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A New Sewing Room

sewing-room-color

My sewing space has been in limbo for a while now.  First, it was in our unfinished bathroom that we decided to finish last year (although we are just now finishing that room), then I moved into our bedroom which has been fine, but I just needed my own space.  So I finally decided to take the playroom from the kids.  They are almost five and seven years old and agreed that it would be fun to have toys in their own rooms.  I’m feeling guilty about taking over the space, but I really need a calm place to myself (you said it, Virginia Woolf).  And now the girls have their own spaces too, which my older daughter seems to particularly enjoy.

So, I painted the walls this relaxing color (Martha Stewart’s Fresh Aquarium) and I covered this IKEA office chair with some Alexander Henry fabric and a woven fabric for the seat. I bought a rug and painted my sewing table white.  It’s almost there!  I hope to share more photos soon.

sewing-room-chair

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Bats in my Belfry

bat-window-clings

More bats!  I made these bats for the front door by editing the template from yesterday’s project.  I printed them out on window decal paper (available at your local office supply store).  Here’s the bat file for you.  Then just cut them out and press them onto the glass.  Spooky.  My husband thinks it’s too early for Halloween decorating, but bats year round, I say!

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Stitched Lamp Shade

make-it-monday1

stitched-lamp-shade1

I tried this last year to add some embellishment to a lamp shade, so I thought I’d quickly show you how I did it.

An easy project if you are brave enough to put a lamp shade in your sewing machine.  You’ll need an inexpensive paper or plastic lined shade.  I’d advise using a heavy-duty needle, long stitches on slow speed, with loose tension. Simply wind the thread that you want to show onto your bobbin and place the shade in your machine with the wrong side facing up, as shown below.  Stitch around — and that’s all!

stitching-lamp-shade1

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Chair Renovation

chair-renovation

I have trouble with furniture makeovers.  Well, these chairs with the rush seats (before, pictured on the left) were giving me splinters.  So I decided to get some inexpensive jute webbing and cover the seat.  I also painted them a dark taupe color, but now I think that I need to paint the kitchen table too!

My mother warned me that the jute would stretch and begin to sag, and guess what?  She was right, as always.  It’s not too bad, but we’ll see how long these last.  I’m thinking of making some cushions with a thin wooden base to help keep them around a little longer.  But I still think it’s an improvement!

You might be seeing the jute again since I have around 40 yards left over.  Jute purses, jute tote bags, jute walls, jute shirts….