DIY Life

Personal touches are the new trend this fall, and I'm all for creating a fun spin on normal, everyday products. Naturally, these lovely fabric markers spotted on Mer Mag are right up my alley -- and should be up yours, as well. With a dash of skill, these markers can make anyone an artist.

Merrilee is attempting to create a tablecloth, using her pattern know-how to the best of her abilities. I think the look is marvelous, and the mustard yellow is the perfect accent for any dinner table. I can't wait to see how it looks finished!

Why not attempt to freehand your favorite pattern? Or, if you don't trust your creative instincts, simply trace a patterned silhouette, decal or paper cut onto the fabric. There is so much fun that can be had with just a few markers and a clean slate. Think of the possibilities -- curtains! bedding! blankets, oh my!

To purchase markers like Merrilee's visit Dharma Trading Co. right here.

Etsy is a great source for handmade goods (but steer clear if you're trying to limit your spending--- whew!), and every now and then I come across a tutorial for a product that is so perfect I can't believe it's handmade. Such is the case with Etsy seller Michelle (mtraub) and her felt rosette pillows. Luckily, she shows us how to create our own rosettes with this easy tutorial!

The materials are simple enough:

• felt fabric
  
• feather pillow insert
• zipper
• sewing kit
• sewing machine

My favorite part about her tutorial is the fact that the rosette can carry over into any craft you'd like, whether it be a hat, cardigan, tablecloth or even a paper product. I'd love to use a few rosettes in a table setting, perhaps as a napkin ring or a sweet decoration to brighten up the mood.

Whatever craft you decide to make, your rosette will surely be the talk of the town! Enjoy!

It seems that purchasing headboards are a thing of the past with countless tutorials, exemplars and crafty ideas to tackle the project yourself. Our friends at ShelterPop couldn't agree more with Eugenia's latest take on fabric headboards -- cheap and stylish!

Paris-based interior designer Frédéric Méchiche wooed design lovers with this glorious take on an otherwise boring bedroom. Complete with a graphic, bold swag of fabric as a stand-in for a headboard, the look is equal parts dramatic and luxurious. Even better? We'd dare say the cost of re-creating the aesthetic would be well under $100. Try a more gauzy fabric for a romantic look, or dress it up with linen for a nature-inspired touch.

Forget pricey headboards; get creative and get to work. To inspire and give you a push in the right direction, here are a few of my favorite headboard techniques and tutorials... right here at DIY Life:
-DIY Headboards to Inspire Your Dreams
-Fabric Covered Headboards
-Don't Get Bored With That Headboard; Get Creative

A great-fitting swimsuit is well worth some TLC. Quality suits don't usually come cheap, so protect your investment! And, hey, even if you got your favorite swimsuit for a song, you'll still want to make it last, summer after wonderful summer. Here are a few tips to keep your suit looking brand new!

1. Avoid sitting directly on concrete or other rough pool-surround materials. If you must, at least don't ever scoot forward or back on your butt. Try sitting on a towel to protect your suit's seat.

2. Keep your favorite suit out of the hot tub. Heat damages the fabric, reducing its elasticity. Use an older suit for soaking in the hot tub and reserve your favorite/s for beach and pool-side fun.

According to Super Eco, it depends. With the growing popularity of bamboo, eco-fabrics and "green"wear, the environmental-friendly clothing may not be quite as friendly as you assume. Here's why:

1. Chemically manufactured bamboo fiber is a "regenerated cellulose fiber similar to rayon or modal." And where are chemically-manufactured fibers created? In manufacturing facilities, most of which pose potential health hazards and damage to the surrounding environment.

2. A research team at Colorado State University recently found that, contrary to bamboo's finest selling points, the anti-bacterial qualities praised in bamboo fabric are found in many other fibers and are not unique to eco-friendly fabrics. What this means? If you're paying more for the deodorizing, antibacterial effect, take your money elsewhere.

3. Many bamboo fabrics originate in China, where labor practice is often suspect.

So how can you be sure your tee is green? According to the LA Times, check for the Oeko-Tek 100 certification, which won't be placed on a clothing label, but most manufacturers will post their certification on their site. The Oeko-Tek 100 is proof that your clothing is free of dangerous and potentially harmful chemicals.

Bamboozled? Don't be. Just remember to shop smart and do your research. You'll be living green in no time!

My friend recently wallpapered her kids' playroom with painter's canvas and I started thinking about all of the different uses the fabric could provide. When my mind ran to slipcovers, I remembered a few other creative textiles that could work just as well! Consider the following the "Three O's of Creative Slipcovering":

1. Oilcloth: I love the idea of taking an oilcloth tablecloth (say that three times fast!) to cover an ottoman. Oilcloth is both sturdy and virtually stain-resistant, and the bright pops of color could be perfect for any accent piece. I'd use a bright, bold piece like this or this for a no-sew slipcover that's easy as the pie you can eat from it!

2. Oxford. I once used my husband's outdated Oxford shirt (it had the most lovely pinstripes I've ever seen) to recover a pillow. Peruse your closets for lovely patterns and textures that you may not wear anymore, and even scout your local thrift store for the same. A linen dress could become a lovely cushion, or a lace top can transform itself into a placemat.

3. Oldies. If you have outdated curtains, draperies or blankets, consider thinking of ways to re-purpose them. Perhaps your old curtain could become a duvet cover, or a new sheet set could make a lovely curtain? Feel free to re-think the packaging for a lovely and unexpected slipcover.

If you follow these simple "O"'s, you'll be basking in slipcover heaven in no time.

Plans for homemade hammocks range from the complicated to the super-simple. Let's focus on the latter: those made and hung in an hour or less using easy online instructions. You can have it done in plenty of time for your 4th of July get-together!

You will need an eight or ten foot length of any sturdy fabric and about 50 feet of equally sturdy rope. Both must be tough enough to suspend your weight without snapping.

Having previously used wallpaper to cover my kitchen cabinets, I'm ready to change them for a new look. Since I get bored fairly easily with my decor, I like to spruce things up about every six months, and I am so itching for newly decorated cabinets.

Thanks to help from Tipnut, I found the perfect kitchen cabinet makeover project over on Tres Chic Veronique. Using pretty fabric covered in bees and honeycombs, Veronique cut the fabric an extra inch on each side, then hammered in thumbtacks to secure the fabric to the cabinet door.

I read in the comment section of Veronique's post that Scotchgaurd was used to help eliminate grease and stains when the fabric is wiped down. If you, like me, are unsure of whether or not you want to use regular fabric on your cabinets, then maybe the best alternative would be to use oilcloth, since that can be wiped down easily.

I am in desperate need of a kitchen apron. I have been cooking since I was 8 years old, and I have always absentmindedly wiped my hands on my clothing, even though there is always a dish towel nearby. Yup, I need an apron.

DIY Maven on Curbly has written a fabulous tutorial, complete with awesome pictures, teaching us how to turn large cloth napkins into a kitchen apron using a sewing machine. You'll need several yards of ribbon for tie strings and for the apron collar, and of course, some basic sewing skills.

This apron is perfect, not just for the kitchen, but also for gardening. The pockets in the apron could hold your kitchen gadgets, or your gardening tools. Of course, I always absentmindedly wipe my dirty hands on my clothes when I am gardening too.

Check your local thrift stores for some awesome napkins. Mine always seem to have the prettiest sets of fabric napkins on hand, and for the price they sell at (6 for $1.00), there are plenty available to make as gifts for my gardening and cooking friends.

Last week I painted the outside of my front door.

I left the inside of the door alone, so that my kitchen would stay light and bright. I am glad I didn't paint it, since last month I had to move some furniture around to make room for my new freezer-on-the-bottom refrigerator, and the front door is constantly being bumped against the microwave stand. I am desperately in need of a doorstop to keep my door from being marred.

Elizabeth Hartman has a downloadable PDF tutorial on how to make a nine-patch bean-filled doorstop. Choose your fabric, have 5 pounds of dried beans on hand, and sew up that little gorgeous number.

What's really nice about the fabric doorstop is that it has a handle so that you can carry it around and use it for different doors in your house. I also think it would be great to knock out a burglar, should you happen to be so unfortunate as to have one visit.

In any case, I love the doorstop. It's perfect for all my door-opening-and-closing needs.

[via: Whip Up]

Fabric: so very versatile, necessary, and perfect for any crafting need. For me, the hardest part of purchasing fabric is choosing which fabric I want to take home. I usually end up going overboard with my purchases, as I can never decide on just one color.

My girls were to share a room, so they each would have had their own twin bed separated by a night table. Since they carry my genes, I know that they'd get bored very easily with their headboards. The perfect solution? Cover the headboards with coordinating fabric that they picked out themselves.

Fabric, scissors, and a staple gun are all you need to have on hand to create your one-of-a-kind headboard. Just staple the fabric to the headboard, working outwards from the center. Don't pull too tight, as you don't want to stretch and tear the fabric. When you are done, stand back and admire your job-well-done.

Looking for more headboard covering ideas? Check out my previous post on covering a wood headboard with fabric, and Brian's post on more creative headboard ideas.

[via: Craft]

Starch and laundry get along really well, and you can also use corn starch to thicken up homemade gravy and other homemade delicacies, but did you know that you can use corn starch to "paint" fabric onto your walls?

Jessica at How About Orange made homemade starch, sketched out her plan, cut out fabric, then applied the homemade starch to the fabric. She then applied the fabric to her door, smoothing out any air bubbles she encountered along the way.

Jessica used double-stick tape to see how the fabric would first look arranged on her door. She advises that when taking the fabric off the wall, all you have to do is peel off the pieces and wipe off any leftover starch with a damp cloth.

I love the decals, as they are perfect for times when hammering nails into a wall just isn't appropriate, such as in dorm rooms. They can also cover up any nail holes left by previous tenants, or you can just simply have fun decorating your walls at your whim.

Look adorable -- and express your patriotism at the picnic! -- with this easy and stylish no-sew red, white, and blue hair sash.

If you dread donning predictable holiday attire, you can whip up your own originally designed homage to the Fourth of July in about an hour. You'll get full credit for being patriotic and part of the gang, but you'll have the satisifaction of doing it your own way.

You could even make these for the kids, the dog, and grandma, and turn out a matching do-rag for the hubby and anyone else who shares your distaste for manufactured stars and stripes garb; after the Fourth, you can still use these instructions to make yourself a great headband. You'll find complete instructions after the break, and a demonstration in the gallery below!

Recently, I've written about projects you can make using fabric scraps, from fabric flower cards to hair curlers. More, more, more, you say!

How about fifty more? That's how many fabric scrap projects TipNut has compiled. Is a diaper case something you've been needing? Maybe an iPod cozy or even a rag rug is more what you are looking for.

I love the trim boxes: cute fabric boxes on a small scale that you can use to store any tiny things that tend to get away from you. But the first thing I am making from this list is the fabric envelope -- no sewing and so classy!

Will you make the door draft dodger, or the layered fabric photo mats? Tell us about your favorite project using your fabric scraps.

Back when I was writing about all the things you can do with one yard of fabric, I found that for many projects, a yard of material was actually too much. There are scads of things you can make using only fabric scraps, leftover from other projects.

This is good news for those of us who save everything, but really don't have a place for it all... so pull out those bags of fabric scraps and start sewing! Some of these projects make great gifts; you'll be customizing your gift for your recipient, and saving a lot of money, too.

Fabric flower cards: Maggie has written a previous post on how to make fabric flower cards. Using your fabric scraps, you can create a floral garden right on cardstock. What a beautiful gift.