it around. It catches the light so nicely, especially in the evening.
I used this next shot for that little stamp size photo on the back of our Christmas cards.
Another fun, easy, no-sew project is the make a wall hanging out of a piece of fabric. The possibilities are endless! You can use any small piece of fabric from a fabric store remnant table, or something that has special meaning to you. What do you think — a baby blanket, a piece of clothing from someone special from your life? I can think of a few things that belonged to my mother that I wish I had preserved this way.
You decide on the size you need and buy those wooden stretcher bars from Michaels, Hobby Lobby or any craft store. They’re designed for making art canvases and they have notches cut in the corner so they just fit together. If you can’t find the size you need locally, you can order them online in virtually any size you can think of. Then lay your fabric out on a flat surface and put your stretcher bar frame on it. Pull the edges of the fabric around to the back and staple in place with a heavy duty stapler. This one was in our bedroom before we moved and now in the room I’m fixing up (slowly, but surely) for a craft/sewing room. I thought it set off those photos of Boston churches nicely.
What could be easier than that?
Okay, I know this is nothing really special, but the porch for fall through Thanksgiving had an aqua/orange theme. You know I had just moved in and I was throwing things together pretty quickly. I had this piece of burlap and slapped it down with these craft store pumpkins and aqua votives. I guess I could have ironed that wrinkle out of the burlap! Maybe next year.
Here are a couple of other ideas. This is a great springy looking wall hanging made with a piece of fabric from The Budget Decorator.
They didn’t use the stretcher bars like I did, and that gives it a looser, more casual feel. I really love this, but I probably wouldn’t use the pompoms.
And this is Pretty Cool! From Skinny Mom
The frame backing is covered in fabric and then you could put whatever you want on top of the fabric. In this case they used greeting cards, but regular photos would be nice too. And, doesn’t it look like the fabric they used is from their window valance in the background. A great way to use a little leftover fabric AND tie it all together.
I’m always on the lookout for new ways to use the fabric I love, so bring on your thoughts!
See ya’ll next time,
Pam