There are times when a new blogger comes along and you just know their blog is going to be awesome and a daily read.  Jami from Freckled Laundry is one of those special bloggers.  She has a beautiful style, great pictures, and informative content.  Jami has a passion for textiles that rivals my love of furniture.  She also knows her stuff and was willing to share that overflow of knowledge with us today.  Thanks, Jami, for taking the time to teach us more about something you’re passionate about.  “Hello. I’m Jami, stopping by from freckled laundry and completely flattered to be guest posting on Miss Mustard Seed’s Creative (and very inspirational) blog. Thank you so much, Marian! When I’m not completely absorbed in my blissful role as mom of infant twins and a second grader, I’m transforming my home into a vintage chic cottage on the cheap and creating handmade wares for my shop.

I had so many people send me e-mails and comments asking for a tutorial and fabric source for my dining room curtains.  Come on, ladies!  You’re my girls.  Do you really think I would leave you all hanging like that?  All you have to do is pay $50 for the e-tutorial and I’ll tell you everything! Just kidding. Here’s the dish…for free. ‘Cause you’re my girls.  Don’t be scared if you’re new to sewing.  If you can cut, measure, and sew a (semi) straight line, you can make these.  They are very forgiving. First of all, these curtains are “dummy panels”, which means they are non-functioning drapes. My fabric is 58″ wide and that was ample for my windows.  If you need the curtains for privacy, you’ll want to measure to make sure they will close and provide you full coverage. Cut your fabric to the desired length.  I wanted to hang

I had no idea there would be such an interest in making things with drop cloths in a home decor application, like slipcovers and curtains, but several readers seemed very excited about it.  I aim to please, so here it is! First of all, let me say that I was skeptical and hesitant to jump on the drop cloth bandwagon.  I have always made my slipcovers out of white cotton twill and you can purchase that for about $3.00/yard at Wal-Mart.  What finally pushed me to try making drop cloth slipcovers was a pair of wing chairs I wanted to cover that had a high contrast blue and white plaid fabric and it showed through my usual twill.  I needed something that was a heavier weight.  The drop cloth was my cheapest option. So, I went to Lowe’s and bought a couple of Finish Factor Canvas 8oz weight drop cloths. 

 This week has been a flurry of DIY activity in the Mustard Seed household and my guest room is almost completed.  This was a totally unexpected makeover that grew out of one idea, but aren’t those the best?  Here’s a little sneak peak for you… Such a tease, I know.  A makeover that started out with painting and construction soon called on my sewing skills.  I made these curtains with upholstery webbing trim… …and I made a coordinating ruffled pillow for the bed.  This is the tutorial I’m going to share with you today. First of all, measure the pillow you want to cover.  In my case, it was a standard bed pillow that measured 19×24″.  Measure and cut your fabric, making sure you leave about an inch seam allowance.  For my pillow I cut two 20×25″ pieces of fabric, one for the front and one for the back. For a

I’m not good at decorating marathons.  I’m much more of a sprinter.  I like projects that I can complete in a couple of hours, maybe days.  I don’t do months or years.  I want instant gratification, which is why I’m a painter, not a quilter.  So when I found a couple of unfinished needlepoints in my grandparent’s attic, I knew they were destined to a life where they would be rolled up in a closet, only to be stared at with good intentions every few months.  I received some huge 24″x24″ down pillows for Christmas that also remained unfinished due to my indecision about where to use them and how to cover them.  During my most recent session of staring at the needlepoints, I realized they were the perfect size for the pillows.  Could it work?  Does it matter that they’re unfinished?  The fabric was very stiff, smelly and dusty, so they

I absolutely love being able to make slipcovers.  If you don’t detest sewing, you really should try your hand at making one.  When we purchased our house 3 1/2 years ago, we were moving from 1010 square feet to about 2500.  We needed furniture, but buying new was not in the budget…nor is that my style.  So, we started hitting yard sales and we came across this chair for $4.00.  I wasn’t in love with the lines, but it was comfy, sturdy and it didn’t stink.  I knew it would be greatly improved by a slip cover.  Enter the white cotton twill. I made a fitted cover with minimal piping and a pleated skirt.  My slipcovers are not perfect, but I only make them for my home, so they don’t have to be.  I love that I can just toss them into the wash with a little bit of bleach