QUILTED and FRILLED MOSES BASKET- Interior designing and decoration by the experts in interiors

QUILTED & FRILLED MOSES BASKET

Cut a paper template to fit the base of the basket, and another to fit the sides, making darts or tucks where necessary. Cut two base panels in fabric, allowing 12 mm U in) seams all round. Cut a piece of wadding the same size as the template. Sandwich the layers together and tack around the edges and across the center. Quilt by machine, working around or across the panel. The rows of stitching need not be closely spaced. Using the template as a pattern, make up side panels twice in fabric with a 12 mm (  in) seam allowance along the lower edge and 20 cm (8 in) top turning. Make up the same shape in wadding, with no seam allowance.

 Fit the wadding between the fabric side panels and tack along upper and lower edges. Quilt the sides of the lining: this is particularly effective if you make vertical rows of stitching, spaced 5-10cm a part, using a narrow zigzag stitch. Make a line of stitching around the top of the side panels, level with the top of the wadding. Press under a 12 mm turning around both layers of fabric. Stitch together close to the edge, then again 2 cm (4 in) from the first line of stitching to make a casing. Add a top stitched frill besides the casing.

 Fit the base to the side panels. Insert elastic into the casing to hold the lining in place. I f the basket has handles, mark and cu t a slot in both layers of fabric for the handles to slip through. Make two diagonal snips at each end of the slash, and press under a narrow turning all around the opening, or bind with a bias strip of contrasting fabric. Slip stitch folded edges together.

A FITTED COT of all cots is standard size it helpful to make your own the nursery, If you use stretch can be sure of a tight fit. 1 Measure up the cot mal cut out a single panel, ling, allowing the depth of around, plus an extra 15 en under the mattress and for n right side of the fabric facing the seam lines at each corner. Then remove the cover from stitch the seams. Trim the fabric allowance and neaten the raw 2 Turn under a 12 mm (! along all the raw edges. Strings in place, beginning and from each corner elasticated corners, take four U in) wide elastic, each 10cm the elastic over the turnings a the sheet, and stitch in place stitch, stretching the elastic lace.

FITTING BI BEDS & BED LINEN NURSERY BEDDING & ACCESSORIES – Interior designing and decoration tips and guidance

EMPIRE-STYLE CANOPY

These are draped over a pole which is hung from the ceiling at a right angle to the head of the bed. Measure the distance from the floor on one side of the bed over the pole to the floor on the opposite side of the bed. Add a total of 30cm for ease and hem allowance. Cut two lengths of fabric, one top fabric and one lining, and position them on top of each other, wrong sides together.

 Tack them together down each long edge. 2 Mark the center of the panel at the position where the pole is, and stitch a casing through both layers of fabric. Bind the long raw edges together on either side of the opening. Add extra binding along each edge of the opening. 3 Fit the drape on to the pole and mark the hemline. Turn in the hem allowance at the ends of the panel and slip stitch together by hand. Make tie-backs to hold the canopy back against the wall on either side of the head of the bed.

 FITTING BI BEDS & BED LINEN NURSERY BEDDING & ACCESSORIES

 In a nursery, some accessories, though functional, can be decorative too and as they are on a small scale, you can tryout techniques such as applique or patchwork for the first time. Padded bumpers around the head of a cot keep out droughts and prevent babies from knocking their heads on the bars. A fabric storage pocket can hang from the end of the cot or changing table and hold all the paraphernalia for nappy changing. Series should be fresh and clean, so choose fabrics carefully, making sure they are washable. 

Headboard Cover designing and decoration – tips and guidance in interior designing

A SLIP-ON HEADBOARD COVER

Simple headboards are normally made from wooden panels, with slotted struts to attach to the base of the bed. Simple, slip-on covers are easy to make and can be removed for washing when necessary. If you want to cover a plain wooden board, use quilted fabric to give a soft, comfortable finish. If the headboard is already padded, you can use plain chintz. Measure the headboard and decide on suit- able finished dimensions for the cover. If the headboard is an elaborate shape, cut a template to make cutting out easier. 

Cur out front and back panels – allow 12 mm for seams, and up to 2.5 cm (1 in) for ease around the top and side edges, particularly when working with quilted fabric. Allow 2.5cm along the lower edge. If the existing headboard is more than 5 cm (2 in) thick, cut a gusset to fit all around the sides and top edge, allowing 12 mm for seams and 2.5 cm (1 in) at each end. Cut piping to fit the seams around the sides and top edges, and binding to fit across both lower edges and across the gusset if there is one. Cut four ties, 5 cm (2 in) wide and 15cm long.

Fit piping around the sides and top of the front panel, clipping into the binding to fit it around corners if necessary. Fit piping around the back panel as well if there is a gusset. Join front and back panels, right sides facing and raw edges matching, sandwiching piping in between. If there is a gusset, fit the front and back panels to each long edge. Turn right side our and press. To make up ties, fold and press under 12 mm U in) down each long edge, fold in half and press, then stitch down the center of each strip. Bind the lower edge of the cover, catching ties into the stitching about a third of the way along each long edge.

ADDING A RUCH Tightly fitted covers for pa can be decorated in instructions here are for a : ruched border, made from a fabric, top stitched around t the cover and edged with pit Cur out front and bad headboard, including piping. Gusset if required. For the [1 strips, 18 cm (7 in) wide, one for the top, allowing at It times the length for full need extra piping to fit of the ruched strip. Gather each long edge stitching and join the end side section at each end of Miter the corners. Mark a ( (6   in) inside the raw edge 0 panel. Position the piping arc line and tack in place. 

Tack t the ruched strip in place, taking seam allowance, with right facing piping and right side ( outer edge of the strip tow ,  frill, or turn right sides out and finish the lower edge by binding the raw edges together. A simple method of fixing a pelmet (valance) is to make it as for a window pelmet (valance) – see   104 – using curtain tape with hooks to attach it to the bed frame. You can make up three separate curtains – two for the sides and one for the foot of the bed.

MAKING A CANOPY A canopy with a frill is made in much the same way as a valance that sits on the mattress except that it is hung across the four poster. Choose two layers of a fabric such as voile, or similar light-diffusing fabric, for the canopy, with 12 mm seam allowance all round. No frill is needed across the head of the bed. Measure up and make three pelmets (valances) as before, but omit the casing allowance and gather the unfinished edge of each pelmet (valance). Fit them around one panel of the canopy with the right side of the valance facing the right side of the canopy. Distribute the fullness evenly, increasing fullness slightly at the corners. 

Tack in place. Lay the second panel of canopy fabric on top of the frilled panel and stitch together all around the edges. Continue the stitching around the top of the canopy, leaving a 50cm opening at the center of the head of the bed. Trim seam allowances and turn right side out, then press. Top stitch through the voile and seam allowances, continuing top stitching across the opening at the top. If the four poster frame has finials at the top of the uprights, cut a hole in each corner of the voile canopy large enough to fit over the finials and neaten the edges by hand or with binding or piping. 

Making Bed Linen and Pillowcase in interior designing and decoration tips and guidance

PILLOWCASE

Cut out a strip of fabric, twice the length of the pillow plus a total of 30cm for turnings and tuck in. Allow 2 cm seam allowance down each long edge. At the tuck-in end, turn under and press 15 mm and then 10 cm (4 in) to make a broad border. Stitch in place and add cording or any other trim if required. At the tuck-in end, turn under and press a 15 mm double hem.

PILLOWCASE WITH BORDER For a crisp, flat edging to a pillowcase, the front should be cut from one panel of fabric and the back cut from two panels, one to cover the main part of the pillow and the other to form a tuck-in. Cut out the front panel, allowing 6 cm or whatever width you want – all around for the border and seam allowance. Cut out the main back panel, omitting the border allowance down one short edge. Cut the tuck-in panel the same width as the main panel and 23cm deep. Turn under a 2cm double hem down the short edge of the main back panel and on the smaller back panel.

 If you want a more traditional fastening, make buttonholes along the hemmed edge of the main back panel. Position the main panel over the tuck-in, with the wrong side of the main panel facing the right side of the back panel so that they make up a panel the same size as the front panel of fabric. Tack together within the seam allowance where the panels overlap. Position the back on the front, right sides facing, and pin together all around the outer edge, Stitch, taking a 1 cm seam allowance.

MAKING BEDLINEN and stitch in place by machine. Turn under and press a 15cm(6 in) wide tuck-in. Fold the fabric in half so that the finished edge of the border matches the fold of the tuck-in, wrong sides together. Pin and stitch down each long edge, taking a 1cm seam. Trim scams, press and turn inside out. Complete the French seam, taking the same seam allowance as before. Turn right side out and press, turn right side out and press. Top stitch all around the pillowcase, positioning the stitching 5 cm (2 in) inside the previous seam line to make a flat border. Add cording or trimming along the seam line if required, and sew on buttons or other fastening.

Sofa – Cushion Covers and Window curtain fabric stitching and pleats design in interior design and decoration tips and guidance

For the stitching lines of each tuck into the fabric, following to wide pleats, fold the fabric so stitching lines come together. Stitch each tuck in turn, t foot of the machine or t markings as a guide when stitching. There is no need to the threads as they will be hems. Trim the fabric to tl ensuring the tucks are position medium length and width zigzag stitch and fit the cording foot on the machine. (This has a hole to guide the cording thread under the needle.) 

Mark the position of the cording with chalk or a line of tacking threads on the right side of the fabric. Thread the end of the cord into the foot and position the edge of the work under the foot of the machine. Stitch along the marked line, feeding the cord under the foot, so that the zigzag stitch holds the cord in place. Two parallel lines of cording, 6 mm (i in) apart, are a simple, effective touch.

TUCKING Decide on a suitable width and spacing for the rucks: they may be stitched close to the folded edge of the fabric for a very narrow ruck (pin rucks), or up to about 15 mm from the fold for a wider tuck. Calculate the total number of tucks and allow twice the width of each tuck when working out how much fabric you will need. 

Add an extra allowance so that you can trim the panel accurately when making up the item. Mark out the rucks across the top and lower edge of the area to be stitched. With large areas, such as a duvet cover, mark across the center of the fabric as well. For pin rucks, mark the center of each pleat.
For wider rucks, mark the stitching lines of each tuck. Press the pleats into the fabric, following the marks. With wide pleats, fold the fabric so that the marked stitching lines come together. Stitch each tuck in turn, using the presser foot of the machine or the throat plate markings as a guide when positioning the stitching.

 There is no need to finish the ends of the threads as they will be enclosed in seams or hems. Trim the fabric to the required size, ensuring the rucks are positioned centrally.

A DUVET COVER 1 Measure the duvet to be covered and cut out two panels of fabric, allowing 5 cm for seams and ease all round. Decorate the top panel of fabric before trimming to size. If you have to join widths of a patterned fabric for the top panel, position a full width down the center of the cover and strips of equal size down either side. Join widths with a flat fell seam, slip-tacking first if there is a difficult pattern match. 

Join the two panels of fabric using a French seam. Across the lower edge of the cover, end the seams 20 cm in from each corner to make an opening for inserting the duvet. Press the folds of the seam allowance across the opening to provide the hem. Turn the cover inside out again. Across the opening, position the popper tape (or whatever fastening you wish to use to contain the duvet – Velcro strips, press studs, buttons etc. and cover or hem the raw edges. 

Ensure that the opposite halves of the opening match and secure the fastening in place. Turn right side out and press. 

Making Pillow covers in interior designing and decoration – Tips and guidance

A PLAIN PILLOWCASE

 Cut out a strip of fabric, twice the length of the pillow plus a total of 30 cm (12 in) for turnings and tuck in. Allow 2 cm (l in) seam allowance down each long edge. At the tuck-in end, turn under and press 15 mm and then 10cm to make a broad border. Stitch in place and add cording or any other trim if required. At the tuck-in end, turn under and press a 15 mm double hem.

PILLOWCASE WITH BORDER For a crisp, flat edging to a pillowcase, the front should be cut from one panel of fabric and the back cut from two panels, one to cover the main part of the pillow and the other to form a tuck-in. Cut out the front panel, allowing 6cm – or whatever width you want- all around for the border and seam allowance. Cut out the main back panel, omitting the border allowance down one short edge. Cut the tuck-in panel the same width as the main panel and 23 cm deep. Turn under a 2cm double hem down the short edge of the main back panel and on the smaller back panel.

If you want a more traditional fastening, make buttonholes along the hemmed edge of the main back panel. Position the main panel over the tuck-in, with the wrong side of the main panel facing the right side of the back panel so that they make up a panel the same size as the front panel of fabric. Tack together within the seam allowance where the panels overlap. Position the back on the front, right sides facing, and pin together all around the outer edge.

Stitch, taking a 1 cm seam allowance

 Stitch in place by machine and press a 15cm wide n 2 Fold the fabric in half so 1 edge of the border match: tuck-in, wrong sides together down each long edge, taking seam. Trim seams, press and Complete the French seam, t seam allowance as before.

Turn right side out and I all around the pillowcase, stitching 5 cm (2 in) inside the line to make a flat border. P trimming along the seam line sews on buttons or other fastening

Making Seat covers and pleats – Interior designing and decoration tips and guidelines

The center of each pleat

 For the stitching lines of each tuck into the fabric, following tl wide pleats, fold the fabric so stitching lines come together. Stitch each tuck in turn, t foot of the machine or t markings as a guide when stitching. There is no need to the threads as they will be hems. Trim the fabric to tl ensuring the tucks are position medium length and width zigzag stitch and fit the cording foot on the machine. (This has a hole to guide the cording thread under the needle.) Mark the position of the cording with chalk or a line of tacking threads on the right side of the fabric. Thread the end of the cord into the foot and position the edge of the work under the foot of the machine. Stitch along the marked line, feeding the cord under the foot, so that the zigzag stitch holds the cord in place. Two parallel lines of cording, 6 mm (i in) apart, are a simple, effective touch.

TUCKING Decide on a suitable width and spacing for the rucks: they may be stitched close to the folded edge of the fabric for a very narrow ruck (pin rucks), or up to about 15 mm from the fold for a wider tuck. Calculate the total number of tucks and allow twice the width of each tuck when working out how much fabric you will need. Add an extra allowance so that you can trim the panel accurately when making up the item. Mark out the rucks across the top and lower edge of the area to be stitched. With large areas, such as a duvet cover, mark across the center of the fabric as well. For pin rucks, mark the center of each pleat.

For wider rucks, mark the stitching lines of each tuck. Press the pleats into the fabric, following the marks. With wide pleats, fold the fabric so that the marked stitching lines come together. Stitch each tuck in turn, using the presser foot of the machine or the throat plate markings as a guide when positioning the stitching. There is no need to finish the ends of the threads as they will be enclosed in seams or hems. Trim the fabric to the required size, ensuring the rucks are positioned centrally.

A DUVET COVER 1 Measure the duvet to be covered and cut out two panels of fabric, allowing 5cm for seams and ease all round. Decorate the top panel of fabric before trimming to size. If you have to join widths of a patterned fabric for the top panel, position a full width down the center of the cover and strips of equal size down either side. Join widths with a flat fell seam, slip-tacking first if there is a difficult pattern match. Join the two panels of fabric using a French seam. 

Across the lower edge of the cover, end the seams 20cm in from each corner to make an opening for inserting the duvet. Press the folds of the seam allowance across the opening to provide the hem. 2 Turn the cover inside out again. Across the opening, position the popper tape (or whatever fastening you wish to use to contain the duvet – Velcro strips, press studs, buttons etc. and cover or hem the raw edges. Ensure that the opposite halves of the opening match and secure the fastening in place. Turn right side out and press. 

SEWING TECHNIQUES- INTERLINED CURTAINS-FINISHES & TRIMMINGS – Interior designing and decoration tips on SEWING

SEWING TECHNIQUES

 INTERLINED CURTAINS

For extra weight, lined curtains may be interlined. For interlining, you will need a panel of fabric for each curtain, the same size as the finished (ungathered) curtain, or slightly longer if you want to pad the hems for a fuller look.

Calculate the total quantity by dividing the total width of the curtain by the width of the interlining fabric, and multiplying the number of drops required to make up the panel by the finished length of the curtains. Interlining should be joined with a lapped or abutted seam. Join interlining to the curtain fabric with lock stitch (p. 196), so that the interlining is centered on the panel of fabric for the curtain. Treat the curtain fabric and interlining as a single piece of fabric to finish the curtain.

FINISHES & TRIMMINGS

There are many purchased finishes and trimmings used in home sewing. Ribbon, lace and braid are suitable for any seam which is straight but for curved seams and a truly professional finish, use bias-cut fabric.

CUTTING BIAS BINDING

 To find the bias of the fabric, fold it so that the selvedge is parallel with the weft or crosswise grain (1). Press this fold to give yourself the first cutting line. Now cut all the remaining bias strips parallel to this line to the desired width (2). To join strips, position ends together as shown, right sides facing, so that the edges of the strips match at the stitching line (3). Press seam open and trim away points of fabric after stitching.

 MITRING CORNERS To turn up a hem at a corner, you need to mitre the corner. Turn up the hems along both edges of fabric to the same width and press (1). Insert a pin at the edge of the fabric where the two hems intersect and open out again. Fold in the corner diagonally to meet the pins at both sides. Cut across the corner about 6 mm (i in) from the folded edge (2) and turn in the hems again, Slipstitch the corner edges together and finish the other hems with your chosen method (3).

This works with hems of unequal width, for example, on curtains. 

Bed Linen creates a great interiors – interior designing and decoration – Tips and guidance

When making your own bed linen, where possible apply any decorative touches before finishing the seams. Decoration is best limited to borders and edgings (it is uncomfortable to sleep on when used elsewhere). Use full width fabric for the reverse of the duvet and bottom sheet to avoid uncomfortable seams. 

Cording and pin tucks are described here – other finishes are described elsewhere: applique, frills and piping. Sheets and duvet covers should be made up in sheeting width fabric – normally 228 cm wide. If you want to use a print which is not available in sheeting width, just use it for the parts of the bed linen that will show – the borders all around the pillowcase or along the top edge of the duvet, for example.

Choose washable fabrics. Linen is luxurious, but demands time and effort to keep it at its best; cotton or a cotton/polyester mix are more practical alternatives. Where possible, use enclosed seams to prevent fraying during laundering. CORDING Use fine cotton cord, in white or a color to match or contrast with the fabric. Thread the machine with an appropriate color: if you use contrast cording, use a contrast color in the needle; the bobbin thread can be matched to the fabric so that the stitching is less obvious on the underside. Set the sewing machine to a medium length and width zigzag stitch and fit the cording foot on the machine. 

This has a hole to guide the cording thread under the needle.

Mark the position of the cording with chalk or a line of tacking threads on the right side of the fabric. Thread the end of the cord into the foot and position the edge of the work under the foot of the machine. Stitch along the marked line, feeding the cord under the foot, so that the zigzag stitch holds the cord in place. Two parallel lines of cording, 6 mm apart, are a simple, effective touch.


TUCKING Decide on a suitable width and spacing for the tucks: they may be stitched close to the folded edge of the fabric for a very narrow tuck (pin tucks), or up to about 15 mm from the fold for a wider tuck. Calculate the total number of tucks and allow to each tucking when working out} you will need. Add an extra a you can trim the panel a, making up the item. Mark out the tucks across the edge of the area to be stitch areas, such as a duvet cover, center of the fabric as well. 

Coloring the Interiors – concept selection of colors – tips and guidance for Interior designing and decoration

ACCESSORIES CO-ORDINATION & GROUPING

One of the easiest ways to give cohesion to a group of accessories and ornaments is to pick a theme. It may be a color, a subject, or a similar shape, although the things you collect need not necessarily be in the same style or period. Start with a core of items with some connection and keep your choice flexible. A thoughtful, eclectic mixture can reflect truly individual taste; in a collection of jugs, for instance, a few genuine, antique examples will blend in beautifully with new, reproduction jugs of any period.

Color grouping

Grouping ornaments and accessories by their color is a powerful way to highlight a color scheme. You could choose cushions, lampshades and picture frames in antique, muted soft colors that pick up one of the tones in a rug, carpet or wallpaper. Select your colors carefully: coral ceramic vases and lamp bases contrast well in a smoke-blue living room scheme. In a predominately apricot bedroom, accents of soft aquamarine could be introduced – in delicately embroidered cushions and decorative glass.

Collecting ornaments in the same colors, such as blue and white jars, bowls and plates and displaying them against a matching backdrop brings a welcome freshness. Conversely, a collection of brilliant saffron yellow plates on a dresser can make a predominately cool blue and white kitchen scheme feel sunny and Mediterranean. Large blue and white ginger jars were a favorite early-Georgian accessory offering a welcome focal point and light relief to many heavily carved mantelpieces.

 A pair, or group, of blue and white ginger jars can still do the same for traditional mantelpieces, or use them to bring a classical touch to a modern setting. Covering old blanket chests and screens, small card and wooden boxes and metal wastepaper bins in fabrics that either co-ordinate or blend in with the rest of the furnishings helps to link some of the more disparate elements. 

Extra touches Collections and accessories can be witty and tongue-in-cheek. An assortment of necklaces can enhance the necks of plain glass and pottery vases. A trompe l’oeil painted cat on a fire screen with a collection of needlepoint cat cushions makes an amusing point. If you haven’t much wall space on which to hang all your objects, consider displaying them on a freestanding fabric-covered screen – the panels are perfect for pinning up collections of old Valentine cards and dolls’ hats. Antique toy and games collections can be carefully displayed in special Perspex cases to great effect. Medals, coins, stamps, old pieces of lace and fans can be framed in deep box frames