One of the quickest ways to refresh your home is by changing out valances on your kitchen or bath windows.  With the surge in interest for quilting, the choices for cotton fabrics have exploded, making it easier than ever to find something you will love!  Solids, prints, themed, including the “scenery” fabrics, which have a repeat every 10-12 inches, any of these will work.  Since I spend so much time in the kitchen, the window there is changed with the seasons and/or holidays!  Now I need some for my sewing studio and spring is on the way!  I usually don’t line these valances so they are quick and not as costly as full-blown curtains.  If you are a quilter, put some blocks together for your valance and add a backing; no batting required.

My other favorite easy home décor change is decorative pillows on the couch (and the bed).  If you have outdoor furniture in the summertime, pillows can make your seating more comfortable.  Making the pillows with the 2 part overlapped back to put the pillow form in/out, is the easiest way to make the pillow cases.  It is also easy to take these cases off to throw them into the washing machine or to swap out for the next season/holiday.  Another quick idea is to make your actual pillow case from a neutral fabric, then make different seasonal decorative bands to slide onto the center of the pillow.  Depending on the size of the pillow, a band between 7-9 inches wide works well.  The bands can be as simple or as decorative as you want and don’t take a lot of storage space when not in use.

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With a sewing machine and basic knowledge, you can easily change the look and mood of your home. If you are new to sewing, these are great projects to improve your sewing skills.

Projects and embroidery designs were made using various Pfaff and Viking sewing machines.