Posted
August 21, 2009 by
erin under
Remedies Now that the children are back in school you can’t be there to change their clothing as soon as a stain happens. Here are a few reminders for easily removing various stains.
Ink: Use hairspray. You probably have that right? The alcohol in the spray helps to break up the ink. Just spray and let it sit, the spray again. Repeat this until the ink is gone. Then wash it out with your regular detergent.
Fruit Juice: Make a paste with cream of tarter and warm water and spread on the stain. Let it sit for 1/2 to 1 hour and then rinse and wash regularily with your other laundry.
Oil: Scrub some dishwasher detergent on the oil spot and let it sit for a little bit. Wash in warm water as normal.
Crayon (or melted crayon from those ones that accidentally stayed in someone’s pocket): Place the item in the freezer until the crayon is hard and brittle. Shatter and shake off the excess. Sponge the excess with a spot stain remover and you’re good to go!
Do you have a special remedy you’d like to share? Be sure to leave us a comment!
Tags: How to, laundry, stain remover, stains
Posted
June 25, 2009 by
erin under
How to One of our readers Christy wrote us with the following dilemma:
“My couches are nasty but not nasty enough to get rid of–especially with my kids! I’d like to have some slipcovers that I can wash but I’m overwhelmed by what is available. I can handle something DIY but I want them to be snug and not look like, well, slipcovers. Am I asking for the impossible here? What do you think?”
Christy is right, there are lots of slipcovers out there that scream “I’m a slipcover!” The main reason they look like this is due to the fact that sofas come in many sizes, shapes, and styles and the slipcover manufacturer must make their slipcovers to fit as many sofas as possible. This tends to have features like bunched fabric, extra fabric, or skirts that are too long or too short. (Good thing apparel manufacturers don’t try to do the same thing!)
Christy, good news is, if you know your way around a sewing machine you can essentially make your own pattern with a little effort. I just finished helping one of my clients do the exact same thing. While I didn’t sew them myself I worked with my workroom to make sure they were fitted, and not more of the drape and tie type of slipcover. I watched her very carefully during the process so I could make my own later, and share with you how it’s done.
Things you’ll need to make the pattern:
1 bolt muslin fabric
Lots of pins
Pinking Shears
You’ll want to start off with the bolt of muslin. (Sometimes I’ll go straight to working on the pattern with the final fabric to be used, but since upholstery fabric can get expensive, and, depending on the design of your sofa you’ll need 10-15 yards of fabric we’ll use inexpensive muslin to create the pattern and then cut out the final pieces with your fabric.)
If your cushions are removable, go ahead and remove them so you have the basic shape of your sofa. Lay a large piece of fabric down on the sofa seat. (It’s called the deck without the cushions there.) Cut out the exact shape leaving 1/2″ extra fabric around all the edges. Continue to cut the pieces out by draping the fabric, trimming, and then pin together. You’re essentially putting the pattern together right there on your sofa. If you’re having trouble figuring out where to cut the pieces and make seams, just look at how your current sofa is upholstered, and anywhere there’s a seam, you know that you will also need a seam there.
After you’ve got the sofa pattern completed, make separate templates using your cushions. If the seat cushions are all the same size, just do one template and use it for all of them. Do the same for the back cushions.
When you’ve got your pattern made you’re practically there! Be sure to prewash the upholstery fabric you’re using first. We wouldn’t want to sew the entire slipcover, and then have it shrink on us!!
Remove all the pins from your pieced pattern (be sure you number or label them to keep then straight!) and lay them out on your final fabric. Cut the pieces out and sew together. Remember to match patterns if your upholstery fabric has a pattern to it. If you’re using a suede or other fabric with nap, keep that in mind as you cut out the pieces too. (For good instructions on the order in which to sew everything see here.)
Sew your cushion covers and place on your sofa! You just made a custom fitted slipcover!!
Be sure you keep your muslin pieces so you can sew different slipcovers later!
Tags: DIY, fabric, furniture, How to, make, sew, slipcover, sofa
Posted
June 24, 2009 by
erin under
Design Basics Here on Fresh Nest Design we love giving you the tools to be your own designer because that’s what we’re all about! Part of that is making sure you know what goes into choosing durable fabrics so that you can make your own informed decisions! I won’t talk much about choosing color schemes this time. (Probably in the near future though!) If you look at a fabric label you’ll see much more information than just the name of the pattern and the color. But how do you decode everything else that’s on there?
This label has lots of important information on there and we’ll try to sort through it all in the next few weeks so you can ALL be experts! What do they mean when they reference double rubs? Well hopefully I can help a little! And if you have any questions please feel free to ask them in the comments and I’ll answer then for you! If there’s enough questions about different things I’ll do a separate post.
The double rubs refer to a test where a special machine is utilized and a pad is rubbed back and forth over the surface of the fabric multiple times. This is done until a hole is worn through the fabric.
If it takes 25,000 rubs to make a hole than the fabric is labeled that it is durable to 25,000 double rubs. Some fabrics are rated for 100,000 to 200,000 double rubs! When compared to that amount, it seems like a 25,000 double rub fabric is not so durable, but in fact, 25,000 is perfectly fine for most residential applications.
Most of the ones rated higher than say, about 50,000, are for commercial use. When I design emergency rooms and I’m looking at the fabric labels to see what is safe to use on the chairs there, 50,000 is plenty for that application. (And emergency room fabrics get TONS of abuse and are used 24/7!)
If you’re ordering a sofa and getting custom fabric from a furniture store this information might not be in plain sight. You may have to ask the sales associate to do a little more work and find out the information for you! But it will help that you can make a more informed decision about the fabric you’re choosing! I hope this has been helpful and remember, if there’s any questions be sure to ask them in the comments!
Tags: fabric, How to, learn
Posted
June 1, 2009 by
deb under
Space Redesigns Remember Cara’s window? She wanted something to accent her light fixture and lighten up the room, but block the sun when needed as well. I decided to give a couple options– both of which are great fabrics. Here are my options below:
Window treatments can be difficult to choose from as there are so many different styles. Cara is great on the sewing machine so I thought Roman shades would be a great fit for her. They are wonderful at dressing up a space and are easy to pull up and down. Here is a great step by step tutorial on how to make your own Roman Shades {via Martha Stewart}. When buying the fabric to make roman shades, add 4 inches to the width and 8 1/2 inches to the length. {Cara’s window is 35″ x 47″ so she would need 39 x 55 1/2″ or 43″ x 51″, if the fabric can be turned on its side}.
The first fabric I choose is from Cicada Studio and is called Queen Anne’s Lace. I love this fabric and thought it would be a great fit for Cara’s style. I also love the freshness it brings into the room, as well as color. It is a durable fabric that drapes nicely and is made of 50% Linen; 50% Cotton. {Cost: $68 for 54″x 36″}
The second fabric I choose is Maime Bamboo Thatch from ReproDepot.com and is a more budget friendly option. It has a great color pop and is very budget friendly. It is 100% Cotton and may need some backing so that it’s more durable and lays right. {Cost: $7.50 for 44″x 36″}
Cara, I really enjoyed redesigning the window treatments for your kitchen.
I am curious, dear readers, which fabric do you like better?
Interested in having your space redesigned? Click here.
Tags: DIY, fabric, How to, Kitchen, roman, shades, window
Posted
May 28, 2009 by
erin under
DIY This is a project that I’ve had on my to-do list for a while! Try making your own canvas rug! I think my next place with all hardwood floors will be the perfect place to try it out.
See the full set of supplies and instructions from Martha Stewart.
Tags: DIY, DIY design, How to, paint, Painted, painting, rug, Tutorial
