I think a lot of people in our S4H audience like stuff to put other stuff in. Every time we do any kind of a storage solution here, we get rave reviews. Our structured fabric baskets are at the top of that list. We have a new variation of them today in Jenean Morrison's In My Room collection for FreeSpirit Fabrics. I call them box-baskets. They're created in essentially the same manner as a number of our previous baskets, but we've changed the shape, the height, and the base in order to give them more of the feel of a box. And, we're using a heavy canvas strapping for the easy-to-grab side handle loops. We've worked with Jenean before and just love her. This new collection is wonderfully reminiscent of the playful little patterns of the sixties and seventies, which ties into collection's name; In My Room is also a Beach Boys hit from their 1963 Surfer Girl album.

In medieval times, when the local castle was home not only to the landed aristocracy but also many of the surrounding townspeople as well as extended family and friends, the great hall was where just about everything took place, including meals. The very first tables were literally just large boards. When not in use, the board was hung on the wall. When ready for a meal, it was brought down and balanced on the knees of the diners. If you've ever wondered where the "board" of room and board came from... now you know; it meant a place at the table or board. This historical preamble seems apropos given today's table linen fabric is Godwin from the Victoria & Albert Museum collection by Rowan Fabrics. Godwin is based on designs by Edward William Godwin, an English architect and designer who, during the mid to late 1800s, was known as a progressive and experimental artist, one of the first to introduce a Japanese influence to the European design repertory. You can see this in the "Bamboo" fabric used in our elegant table runner.

If you're happy and you know it... make a pillow. Pillows are one of the best things for a beginner to tackle; they're fast and fun projects for anyone and immediately brighten up your décor. Today's pillow in Jennifer Paganelli's Happy Land for FreeSpirit Fabrics is what I envision Little Miss Muffet's tuffet must look like. Even though you end up with a completely different look, today's pillow is constructed similarly to Monday's Happy Land bolster pillow. They both start as a tube. In this case, you gather the top and the bottom, cinching the fabric to create the cushion shape. You then conceal your gathering points with jumbo covered buttons.

What's the lifeblood of any wardrobe? Accessories! Why do we love accessories so much? Because they're a fast, economical way to jump start an old outfit. Throw on a belt, wrap up in a scarf, add a fabric flower pin... suddenly, it's a whole new look and feel. The small size of accessories also makes them a great way to try out new substrates, like the beautiful rayon we're using today from Valori Wells' Novella collection. Our long, beautiful scarf has an elastic channel through the middle, allowing it to ruche up into a fun, ruffly shape secured at each end with a pretty little bow. We made two scarves, each one in two coordinating rayons. Wear them separately or together. For yourself or as a gift, these quick and easy accessories are a great way to brighten up anyone's wardrobe for the new year.