I’ve been hoarding fabric for years.
Years.
To the point where I started thinking, as I folded a ripped sheet onto the appropriate color coded shelf if I was ever going to DO anything with the stock.
“Sure I am!”
I told myself.
“When the project wants to come, it’ll speak to me and, voila! Sewing Magic!”
And then one day, there was a duck-down throw at my local thrift shop, naked without a cover and needing me.
Time to raid the fabric pile!
My daughter’s 1st birthday is coming up, and I have enough pink and pink-friendly material to assemble a duvet cover and a couple matching half curtains as a present.
#1. Assemble chosen fabric(s)
Using cast-off materials appeals to me because it does not require carefully measured yards of second guessed patterns and colors. I am working with whatever there is, in whatever sizes there are. No matter how badly I screw it up, it’s okay because there was nothing at stake.
#2. Choose a method.
What do I want this to look like? Do I want squares? Triangles? Squares and triangles? I decided to take the lazy way out and make the duvet cover out of long rectangular strips.
#3. Measure twice, riiiiiiiip once.
I use my cutting mat to do a rough measurement of each piece of fabric (old skirts and a bowling shirt).
When there are 4 inches of material, I make a slit, and I pick up the item and rip all the way down. I rip because I am too lazy/impatient for scissors.
#4. Strips of Three.
Once I’ve thoroughly demolished the source material and my work table is smothered in a plethora of patterns; I choose the order. Which should be sewn together to make them most pleasing to my eye?
If one strip is not quite at my 2-yard length requirement, I sew on more of itself until it’s good.
I start with one and pin another to it, right sides together. To that duo, I add a third.
Once I have straight stitched all three together, I lay it aside and do the next group of three and the next. I continue until I have a stack of them; enough to cover my needs.
Since I’m making two short curtains, I select a couple of these sewn trios to hem later.
The rest of the pieces of three I assemble until they look ‘right’ to my personal aesthetic. Then I pin the right sides together, followed by sewing until I have a solid panel for the front of my duvet cover.
#5. Backing.
I went ahead and used an old sheet for the back of my duvet cover. The benefit is that I can make the most of the already hemmed edges!
Then I measured, riiiiipped, and pinned the right sides together until everything looks good. Then sew three of the four sides together and before pulling the duvet cover right side out.
#6. Finishing Up.
I didn’t bother to sew buttons or ties onto the open side. When I stuffed the duck down comforter inside the duvet, I just tucked the open edges down over it.
Martha Stewart may not have done it that way but it suits me, and it works just fine.
#7. Curtains.
I finished the edges of the two remaining panels and sewed on some loops made out of small scraps.
Voila! Matching curtains and blanket!
