As a lover of vintage goods, I have the tendency to collect all kinds of fabric. Whether it’s a patterned sheet, a pretty scarf or the scraps from making a vintage dress a little shorter, my crafting box gets fuller every day. Good thing there are plenty of uses around the house for fabric with whimsical designs and beautiful colors! From covering windows to covering books, implementing fabric into your decor is simple, and the results are stunning. Here are five fun ways I’ve used fabric in my home décor.
1. Framed Fabric
The cool thing about framing fabric is there are so many possibilities. Big frames, small frames, round frames, square frames — you can fill them all with fabric. You don’t even need the glass! And if you frame several different fabrics with varying frames, you could design yourself a really cute salon wall. I’ve enjoyed framing nice scarves in the past, but more recently I picked up these adorable frames from a local craft store and filled them with vintage cloth scraps I had in my craft box.
2. Fabric-Covered Book
For this project, make it interesting by choosing a fun title that will amuse guests should they open your fabric-covered book to see what’s inside. If you couldn’t bear to toss out Britney Spears’ autobiography, then that’s the perfect choice. Covering it is simple if you have fabric glue and fabric that’s not too thick — just follow the same method as you did in middle school when you covered your textbooks, except this time use fabric glue to hold it in place. When it comes to tucking the fabric into the spine, use a butter knife to guide the fabric inside.
3. Window Scarf
Possibly the easiest way to spruce up your decor with fabric is to drape a lovely scarf over a small window, as I’ve done here. Scarves are such remarkable works of art that are often better enjoyed as decor rather than stuffed inside a drawer only to be forgotten. So find your favorite one, and hang it somewhere special.
4. Window Lace
My favorite place has become my home office simply because of the view. No, I don’t have a window overlooking a river or a field of flowers or a beautiful city. My backyard is rather uneventful, but when seen through the intricate and sparkly sheet of lace I’ve been using as a curtain, the view transforms into a charming vista.
5. Fabric Pennant Banner
Nothing says “fun” quite like a fabric banner, or bunting as it’s also called. Whether it’s a birthday party you’re decorating for or you simply want to celebrate the arrival of summer, a fabric pennant banner makes for pretty cheerful home decor. And it’s easy to create, too.
Do It Yourself:
Materials:
• Glue gun
• Fabric Scissors
• Twine
Method:
1. Use a piece of paper as your triangle template, and proceed to cut out as many triangles as you want.
2. Next, affix the twine to the back of a triangle using a glue gun.
3. Careful to separate each triangle with an inch or two of space, continue affixing triangles. Feel free to use alternating patterns for an even more interesting banner. For this project, I used a hot-pink Hawaiian print leftover from shortening yet another vintage dress.
4. Finally, let it dry. Then find a perfect spot to display and enjoy your handmade pennant banner.
Hopefully this article will inspire you to think of some creative ways to use more fabric around your home. Happy decorating!
Kelly Rae Smith is a lifelong crafter, freelance writer and home décor blogger for Shutterfly. Kelly lives in Charleston, S.C., where she likes to sip tea, thrift shop and sell vintage goods. Follow Kelly on Twitter to find out what new project she’s working on next.
