When designing the look of your bedroom, the bed is a natural visual and thematic focal point. Finding bed linens that fit your vision exactly can be difficult. The color should be right, the lines created by the linens should be pleasing, and the style must contribute to the room overall. If you can't find your perfect set of bed linens in stores, create some to fit all your needs. Making your own is a cost-effective way to tie your bedroom together. One way to do this is with applique, which is sewing fabric shapes onto a fabric base. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Sketch out various graphic designs that you might wish to put on your bed linens. When you find a shape you like, sketch different configurations to see how it will look when applied to your linens.
2. Choose fabric for your applique pieces. This could be solid colors for a bold yet simple look, or patterned fabric for interest. Coordinate your colors with your solid bed linens and the surrounding room.
3. With the fabric marker or chalk, draw your shape onto the wrong side of your applique fabric. Cut the shape out using fabric shears, leaving about 1/4 inch of fabric outside your marked line to allow room to finish the edges.
4. Fold your finishing allowance under--toward the wrong side of the fabric--and crease every few inches with your finger to create an even edge. If your crease does not stay in place easily, run a long, temporary hand stitch around the perimeter of the shape to maintain the finished edge temporarily.
5. Lay your bed linen out on a flat work surface, and pin your applique piece--right side up--onto the desired location. Pin the applique in place.
6. Thread your needle with a color that coordinates with your applique piece and your bed linens, and tie a knot in the end of the thread.
7. Insert your needle from the wrong side up through both the bed linen and the applique a millimeter or two from the applique's edge. Stitch off the edge of the applique and down through the linen alone, using a very short stitch.
8. Come back up through both the linen and the applique about 1/16 inch from your original stitch, and repeat along the entire perimeter of the applique.
9. Tie off your thread, trim any loose ends, and remove all pins.
Tags: your applique, with your, wrong side, your linens, about inch, both linen, both linen applique
