Custom DIY Canvas Apron

I love adding that special touch to our BnB's, so I try to create custom items whenever I can. Lot's of times people like to stay in our cozy cottage and cook, so I thought, why not make an apron?

I used 10 oz Natural Cotton Duck Canvas from FabricWholesaleDirect.com. It's a strong, heavyweight, durable fabric. The fabric itself is also soft and flexible, making it easy to work with.
Natural cotton duck canvas is frequently used for both crafts and apparel, so since I have some left over, I think I'm going to make a reusable grocery bag too!

But, back to the apron. I wanted to give the apron a little color, so I added a trim of Turquoise Ottertex Marine Vinyl to the pocket and other areas. They come in a lot of fun colors but can be a bit difficult to sew since the foot of my sewing machine stuck to the vinyl. I ended up hand sewing some of the details.

Then, to make the apron even more special, I created a logo for our Bnb, printed it out on Printable T-Shirt Transfer paper which you can order through Avery, Amazon, Michaels, Staples, etc. Cut it out, placed it on top area of the apron and ironed it on.

I love the way it came out!

I folded the fabric in half, drew a curve where the shoulder would be and cut it out. One of the easiest things to make. I left the raw edge of the fabric for the bottom of the apron.

I cut little notches around the shoulder hole, ironed and then folded it over again and pressed.

I used turquoise thread for some contrast and to match the vinyl. I folded in the side edges and top of the apron and sewed.

I cut a strip of fabric about 3 inches wide and 2 feet long, ironed edges, folded over and sewed it closed. Pinned to the sides of the apron and sewed it on. I did the same for the top of the apron, but made a loop to go around the head.

I made a large pocket for the front, folded the edges in and ironed it flat. I then cut a strip of blue vinyl and sewed that to the top of the pocket. I sewed the pocket to the apron and added some vertical lines to create 3 separate pockets.

Placed my printed t shirt transfer paper on the top portion of the apron and ironed it on.

Personalized pillowcase DIY

 Add some whimsy to your bedroom with these fun DIY pillowcases. These make great gifts for newlyweds, new home owners, college dorms and more. Write any message you want!

My husband and I run 2 Airbnbs. One is called Storybook, the other Pine Grove. I thought it would be fun to write those on the pillowcases to greet our guests when they enter the bedroom...it's those personalized, extra touches that make our cottages popular.

You can purchase pre-made pillowcases but I decided to sew my own. I used 100% Cotton Broadcloth fabric from www.fabricwholesaledirect.com. The fabric comes in a variety of colors and it feels and sews great!

It's rather simple to sew your own cases. Standard pillowcases measure 21" x 32", but I made mine a bit smaller so my pillows would look extra fluffy. :)

Once you have your pillowcase sewn, it's time to create your message. I have access to design programs so it was easy for me to lay out the fonts and messages. But you can freehand your message if you like. I printed out my messages on 11x17 paper.

I taped my message to my window (but if you're lucky to have a lightbox, feel free to use that!) and centered my completed pillowcase on top of the message and outlined it in pencil. Remove from window.

Once I had the entire message outlined in pencil, I placed a piece of cardboard inside the case so the marker doesn't go through to the other side. I used Sharpies but I suggest using fabric markers. I outlined the message with a thin marker and then filled it in with a thicker marker. I also decided to keep it simple, using just black but why not create your message in color? I outlined my message with an embroidered border.

Wash your pillowcases in cold water and tumble low.

Here are some more messages:
Sleep Well
Sweet Dreams
Count Sheep
Mr Mrs
His Hers
His His
Hers Hers

Entryway Bench and Pillow Project

I purchased this bench for our entryway awhile back. It had a very simple cushion on it and I knew one day, I would give it a makeover. I failed to take a "before" picture, because I got so excited about starting a new project!

I decided on burlap and velvet. I ordered both from fabricwholesaledirect. I loved the idea of combining something rustic and something luxurious...just like my home. I went with a beige colored burlap (but it comes in 12 colors). It's an extremely versatile and durable natural fabric at a great price! The micro velvet is extremely soft and comes in so many colors, it was difficult to choose.

I'm not the best at sewing but I can manage simple projects like curtains, cushions, pillows. :) I decided to try piping for the first time....it was not that easy for me but I'm happy with the results for a first-timer. I found the burlap very easy to sew but the micro velvet can be a bit challenging.

CUSHION

VELVET PILLOW
I also made some pillows for the bench. I combined the gold and blue velvet for the larger pillow and backed it with burlap. I also added a burlap trim to the pillow.

STRIPED TEXTURED PILLOW
I made a smaller pillow and added some texture by removing some of the burlap thread in rows, vertically and horizontally. I cut the velvet into strips and weaved it through the fabric at different lengths to create a criss cross pattern.

Easy Reupholstered Cushion DIY

 Summer is here and it’s time for a refresh of the back deck of our Airbnb.

I purchased these chairs which came with the beige cushions...hmm, I thought to myself, “This sitting area needs more pizazz and color, plus the fabric it came with was rather flimsy and got dirty fast.

I obviously needed a durable, outdoor fabric and something that can withstand the sun. I found this pretty Ottertax canvas from FabricWholesaleDirect.com. (Don’t let the name of the company fool you, you don’t have to be a huge corporation to buy from them, you can be a weekend crafter like me.)

They had so many fun, vibrant designs to choose from that I had a difficult time picking. But, being that I’m in Woodstock, NY, I thought this floral pattern was perfect...kinda goes with the feel and funkiness of the area and it surely will brighten up that back porch.

This canvas is perfect for outdoor and indoor projects. It features a plastic PVC backing and waterproof coating, making it extremely durable and resilient.

My sewing skills are limited and I didn’t want to spend an entire weekend making cushions with individual panels. So, I decided to wrap the cushion like a present...well, it is kind of a gift to the porch. :)

I removed the old covers and placed the cushion on the fabric, with Cocoa's help, making sure I had enough to cover the front, back and sides...just like wrapping a gift. I folded the fabric over the front of the cushion to the back and then wrapped the sides like a present. I made sure to have enough fabric in the back of the cushion to seal it. I folded the edges of the two side panels under, pinned it in place and removed it from the cushion. I was a little worried that my sewing machine might not be able to handle the fabric, but it easily did. Whew!

Once I had the two sides sewn, how am I going to close it? I’m not very good at zippers so I decided to seal it with very strong velcro...easy!


With some added plants and two bright green pillows, I just love how my deck looks now! Thank you FabricWholesaleDirect.com!