Sometimes you need things in your life that have a little extra oomph to them. This tutorial for how to make pom poms can be used on any blanket, any pillow, any door, and in any space in your house!

How To Make A Pom Pom

When I made the giant pom pom blanket for Dylan’s room, it was SO cute. I loved it. Then I started seeing pink yarn all over my house. There was a problem,  the poms were molting.

I really wanted to come up with a better solution before I shared the tutorial with you guys, cause that is what friends do.

The really good news is that I have figured out a way to make the poms stay together so that the blanket is easier to wash, and so that you wont feel like you have a LaLaLoopsy that has alopecia living in your house.

Giant Pom Poms Need A Strong Base

Typically pom pom templates are made out of cardboard. That is great and all, but when you are making 10-15 giant poms then you are going to go through quite few templates (like a new one for every 2 poms). All that wrapping breaks down the cardboard and it gets really floppy. So we need to use something stronger than cardboard.

The magic template is an embroidery hoop. Well, the inside ring of an embroidery hoop to be exact.

Supplies you will need:

• One 5” embroidery hoop
• 1 Skein of Yarn for every 2 pom poms (I use extra thick yarn because it looks really beautiful and expensive and less like a muppet.)  
• 1 spool of Upholstery Thread
• Good Scissors

Step 1: Take the center of your embroidery hoop.

Step 2: Start wrapping your yard around the hoop.

Step 3: Tie with the Upholstery Thread

After you have wrapped it around about 15 times, take a piece of your upholstery thread and wrap it around the center of your yarn a few times and then tie a tight knot.

Make sure that each round of upholstery thread is TIGHT. If it’s not, your pom poms will shed!

Step 4: Start wrapping again.

It is ok if your upholstery thread gets lost in the mix, you will trim it when you are done! Keep wrapping until you have wrapped 20-25 times again.

Step 5: Tie with Upholstery Thread Again

Wrap your thread around and tie a knot.

Step 6: Repeat!

Start wrapping again. Wrap 20-25 times. At this point (if you are using extra thick yarn) you have probably used about 1/2 of your skein. That is the goal, to get 2 pom poms out of each one. If you have used more that 1/2, unwind it a little and even out the amounts.

Wrap your thread a few times and tie a knot.

Isn’t it so chubs!

Step 7: Add The Tie

Now take a piece of yarn that is about 12” long. Wrap it over your upholstery thread and tie a knot,  leaving as much as you can on one side of your yarn. This is what you are going to use to connect it to your blanket.

Step 8: Cut the yarn off of the hoop

This is where the sharp scissors come into play. It just makes things SO much easier if they are sharp. Trust me, my Dollar Store ones were NOT doing the trick.

Cut along the fold in your yarn along the hoop.

You might have to wiggle the yarn around a little to be able to fit your scissors underneath it.

Once you are done, cut along the other side. (This one goes much faster because it isn’t tight against the hoop. When you are finished you will notice that you don’t have a round pom pom. Its more of an acorn shape. Don’t stress, this is an easy fix.

Step 9: Shape your Pom Pom

Hold onto the longer pieces of yarn at the bottom of your pom (you will have to do this at the top too)

Channel your inner hair dresser and start hacking.

You will notice that the yarn on the sides of the pom are perfect, it is just the top and bottom that need trimming. Round it out so that they match the sides. I like to spin it a little so I can see where it is lopsided.

Be careful when you are cutting the top that you don’t cut the long piece that is going to attach to the blanket!

This is the part where you become a pom pom making machine. (I made 10 pom poms for my blanket today, but you can use as may or as little as you want!

Attaching Your Pom Poms

When you have made all of your pom poms it is time to attach them to your blanket. I found this off white knit throw at Homegoods for $20.00. This time of year is AMAZING for finding inexpensive throw blankets.

Attaching your pom is so simple.

Step 1: Thread Your Yarn

Thread your yarn through one of the openings in the knit. (I just used my fingers, but if you have a smaller knit or something that you have to poke a hole in I would use this paperclip technique!)

Step 2: Loop It and Tie

Bring the end back underneath the knot you tied around the center of the pom pom.

Feed it through the hole in the blanket again. And then tie it off at the knot in the middle of the pom pom. (So there will be 2 loops going from the pom pom to the blanket.

Step 3: Trim the extra and you are done!!

Total cost for this project was $35.00 (make sure you use coupons when you buy your yarn!)

pssst! The tutorial for the Geometric Wreath is right here!

See how I used pom poms in a fun throw pillow here!

The post How To Make Giant Pom Poms appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Alternate Title:  Your new name is (insert first name until after the first syllable and then add Gyver to it.)  You are caught in the biggest design dilemma of your life. With no way out. You have to save an entire room design with a single paperclip. This is what you do.  I mean, it may be a little long, but it totally would work right?!

If your name is Mandi your McGyver name is MaGyver. Coincidence? I think not. (I will thank you later Mom!)

You may be wondering why making a rug is a Basic DIY. The good news? We are not talking major rug making. (if you are feeling extra motivated check out this post on how to really MAKE a rug.)

We are talking, you have a funky size requirement, or can’t find a rug in the size/color/pattern that you are dreaming of, or want to be cheap.

Or if you are feeling extra unlucky all 3.

I dont know about your Homegoods/TJ Maxx but every one that I seem to visit have the same situation going on. Big rugs? None. Small Rugs? 5 zillion. Those are not good odds my friends. And living in Southern Utah, where my options are HG or Target, sometimes you have to let your inner McGyver duct tape his way into your heart.

To make a rug you will need at least 2 smaller rugs, but up to as many as your little heart desires. If you have a large area to fill then you will need more.

1 roll of heavy duty twine

1 small paperclip bent in 1/2

The best rugs for the job are ones that are flat woven. They make this project much easier. And they are reversible, so all is not lost when your kid *cough* husband spill something on it.

Make sure that your pattern lines up and that you are using the same side of the rug if you are going for a continuous pattern.

Like this:

Not like this:

“Thread” your paperclip with the twine. Push it through one of the end loops of your rug. Pokey ends first. *If you have a knitting needle that will absolutely work too. But for my life, this is what tends to happen.

Pull enough of the twine through the loop that you will be able to stitch the entire length of your rug. Its much easier to do this now than to try and coax it through 39 loops.

Feed it through a loop on the other rug. Keep it uniform and pretty,  it looks better and is easier that trying to skip around. I did mine through all of the white cotton loops.

This is a great project to do while you catch up on your fave tv show or all of the news coverage about Miley’s Twerking fiasco.

To finish it off just knot it a few times and cut your twine.

I made my rug to fit this hard to fit space in my living room.

It totally brightens up the corner, compared to the last one that I had there.

Each of my rugs were 2.5×4 so my finished rug size is 4×5 and it is just the right size.

And the other good news? You now have a McGyver name. Which basically means that you are cooler than roughly 79% of the population.

#congratulations

The post Basic DIY: How To Make A Rug With A Paperclip appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Great fabric is hard to find,  let alone on trend fabric in the colors that you want. Why is that? It is such a frustrating design dilemma that I run into every time I make over a room. The proverbial brick wall in my design life.

By the time the fabric I am dreaming up comes into my reality, I am 9 months over it and already given birth to something else. Its just the way that it is.

And it is stupid.

So like I always do,  I have found a way to take matters into my own hands.

Are you ready for my biggest pillow making secret?! This is life changing.

I dont know why, when everyone else looks at things and sees fashion, I see home decor. Pants? I always think about cutting them apart. Skirts? Poor things dont stand a chance. Its a gift and a curse. And it happens every time I see a scarf.

You can imagine how this puts me into hysterics during my 4x a week Target habit.

I have quite the collection building up.

Do you recognize that stripe scarf from my Headboard Reveal? Its a game changer folks.

Ok. So are you dying to know what the secret is?

Dun dun dun…

Scarf fabric is typically very light and gauzy. I have tried to work with just the scarf and it is a nightmare. Because there is no weight to it, it is impossible to work with. And it is see through, so if your pillow form has any sort of discoloring from feathers or children (and lets be honest, we can probably add husbands to that list) then your pillow will always look dirty. You need something strong to give it strength and make it pretty.

My go to scarf stabilizer is Duck Cloth. You can get it in a rainbow of colors at Joann’s for $10.99/yd (use a coupon!) All you need is a  piece cut to fit your pillow dimensions (If you are unsure about the cutting dimensions check out this post)

Once your canvas is cut to size, sandwich the fusible webbing between your fabric and your scarf.

There are about a million different types of webbing. The one bit of advice that I have is to not over-think it. You probably dont need anything super thick and heavy duty, especially if you are using Duck Cloth. I gravitate toward the least expensive option (its usually around $2.00 a yard)  You dont  need anything fancy. Just make sure that it is fusible on both sides,  some interfacing only attaches on one side.

With your iron set on high with no steam, press the entire length of your canvas. Make sure to overlap your ironing sections as you move it down the ironing board so that you don’t get bubbles.

Let the fabric cool completely so that the webbing can fully fuse before you start sewing.

Once your fabric is cool, trim off the excess scarf and its time to start sewing!

Now for the sewing part…

And because I know you are dying to ask…the octopus,  sheepskin rug,  and wooden cutting board are from Homegoods. The table base, chair, copper vase, books, and art are all thrifted.

I am heading down to Vegas today to hopefully (fingers crossed!) finish Cara’s office. Please start your fasting now, it is going to take a miracle to get it done. The problem? We haven’t seen each other for like 3 weeks,  which means that we have a lot of catching up to do, and that seems to take priority over everything else. You have friends like that too, right?

Tomorrow’s Confession of a Pillow Addict is all about The Chop. So get ready to weigh in,  I am really looking forward to the debate that is bound to happen in the comments. You guys rock my world.

The post Confessions of a Pillow Addict: Slouchy Scarf to Structured Pillow With One Simple Secret. (This is LIFE Changing!) appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Ok, I know I lost some of you at the swear word that is Sewing. But hang tight. I have a paper bag for you to breath into at all times and I promise that this is the SIMPLEST sewing tutorial you will ever have the pleasure of being inspired by.

First lets determine if you are actually ready to sew a pillow. This is a very important test that everyone should take.

Do you feel like you are ready now?! I feel like I should be wearing a sweat band and jumping around getting people excited about pillow making.

The way that I make envelope pillows is different that most people. Mostly because I like to take shortcuts to save time. That is a good thing…right?

**This is for a standard 19” full form down pillow. If you are using a cotton insert,  or something that is sort of flat, you will need to take 1 1/2-2” off of the pillow cover size to “plump” your pillow up a little.

Ok all you sewing-a-phobics are you feeling like this is a doable project? Did anyone need the paper bag?

The post Confessions of a Pillow Addict: My Weird (and Surprisingly Efficient) Way To Sew An Envelope Pillow appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

These leather pillows are one of my favorite projects to date. There is just something so satisfying about taking an unwanted item that was destined for the thrift store and/or dump, and turning it into that perfect something that you were unable to find.

If you remember a couple of weeks ago I shared this post (that has the best title of my life. I mean, I know I will never top So…I Skinned A Couch. It is one for the ages.)   For those unfamiliar with this tale,  I bought a couch off of Craigslist with the sole purpose of cutting it apart to make pillows. Strange? Yes. Welcome to Vintage Revivals.

Did you know that if you make a pillow with leather on both sides it is the equivalent of laying down on a floatie? You know floaties like the orange things you put on kids arms while they are swimming? It will take an hour for all of the air to drain out of your pillow…and 2 days to fill back up.

I wanted my pillows to be really slouchy and a little saggy and really used looking. A floatation device was not a good look for this project.

This simple fact left me at a crossroads. I could try and match the fabric to the leather and fake it. Or I could embrace the change of plans… what do you think I did?

This is so much more than embracing. This is a full contact body hug,  the kind that lasts 15 seconds too long… with a bit of uncomfortable breathing.

I was a little concerned with the whole sewing through leather thing. But with the right needles it was like buttah. They make needles just for this type of job. They are called Leather Needles. Mind Blown.

Start by literally skinning a couch. Leave the leather as intact as possible.

Cut roughly the size of your pillow out of the leather (you may have to piece it together, which makes it all the more awesome. FYI.

Fine tune your cut so that it is a perfect square. My pillow insert is euro size (26×26) AND I wanted it to be shluppy so I made it 29” square and allowed for a 1/2” seam.

Cut the contrasting fabric to the same dimensions. I LOVE using  Duck Cloth for throw pillows. It is a really thick canvas that comes in about a billion colors at Joann’s. It usually runs $10.99 /yd,  so use a 40% of coupon to save a bit of cash! You are also going to want to snag a coordinating zipper. Don’t be scared. Zippers are easy.

Place right sides together.

Turn your machine to the longest stitch length.

Sew your 2 pieces together with 1/2” seam allowance.

Press your seam open and for goodness sake, the leather has already been tanned,  take care to not tan it more.

Pin your zipper facedown in place. Now, I am a rule breaker at heart and sometimes just cant bring myself to do things the right way. Feel free to pin your zipper the whole way down, or if you are a rebel looking for a cause you can pin it at the top like me.

Sew and backstitch over the upper part of your zipper a few times to tack in in place.

Now with your sides still separated sew down one side of the zipper and then the other. Make sure your zipper stays lined up with the center seam.

When both sides of your zipper are sewn in sew a horizontal stitch at the bottom of your zipper,  just like you did at the top.

Now unpick the stitch between the leather and the canvas and TADA! There is your zipper! This is the best kind of magical surprises.

Line up the right sides together again, and stitch the remaining 3 sides. Unzip the zipper a little to get it started and the finish unzipping it when everything is in place.

For really sharp corners cut off the excess before you turn it right sides out.

Turn it right side out,  clip your threads,  stuff,  and enjoy!

    Pillow from Homegoods,  Antique Kilim Rug

I actually made 3 of these cute guys for my bed,  but couldn’t wait until my wicker headboard was done to show you how great they turned out.

So what do you think? Was it worth a couch dying?

The post DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial & How To Sew A Zippered Pillow Cover (The EASY Way!) appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

I love quick and easy projects (goodness know I don’t do that kind nearly enough.)

This post is all about embracing your inner artist.

Painting on fabric is nothing new, in fact I have done it quite a few times and I am sure you can find thousands of pins with tips and tricks. The problem that comes up again and again is that the paint is stiff. Even with fabric paint (which is significantly less stiff) the paint still sits on the surface of your fabric.

But never fear, Decoart is here!

They just launched a brand new product called Ink Effects and it is completely different from any other fabric paint I have ever used.

The process is totally different too.

Start by painting your design on a piece of white printer paper. The thicker your paint the more vivid the color will be.

Let your painting dry for 45 minutes.

Once it is dry put it face down on your fabric and iron it on.

Ink effects works MUCH better with synthetic fabric like Polyester  than it does on Cotton. The pigment is absorbed better so the color is deeper.

After you have ironed your design (the longer you apply heat the deeper the color) peel back your paper and enjoy!

I love how bright these little circles are in the sea of white.

Love  Your  Guts,  Mandi

The post Venn Diagram Pillow appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

I love making my own pillows. It is so much easier to find fabric to customize my own than to find the perfect pillow at a store. And not only that but how about the price of store bought pillows? Sheesh.

So I am going to let you in on one of my favorite secrets. No one in St. George where I live is allowed to do this though, got it?

The best kind of pillow inserts are obviously Down. They are so much fuller and you can chop them. (Are you a chopper?)

Down inserts from a fabric store will run you around $20.00 a piece, which is a sucky price when you want to save money.

So here is the secret.

Head to your local Homegoods, TJ Maxx or Ross and look for the pillows that are on clearance. Yes, they are probably ugly. (You should have seen this girl giving me looks like I was crazy when I was buying these.)

As long as the cover is removable you just worked the system a little. Congrats my friend!

I got 3 down pillows for $21.00.

The post How To Save A Ton When Making Your Own Pillows appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

I love pillows. I hate that pillows cost a crapload. I know its not an EPIC project but I have something cooking that is heart stopping amazing. So today I am going to show you the easiest pillow tutorial ever.

So as much as I love pillows I hate when kids(or husbands) wipe their faces on them and they aren’t removable. Spot Clean Only translated in my language is “I will look like crap in 5 minutes”

So the first rule is that it must be removable.

It must be washable.

They must be cute.

Start off with a piece of fabric that is 19” long and cut selvage to selvage. (Basically the entire width of the fabric.) In the pic it is folded in 1/2 still from the bolt.

Then on one end sew a hem.

Next you are going to fold it up about 14” (it doesn’t have to be exact) with the inside of the hem on the outside. (Right sides together.)

Then you are going to stitch down each side, reinforcing the ends. And along the top (where it is folded).

Fold one of the top corners down to the opposite bottom corner to find where it is square.

Fold it over there and stitch along the bottom

Then measure about 15” down and trim.

Next you want to hem this edge. Make sure that you are hemming it so the inside of the hem is on the top of the pillow.

Then just like before you are going to stitch down each side securing the ends really well.

Clip your corners so that they are sharp when its right side out

And then flip it right side out!! Hooray! You made my crazy easy removable zipper free pillow!!

A few tips:

The fabric that I used is Duck Cloth. It is a heavy weight canvas material,  I love it because it holds its shape.

You can see how I put the words on with my Silhouette here.

The Pillow size that I used was 19”. The reason that I cut the fabric at 19” is so that it fills it firmly. It goes back to having it hold its shape….

The post How To Sew A Pillow (EASY!!) appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Hey Everyone!! I want you to meet {Emily from the Toasted Coconut}:

Gah! Isn’t she just the cutest?

Here is what the wonderful Miss Emily had to day about the Toasted Coconut

Seriously you guys she has got the cutest stuff ever.

Like this adorbs dress

Seriously cute right???

So here is how to enter.

1. Leave a comment telling me how much you love these owl coin purses.

2. Stop by Emily’s blog {The Toasted Coconut} and become a follower.

3. Check her out on {Facebook} and say Hi!!

4. As ALWAYS make the world better by preforming a random act of kindness.

You can visit Emily’s Etsy Shop Here https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheToastedCoconut

The post The Toasted Coconut appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Hey All!! Ok so the cutest girl ever,  who I am sure most of you know and one of my new friends{Rachelle @ Fingerprints on the Fridge} told me about her friend that is doing a stitch along. I didnt know what it was so I will tell you. Basically she chooses a fun pattern and teaches you how to crochet this cute thing!

So here is the deal.

Head over and stitch along with me. Then when we all finish (if there is more than oh 5 of us) we will have a fashion show on Vintage Revivals. Fun right?

So this is the project:

There is a link to the original pattern on Betsy’s site.

Head over to {The Dainty Daisy} and learn too. And if you already know how you could probably bust this sucker out in an hour. (Yes {Emily} I am talking to you.)   mmmkay?

The post Learn With Me! appeared first on Vintage Revivals.