Simple Soft Furnishings - Hardcover

Introduction

The busier our lives and the less secure the outside world becomes, the more we want to cocoon ourselves in our homes. And the more conscious we are of our home environment. As a result, the home furnishings industry -- from furniture superstores to fancy fabric houses -- has boomed over the last few decades. With the plethora of interiors books and magazines, it's hard not to want our houses to resemble the glossy images that bombard us. But creating the individual style we are most comfortable with, be it farmhouse county or city chic, doesn't comes easily to most of us. Either we try to put together a "look" ourselves, or we have to use an interior designer -- at considerable expense. So, it is a good idea to gather as much information and knowledge as possible. Cut out photos from magazines to create a file of favorite looks, collect paint and fabric samples that you like and, before you know it, you will have honed down your personal style -- something unique to you.

I grew up as a rather nomadic child, living everywhere from Tunisia to America, via Scandinavia and England, so my immediate home surroundings have always been very important to me. Getting nested in a new home meant fixing up my bedroom as a matter of urgency. Usually it took a coat of paint in one of the colors of the moment (during my teenage years it was a groovy luminous orange) and, if I was lucky, I got a new pair of curtains, a bedspread and some pillows. Gradually I developed a color palette of my own and, as I travel and see new color combinations and styles, so my look develops and changes.

The next step is to implement these ideas in your home. You can transform a room dramatically with a few new soft furnishings. Because the projects in this book are easy to make, you won't be stuck with them forever; when styles and colors change, so can your home with a few quick and easy sewing ideas.

Simple Soft Furnishings is divided into five sections: pillows, with everything from a basic bed bolster to a gathered round plump pillow; drapes and blinds, ranging from a simple no-sew drape to a more sophisticated contrast-lined roman blind; bed linens, filled with fun bedspread ideas; table linens, including cute gingham napkins with velvet edging; and seating, which is filled with ideas from a simple loose cover to a fitted chair cover with box pleats. Each chapter is devoted to ideas that can take mere moments, like the Lace-edged Coverlet on page go, or more personal projects that involve some planning and a bit of hand stitching, like the Crib Quilt with Embroidered Initial on page 110.

One of the first challenges is choosing your fabric. The projects in Simple Soft Furnishings call for fabrics made of natural fibers -- cotton, linen, wool and silk. But fabric stores today are filled with a wealth of good-quality man-made fibers, fiber blends and fleeces that can make very beautiful and successful soft furnishings as well. And they may even be better suited to your budget. Many people are overwhelmed at first by the amazing selection. But if you go back to your basic file of favorite looks, you may find you have a relatively small range of fabrics, colors and textures that really attracts you. Stick with those. Remember, too, to be practical. A loose sofa cover made from a heavy unwashable cloth doesn't make sense; a dark, dye-laden fabric for bedding or a table project might cause problems later. If in doubt, prewash a sample to see how it reacts.

I have deliberately used strong colors to create graphic images, so you may want to adapt the colors to your own palette. Because so many of these projects are simple, attention to detail is paramount. Combining colors is important, and details like trimmings, beadings and ribbons go a long way toward creating a really great stylish product.

This book has been designed not only to inspire you to transform your home but also just to get you sewing. Many of the projects can be made by simple hand stitching, but of course a sewing machine will make the job much easier. It really does make sense to be as well equipped as possible -- and a good sewing machine will be with you for life. A solid work surface for cutting fabric is also useful and good light is essential. Don't scrimp on scissors, pins, tape measure or cotton thread, as you will only compromise your efforts.

Happy sewing!