One-of-a-Kind Placemats

These beautifully simple placemats are made from Kalamkari hand block prints on organic cotton.  A medium-weight stabilizer (poly/rayon) is added as a middle layer which acts as a light moisture barrier and gives the perfect amount of form. The backing is a simple off-white solid poplin from Kaufman's Pure Organic collection. 

I made mine to fit the width of the stabilizer which is 20". I made the height 14.5 because I wanted placemats that are big enough to fit plate, silverware and drink with room to spare. 

To avoid needing a binding, I simply sewed the three layers together with rights sides of fabric together, leaving a few inches along the bottom edge for turning. Once pressed, I top stitched along the outer edges to finish everything off.

Sew Easy Pillow Covers

I love how easy it was to give my old couch pillows new life with a bit of gorgeous fabric and a minimal amount of time at the sewing machine. No buttons, no zippers, no fuss!

The pillows shown are 20" square but you can modify the below instructions to fit the size you need (see bottom of post). I used a 7oz twill fabric to cover mine. Any quality heavy-weight muslin or home dec fabric will do. I've posted other fabric options at the bottom of this post (of course!) 

20" Square Pillow Covers with Envelope Closure

Materials Needed 

• 1 - 21" x 21" fabric pieces
• 2 - 21" x 14" fabric pieces
• Heavier weight thread (machine quilting weight worked great for me)
• Iron and ironing board

Assembly Instructions

1. Turn under a long edge of the 21" x 14" fabric 1/2". Press. Turn again to create a hem. Press. 
2. Top stitch pressed edge along the entire length to finish the hem. You will now have a 21" x 13" piece.
3. Repeat for the second piece of 21" x 14" fabric.
4. Place the 21" square fabric right side up on a work surface.
5. Lay one of the 21" x 13" pieces right side down (so right sides are together) Align raw edges. 
6. Lay the second 21" x 13" piece right side down, aligning the exposed raw edges of the bottom square. The two top pieces should overlap by a few inches. Pin all 3 pieces together at edges. See Diagram below.
7. Sew a 1/2" seam around the outside of the square. Be sure and backstitch at the beginning and end to secure the thread.
8. Trim corners to reduce bulk ensuring you don't clip into the seam. Turn and push corners out to get a nice form. Insert old (or new) pillow. 
9. Relax and enjoy!

Assemby Diagram

Size Modifications

You can adjust these directions to cover just about any pillow. Allow enough fabric for a 1/2" seam allowance, so if you're making an 18" square cover, you'll need 19" wide fabric. Adjust the height of the smaller pieces accordingly. You will want the finished pieces to overlap about 4" 

Other Fabric Ideas