This vintage book contains a detailed guide to hand making draperies and slipcovers, with instructions for bedspreads, curtains, lampshades, and more. Profusely illustrated and highly accessible, this volume will appeal to those with an interest in saving money on home decorations, and would make for a worthy addition to collections of related literature. Contents include: “Slipcover Designs”, “Armless Chairs”, “Wing Chairs”, “Lounge Chairs”, “Side Chairs”, “Sofas and Loveseats”, “Studio Couches”, “Box Spring and Mattress Units”, “Headboards”, “Pillows and Cushions”, “Tables and Dressing Tables”, “Lampshades”, “Drapery and Curtain Designs”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction.

Learn how to make slipcovers to fit all different styles of furniture with The Complete Photo Guide to Slipcovers, Pillows, and Bedding. From making simple seat cushions for wooden chairs to complicated covers for sleeper sofas, this comprehensive, how-to reference covers all the options and teaches all the essential skills. Readers can easily access information with step-by-step directions and hundreds of color photos for clear understanding, and inspiring home interior photography shows slipcovered furniture pieces in real home settings. Inside, you'll find: —Duvets —Pillows —Shams —And more!

Valuable flea market finds... A peeling, antioue vanity in muted sea green... An elegant, cracked chandelier... An enormous, slipcovered sofa with deep, cushions... Comfort, the beauty of imperfections, the allure of time-worn objects, and the appeal of simple practical living: these are the cornerstones of what has come to be known as the Shabby Chic style. Like the cozy familiarity of a well-worn pair of faded jeans, the dilapidated elegance of an Italian viIla, or the worn grandeur of faded velvets and mismatched floral china handed down from your grandmother's attic, the Shabby Chic style is a revived appreciation for what is used, well-loved, and worn. It is a respect for natural evolution and a regard for what is easy and sensible. The hundreds of lavish photographs in this book invite you inside the unique world of Shabby Chic. Rachel Ashwell, founder of theShabby Chic home decor stores, for the first time provides her invaluable and much-sought-after advice on how to re-create Shabby Chic style in your own home. With engaging text and easy-to- follow instructions, Rachel details the Shabby Chic basics in a way that will put even the most apprehensive or novice decorators at ease. From flowers to fabrics to lighting, Rachel illuminates all of the elements essential to this unpretentious yet truly exquisite style. A behind-the-scenes look at a flea market lets readers in on Rachel's personal secrets of how to cull hidden treasures from flea market trash--an old trunk, its paint peeling around the edges, can be given new life as a coffee table, while a chipped white iron salvage piece becomes the perfect frame for a vintage mirror. This book tells you not only how to restore these pieces but how to find the perfect place for them in your home. Gorgeous color photographs and accompanying text reveal how this relaxed look works with a variety of different styles, from Victorian to Mediterranean to contemporary.

With the expert sewing techniques shared in this book, anyone can create home-made soft furnishings with a designer's flair.

Once upon a time, in a world fraught with shrinking jeans, dry-cleaning debacles, and endangered delicates, laundry was a dreaded chore. Then one happy day, the Queen of Clean put an end to the vicious wash-and-dry cycle - with her all-new collection of ingenious tips and natural solutions for stress-free washing, ironing, sorting and stain-busting! Let the Queen show you how to: * Remove spots, stains, scorch marks and odours * Soften hard water and save clothes from a dull, grey fate * Make your own fabric softener sheets in a snap * Say good-bye to pink socks with a foolproof colourfastness test * Line-dry clothes without hanger lumps or clothespin marks * Decipher those fabric care symbols on clothing tags * Get the scoop on home dry-cleaning kits * Discover the secrets to lint-free drying and quick fixes for when tissues, crayons and other foreign bodies take a spin in the dryer The Queen provides a complete stain removal guide and ransacks your cupboard for amazing, inexpensive spot removers including lemon juice, meat tenderiser, WD-40, salt, shaving cream... and more! Whether you turn around family-sized wash loads seven days a week, air your dirty laundry at the local launderette, or are among the seriously 'laundry challenged,' consult the Queen for no-nonsense advice and fabulous results!