A bench cushion is one of the top projects new sewers list as the decorating puzzle that finally got them thinking about making something on their own rather than buying. Standard bench cushions are certainly available in stores, but I think we can all agree that they never, ever, ever fit right. This is a hard-and-fast truth, just like Jamoca® Almond Fudge is the best Baskins-Robbins® ice cream flavor is a truth (don't cross me on this one... I used to work there in high school!). Our cushion was made to fit a 18" x 48" wrought iron bench. This is a pretty standard size, but remember, the beauty of this project is to make a custom cushion that fits YOUR bench! Simply measure the width and length, then adjust our measurements up or down accordingly.

A pillow doesn't need a lot of extra fol-de-rol to have plenty of personality. (Okay... the Cinderella lovers can sing along with me now: "All the sensible people of this world will say, fol-de-rol and fiddle-dee-de and fiddley, faddley foddle... all the wishes in the world are poppy cock and twoddle.") Today's pillow is super simple: cut, sew, stuff - done. The tricks are to find the perfect fabric, spend the extra time to fussy-cut your squares to best showcase the motif, then pick a super cushy insert, like Fairfield's Feather-Fil® for that high-end, karate-choppable look. A pillow like this takes just half a yard of fabric, so you can indulge in a more expensive choice without breaking the bank. Even spending a bit more, you'll still come in way under those pricey pillows you've seen in the high-end stores and catalog. Plus... yours will be a one-of-a-kind original. 

Sitting pretty. That's what you'll be when you complete this lovely vanity chair pad. We took a simple center-tufted cushion design, then added deep double ruffles and long beautiful bows to attach the pad to the back of the chair. You'll also want to check out our "keep-it-from-slipping-and-ripping-out-the-ties" trick at the end of the article. Although our cushion was specifically designed to coordinate with yesterday's vanity table, it would also be an adorable option for a set of kitchen chairs or to update a desk chair. Voile is the perfect fabric to create the soft ruffles and lusicously long bows.  

Pillow Jackets are a S4H exclusive: a plain base pillow with a changeable sleeve. Like pillow paper dolls, they make décor swap-outs a snap! The idea came to Sew4Home Designer and Creative Director, Alicia Thommas one day when she was pondering a pillow, as she is often known to do. A thought struck her: "This poor little pillow's so plain," she mused. "It needs a new look, a fresh take, a... new wardrobe!" Thus was born the Pillow Jacket. The jacket slips over a complimentary fabric-covered pillow to create a unique, layered look – a new outfit for your pillow. For our Romantic Bedroom Retreat series with Rowan and FreeSpirit, the Pillow Jacket was a great opportunity to bring together fabrics from two different collections into one lovely combination: Amy Butler's Cameo in Forget Me Not for the inside along with Tula Pink's The Birds & The Bees in Tree of Life for the outside. And... who can resist those romantic black velvet bows?