45 Dollar Bedroom Makeover
My bedroom was in desperate need of a makeover, but linens can be very expensive, so I have been putting it off. I love the farmhouse look and follow a few blogs where people have been bleaching drop cloths and using it as fabric. Drop cloths are sturdy fabric, very cheap and looks like linen and sold everywhere. The look is clean, brightens a room and would compliment other things I have in the room, but……. who am I kidding? I have animals, they sleep with me and the bleached drop cloths would be totally impractical, so unbleached it is.
I purchased 3 $14.99 drop cloths, 9 ft x 12 ft, from Harbor Freight and washed them to soften them. One thing I didn’t know, they shrink!! Not a little, a lot. I started with the dust ruffle, and since I don’t know how to use a sewing machine, I hand stitched it, pleat by pleat by pleat. I have hand pleated before, but it was just a simple foot stool, never again!! I dusted off my mothers sewing machine, found the 50+ yr old manual online and was determined to learn how to use it. I spent days trying to get it working and gave up, ran to Walmart and bought a cheap machine. Why did I think a sewing machine that has been sitting in my garage attic for 27 years would work??
Now on to the duvet cover, and considering I have zero knowledge about patterns or stitch tension, what was I thinking? I decided to design it like a pillow case and the thought of putting in a zipper was beyond a beginners understanding, so snaps it is. Snaps are super easy and I already have the kit with multi-colored snaps, so a win win for me. I layed the ironed drop cloth on my bed and my comforter over it, and another drop cloth on top and pinned it all. I was afraid the fabric would fray, so I used the zigzag stitch on all edges and then made the big pillow case with a 2 1/2″ seam allowance. Putting a blanket/comforter in to a duvet cover takes talent I have found, so I googled how to do it :). Once everything was where it was supposed to be, I added the snaps to the bottom and placed it on the bed and, if I say so myself, I was impressed with how it looks. But nothing else on the bed matched and I had a lot of drop cloth fabric left, next………pillow covers.
Feeling empowered that I could actually use a sewing machine, I couldn’t wait to make some pillow covers, and I love a lot of pillows on my bed. I knew I wanted them to be able to be removed and washed, so I went to Pinterest and found some great and easy instructions. I didn’t stop with the pillows, made a wreath, covered a few lamp shades and used the last of the fabric on a shower curtain. Best $45.00 I have ever spent.
If you have made anything from drop cloths, I would love to see what you have made.
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