Basic DIY Archives • Vintage Revivals https://vintagerevivals.com/category/basic-diy/ Fearless DIY Tue, 21 Jul 2020 16:25:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 https://vintagerevivals.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cropped-vr-32x32.jpg Basic DIY Archives • Vintage Revivals https://vintagerevivals.com/category/basic-diy/ 32 32 9 Common Painting Mistakes (with pictures!) https://vintagerevivals.com/9-common-painting-mistakes-with-pictures/ https://vintagerevivals.com/9-common-painting-mistakes-with-pictures/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2020 16:26:01 +0000 https://vintagerevivals.com/?p=6511726 This post is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams® We hear a lot about how to do things the right way. Especially in the DIY world. The right way to paint, the right way to build, the right way to caulk, and a

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This post is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams®

We hear a lot about how to do things the right way. Especially in the DIY world. The right way to paint, the right way to build, the right way to caulk, and a million other right ways.

But what happens if you dont do it the right way? What does it look like!? Does the universe implode?! Given that this is the year 2020, we should all make a group pact to not test it. Pinky promise!

Today we’re talking about the right and wrong way to paint a wall! If you love fail videos, this post is for you! I am taking all of my best paint tips and showing them side-by-side with what not to do. Cause sometimes you have to see what things look like when they’re wrong before you can fully appreciate when they’re right! A lot of these tips apply if you are using a roller/brush process vs. a paint sprayer. If you want tips on spraying check out this post!

Supplies

Raise your hand if you buy paint supplies based purely on price. The cheaper the better right? WRONG-O. The quality of your tools can drastically affect the finish of your paint job. And, it’s not always about price, it’s just about using the right tool.

Mistake# 1: Using The Wrong Roller Nap

The nap on a roller determines how long the length of the material is from the center core of the roller. Picking the right nap depends on the finish you want and the texture of your walls. The longer the nap, the more texture it adds! 

Fix:

If you have smooth walls the goal is to keep them that way! I never go longer than 3/8″ nap on our smooth walls. 3/8″ is a sweet spot for coverage and minimal texture.

If you have textured walls you can compromise a little on the texture in favor of quicker coverage. The longer nap fills the negative space in the wall texture and helps with coverage. 1/2″ nap is great for orange peel and knock down wall texture. If you are painting brick or stucco, a super long nap like 1″-1 1/2″ will be your best friend! 

Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Brush

One thing that you never never never want to cheap out on is a paint brush. Investing in a good brush will give you a significantly higher chance of a smooth, brushstroke- free finish.

I

 

Fix: Using a High Quality Brush

All of the above brushes have their uses, but my go to gold standard is a Purdy XL Glide. 

 

Insider Tip: Are you using the right roller for your paint formula?

Buckle in cause I’m about to blow your mind. Did you know that your paint formula has a soulmate roller?! It’s TRUE!! There is a perfect pairing for each type of paint! There is an in-store char at your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams that will tell you exactly what combo is right for your project!!

Mistake #3: Not Re-Mixing Paint Before You Pour

Unless you are painting within a few hours of picking up your paint, always grab a few (free!) stir sticks. As paint settles there are a lot of things that happen.

Color Separation

Color pigments have different weights and will settle on the bottom of your paint can. If you don’t thoroughly mix it, then you’re setting yourself up for an uneven color on the walls! Some colors seem to settle more quickly than others (green is the worst offender IMHO!) Always shake your can or stir the paint before you start using it! Make sure if your paint has been hanging around a for a while that you purposefully scrape along the bottom of the can.

Sheen Finish Separation

When your paint is mixed, it’s not only incorporating the color pigments, it’s combining the sheen. The higher the gloss, the more separation happens! If you don’t do a through job mixing your sheen, you can end up with flashing (where dry paint has different sheen marks when light hits it, making it *flash* before your eyes) and it will make touch up a BEAST, because even if the color is correct, the sheen isn’t exactly the same.

Fix: Remixing Your Paint

Revisit your store: If your paint has been sitting for a while, you can always take it back into your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store and have them re-shake it! If you are mixing it at home you’ve got a few options!

Shake it: Make sure your lid is on tightly and shake the can back and forth, alternating directions for at least 5 minutes. This is the cleanest way to mix your paint because there is no clean up but it also takes the longest!

Stir it: Using a stir stick, stir the paint for a minimum of 3 minutes. Make sure to pull the color from the bottom of the can by scraping it and pulling it up with the stick.

Blend it: There are really awesome paint stirrer drill attachments that make stirring paint quick and easy. Picture a kitchen beater, but bigger, and not for food. They work especially well if you are using 5-gallon buckets!

 

Mistake #4: Not Fully Loading the Roller = Paint Acne

The simple act of loading a new roller with paint is where things can easily and quickly go sideways. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they don’t fully saturate it! What happens is they will load the surface, but underneath close to the core is still completely dry.

This is a problem because as the paint is being applied, the pressure on the roller forces the air trapped at the core to come to the surface and creates hundreds of tiny bubbles on the wall. Sometimes they pop leaving little craters in your paint, and sometimes they stay unbroken.

If you aren’t fully saturating the roller, you are creating the texture of an acne-ridden teenager’s face on your walls! Guys, that’s not the look we’re going for!

Look I, more than anyone, understand the excitement of getting that first swipe of paint up on the wall, but taking the time to saturate the roller will start you off on the right foot!

Roll it back and forth in the paint and on the roller tray until all of the bubbles are gone and the roller feels heavy. If you’re getting bubbles in your finish you need to roll it in the tray longer!

 

Mistake #5: Using the Wrong Amount of Paint

So now that we’ve talked about properly loading our roller, lets unpack how much paint you should be putting on the wall!

Mistake # 6: Using too much paint

you will have drips and sagging. Sagging is when a whole section creates sort of a giant drip. It doesn’t usually run the way a drip does, but it shifts and leaves a big wavy line. Using too much paint will extend drying time, which in my case extends the space between coats and my patience. 😂

Mistake #7: Using too little paint

is actually the most counterproductive way to paint. Thin coats means that your coverage is as non-existent as a Tootsie Roll Egg in December. Without proper coverage, you are adding unnecessary work because you’ll not only have to do a second coat, but a third and maybe even a fourth. You are also adding texture! If paint dries before it has a chance to settle, the finish will have more texture. That’s a lot of time and effort committed to a sub-par paint job!

Fix: Using The Right Amount of Paint

The right amount of paint will let you paint a solid 3×3 square without running (too much) or spotting (too little). After your square is painted, reload the roller and go again. Work quickly and methodically and always work off the wet edge.

Watch for roller lines as you go. Roller lines are heavy trails of paint that are from the edges of the roller. They are usually unavoidable, but can be quickly and lightly feathered in by gently rolling in the opposite direction. 

If you overlook some roller lines and notice them after you’ve moved on to another section, LEAVE THEM ALONE. Which brings me to our number 1 painting sin…

Mistake # 8: Overworking the Paint

If you hear nothing else today, hear this. OVERWORKING THE PAINT IS THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO. What does overworking the paint look like? Well friend, huddle in.

Once paint is exposed to air it’s like a ticking time bomb. The more surface area of the paint is exposed, the quicker it will dry right? Paint spread out on a wall will dry faster than an open gallon.

As you are rolling the paint, your time is ticking. Paint dries from the surface first. Which means you’ve got to get it on, and then leave it alone. Once the surface has started to dry, rolling back over it to fix a drip or a roller line, or add more coverage is doing more damage than good. You’re mixing all of the surface dried paint with the wet paint on the roller, and the wet paint underneath the surface. All that you’ll end up with is a big goopy texture-y mess.

It takes massive amounts of self-control and sometimes leaving the room (no shame in knowing your weaknesses! 😂

So what is the right technique?

When I’m painting a wall, I like to work in 3 foot squares. The reason is because I can really easily control the coverage and fix any imperfections before I’m off to a spot halfway across the room. Work quickly and off of the wet edge of your square.

 

Mistake #9: Not Waiting For The Paint to Dry Before You Re-Coat

As the paint starts to dry, the surface will change colors. The best indicator of when your wall is ready for a second coat is when the color is uniformly dry. If your paint looks splotchy and has an uneven color it’s not dry!

Ok friends, these are my best tips. Did you learn anything new!? Make sure if you are heading to your neighboorhood Sherwin-Williams store that you use the coupon below to save $15! You can use it as many times as you like!

P.S. The paint I used for this post is Sherwin-Williams Emerald Interior® in a Matte finish, in the color Verde Marron SW 9124

 

 

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The FREE DIY Tool You Can’t Live Without!!! https://vintagerevivals.com/free-diy-tool-cant-live-without/ https://vintagerevivals.com/free-diy-tool-cant-live-without/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2016 16:26:41 +0000 https://vintagerevivals.com/?p=23570 Tell me if you’ve ever found yourself in this situation. You’ve persuaded your adorable husband to tackle a project that mayyybeeee you’ve never done before but 1/2 the internet it telling you it’s totally doable and so you are READY and

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Tell me if you’ve ever found yourself in this situation. You’ve persuaded your adorable husband to tackle a project that mayyybeeee you’ve never done before but 1/2 the internet it telling you it’s totally doable and so you are READY and ENTHUSIASTIC!

Saturday morning you start googling the project for instructions and you know what happens? 9,571 tutorials come up and you’re a little taken aback. But your like “K…thats ok. I’ll find one that seems right.”

You watch video after video of hairy guys in their dark garages try to explain what to do, but either the sound quality is so bad that you can’t understand it, OR the terms that they are using are totally outside of your DIY vocabulary. Either way it doesn’t work and sends you to the next video and on and on and on.

8-hours-later

8 hours later….You’ve finally got some idea of what this project needs to look like so you head to the store and get your supplies.

When you get home and are ready to tackle the project *shocker* something unexpected that is completely unique to your house happens. I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS. What do you do? You are led back to the internet to google something that doesn’t make sense. Like “What if I’m supposed to connect the red and blue wires and my house only has yellow and green?” More videos, more contractor forums, more swear words. No project to show for all of the work.

At this point, the kids are starving (you can only have them eat Cheerios and Otter Pops for so long). Your once clean house quite literally looks like a pack of wild animals took up habitat there. Your ready to make an appointment with a marriage counselor and you are questioning why you even married this horrible person in the first place. You’ve come up with a diabolical plan to take down all of Pinterest’s servers just so you never have to see a picture of stupid Joanna Gaines and her stupid perfect shiplap again. And you still have no idea why your house has yellow and green wires.

So what’s the solution?!! You guys, I am DYING over the most brilliant app that has ever existed. Every single person need this. I don’t care if you are a renter, homeowner, DIY novice or Bob Villa, YOU NEED THIS APP.

diyz-app

Its called DIYZ (pronounced DIY-wise) and it is the answer to every situation that you run into as a DIYer.

 

DIYZ has tutorial after tutorial on how to tackle loads of projects, everything from changing out a light fixture, to hanging dry wall, and from painting a wall to hanging a picture correctly. There are more than 100 tutorials with more being added on the regular.

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AND if for some reason the tutorial you need doesn’t exist or you find yourself in a pickle (ahem yellow and green wires) you can video chat with a Pro and they can help walk you through the situation. In person. A real life person that you can show the problem to and prove that you are not in fact crazy or color blind. Then they can just go ahead and save your marriage AND help you install the new thermostat at the same time.

BRILLIANT!!!

The app is free and is an absolute MUST HAVE. Each tutorial is loaded with info. On the front page of the tutorial you can easily see the time commitment and skill level, how much you can expect to pay if you DIY vs. Hire a Pro, and a shopping list that syncs to your Amazon cart so that you can buy all the supplies that you’ll need to tackle the project right from the app. My favorite part is that there is a video tutorial each step of the way. Like literally each step has its own video.

DIYZ App-3

And if all of that isn’t enough, there are really inspiring projects to discover. This app is a game changer people…and a marriage changer.

 

Download it NOW! Really, RIGHT NOW!!! Get it on iTunes and Google Play.

Thanks to DIYZ for teaming up with me on this post, and thanks to YOU for supporting the sponsors that make this corner of the internet happen! xo

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3 Frustrating Furniture Painting Problems Solved With One Tip. https://vintagerevivals.com/3-frustrating-furniture-painting-problems-solved-with-one-tip/ https://vintagerevivals.com/3-frustrating-furniture-painting-problems-solved-with-one-tip/#comments Wed, 28 May 2014 16:21:59 +0000 https://www.vintagerevivals.com/?p=16057 See my How To Paint Furniture Guide here! It’s full of updated information!! Painting furniture has long been one of my favorite pastimes. It is always amazing to me how a little love can totally change a piece from horrifying

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See my How To Paint Furniture Guide here! It’s full of updated information!! Painting furniture has long been one of my favorite pastimes. It is always amazing to me how a little love can totally change a piece from horrifying to awe inspiring. My go to technique has always been spray painting because every time I tried to paint with normal paint it was a HORRIBLE experience. Now, I know that there are people that swear by good brushes, foam rollers, and Floetrol and I am sure that they work for some…but I have never been able to master the paint from a can technique…until now.

First lets chat about the 3 most common problems when it comes to painting.

3 Frustrating Furniture Painting Problems Solved with One Tip

1. Brush Strokes.  Also the acronym for brush strokes is BS. Just putting that out there. Brush strokes happen when your paint dries before it has a chance to level. The stiffer (I am just going to say it, and crappier) your brush the worse it is going to look. Chip brushes are literally your worst nightmare when painting furniture. But even with expensive brushes I have never been able to paint something brush stroke free.

How To Paint Furniture (and get a PERFECT finish!!) vintagerevivals.com-8

2. Flashing.  Flashing is unevenness in a paint finish sheen. It happens for a few reasons. If you are using cheap paint,  especially cheap paint that has a high sheen, trying to get too much paint out of a roller,  not leaving a wet edge,  and rolling all willy nilly. Flashing is extremely noticeable when light reflects off of a piece. White foam rollers are like a shifty teenager in a trench coat on the sidelines of the homecoming football game. They are perfectly poised to ruin your crowning moment. Also foam rollers=light texture. Not enough to start over but FOR SURE enough to make you want to kick the dresser every time you walk by it.

How To Paint Furniture (and get a PERFECT finish!!) vintagerevivals.com-6

3. Stickiness After Drying.  Have you guys ever been in contact with a piece of furniture that never fully cured? It is eternally sticky to the touch. This happened once to a piece that was in my Mother In Law’s house. It was a four poster bed that was painted high gloss black and it was unusable because it was so sticky. This can happen for a few reasons,  your paint could be crappy quality, there wasn’t adequate dry time between layers. It seems like the higher the sheen, the more you risk this being a factor. Plain and simple, latex wall paint is not ideal for furniture.

So do you want to know what the secret combo is for a perfect paint job?

Sherwin Williams Pro Classic and a Mohair Roller. I kid you not, you will never go back once you have tried this combo. (See this post for updated paint and roller info!)

How To Paint Furniture (and get a PERFECT finish!!) vintagerevivals.com

Start by prepping you piece with a light sanding and a good cleaning. (By light sanding i mean the way you would wipe down a wall)

Load your roller.

This is the most important part so listen and listen good. Roll it on with only a few passes,  I am talking 3. Don’t worry so much about coverage,  you can do more than one coat. Just make sure that there aren’t any globby areas.

Now put your roller down and walk away. When the paint starts to dry and you mess with it, it is just a recipe for disaster and will always look worse when you are done.

And then you will hate yourself. So just trust.

This is a freshly rolled drawer vs. one that has had time to dry,  can you see how much the paint relaxes and evens out?

How To Get A Smooth Paint Finish

 

I have never had something work so well time and time again. You guys, this is the real deal.

How To Paint Furniture (and get a PERFECT finish!) vintagerevivals

How To Paint Furniture (and get a PERFECT finish!!) vintagerevivals.com-5

My only request? Don’t hug me too tight when you see me next. I love my guts intact.

Love Your Guts

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Confessions of a Pillow Addict: Slouchy Scarf to Structured Pillow With One Simple Secret. (This is LIFE Changing!) https://vintagerevivals.com/confessions-of-pillow-addict-slouchy/ https://vintagerevivals.com/confessions-of-pillow-addict-slouchy/#comments Thu, 15 Aug 2013 03:00:00 +0000 https://204.197.248.17/~vintager/?p=12654 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

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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.
From-Slouchy-Scarf-To-Structured-Pillow-With-One-Simple-Secret-This-is-LIFE-Changing-vintagerevivals

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.

Scarf to Pillow Tutorial

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…

Fusible Webbing.
 

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.

How To Make A Pillow From A Scarf

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.

Iron a Scarf to Canvas

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

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

Neon Skull Fabric

Now for the sewing part…

A Pillow Addicts Guide To Sewing An Awesome Pillow Cover

Neon Scarf Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals.com

How To Make A Simple Pillow From A Scarf

Neon Skull Pillow From Target Scarf

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.

Love Your Guts

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Confessions of a Pillow Addict: My Weird (and Surprisingly Efficient) Way To Sew An Envelope Pillow https://vintagerevivals.com/confessions-of-pillow-addict-my-weird/ https://vintagerevivals.com/confessions-of-pillow-addict-my-weird/#comments Tue, 13 Aug 2013 09:53:00 +0000 https://204.197.248.17/~vintager/?p=4 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

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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.

A Pillow Addicts Guide To Sewing An Awesome Pillow Cover

How To Sew A Simple Envelope Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals
How To Sew A Pillow
How To Sew An Envelope Pillow
How To Sew A Standard Pillow Cover
Sew A Pillow
Tutorial for Sewing A Pillow Cover
How To Sew A Pillow CoverEasiest Way To Sew A Pillow
Basic Envelope Pillow Tutorial How To Make A Pillow
Tutorial for Making Pillows
Envelope Pillow Tutorial Step by Step Tutorial for Sewing Envelope Pillows
How To Sew A Simple Envelope Pillow Tutorial on vintagerevivals.com
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(palm fabric & geometric fabric are both HGTV Home available at Joanns. Stripe fabric tutorial is coming on Thursday!)
If you are feeling extra brave,  try this simple tutorial for sewing a zippered pillow cover.
The easiest way to sew a zipper into a pillow!  No skills required!!
A Pillow Addict's Confession To The World's Cheapest Pillow Inserts

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

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DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial & How To Sew A Zippered Pillow Cover (The EASY Way!) https://vintagerevivals.com/diy-leather-pillow-tutorial-how-to-sew/ https://vintagerevivals.com/diy-leather-pillow-tutorial-how-to-sew/#comments Tue, 30 Jul 2013 03:00:00 +0000 https://204.197.248.17/~vintager/?p=12657 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

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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.

DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals

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.

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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?

DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals.com-8

 

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.

DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals.com

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.

DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals.com-4

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.

The easiest way to sew a zipper into a pillow!  No skills required!!

DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals.com-10

 

Place right sides together.

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Turn your machine to the longest stitch length.

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

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

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

How To Sew a Pillow

 

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

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Leather Pillow Tutorial vintagerevivals.com

DIY Leather Pillow Tutorial www.vintagerevivals    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?

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The Joy of Why Not. https://vintagerevivals.com/the-joy-of-why-not/ https://vintagerevivals.com/the-joy-of-why-not/#comments Tue, 16 Jul 2013 07:35:00 +0000 https://204.197.248.17/~vintager/?p=12660 I really want to kick this Basic DIY series off with a little happy motivation. Happy motivation is the motive behind everything that I do (am I allowed to use motive and motivation in the same sentence? Hmmm. Lets just

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I really want to kick this Basic DIY series off with a little happy motivation. Happy motivation is the motive behind everything that I do (am I allowed to use motive and motivation in the same sentence? Hmmm. Lets just go with it.)

There are 3 sure things in life. Death, Taxes, and the simple fact that when I announce I am changing a room up, I always get a “WHAT!? Didn’t you just do that room?”

Basic DIY- The Joy of Why Not   vintagerevivals

The most basically basic DIY I want EVERY SINGLE PERSON that reads Vintage Revivals to click away knowing. Is that it.is.your.choice.

I feel like every single room in your house should make you feel like it is the most perfect place in the world for you. There is nothing better in the world than walking into a space that you LOVE.   Do you feel like that when you walk into your house? If you said yes,  you get 1000 Vintage Revivals points that will be redeemable when I am rich and famous. If you answered with no, I have one question for you.

Why not?

Is it because you rent?

Is it because you don’t have any money?

Is it because you aren’t creative?

Is it because you don’t have any ideas?

Is it because you cant make a decision?

Is it because you are worried it wont be perfect?

Is it because you feel like you just cant do it?

 

Here is what I say to each and every one of those rebuttals.

I know it may seem a little Pee Wee Herman “I know you are but what am I”

But.

Just because you rent doesn’t mean you cannot make a space your own. (This is one of the biggest reasons that I am so excited for Cara’s office makeover!)

Just because you don’t have any money, does not mean that you cant repurpose things you already have, or score a road kill rescue here or there.

Just because you feel like you are not creative is not a good reason. Creativity is a skill that is developed by (you guessed it) being creative. A few years ago I would have considered myself the least creative person on the planet. For reals.

Just because you feel like you don’t have any ideas is the lamest reason of them all. Have you ever heard of this little teeny site called Pinterest? It is FULL of ideas, some good, some not so good. But that is up to you to choose which of them work the best for YOU.

Just because you feel like you cant make a decision does not mean that you shouldn’t. Start with something small. Paint a wall. Find a dresser at the Goodwill and give it a coat of spray paint.

Which brings me to my next point.

Perfection is NOT REALITY. You are not a machine. You don’t have your own personal Ty Pennington in the garage waiting for you to bring out furniture building plans (but that would be nice, if you know what I am sayin…)  There is not one.single. project that I have done that is perfect. Not one. They all have flaws. But if I obsessed over it where would that get me? Embrace that the flaws tell a story. Because it is a good story.

If you feel like you just cant do it, lets do a little visual learning lesson. Go stand in front of the mirror. Grab your cheeks Home Alone style. Squeeze them together and say YES. YOU. CAN. Because that is EXACTLY what I would do if you were sitting in front of me.

I know that you have a project that you have been thinking about doing. Do it and send me pictures, and I will be all the cheerleader you need. Just don’t expect me to be good.

Love Your Guts

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Conquering YOUR DIY Demons https://vintagerevivals.com/basic-diy-new-series-on-vintage-revivals/ https://vintagerevivals.com/basic-diy-new-series-on-vintage-revivals/#comments Fri, 12 Jul 2013 07:20:00 +0000 https://204.197.248.17/~vintager/?p=12662 You. Guys. I am having the best time working on Cara’s Office this week, if have you ever questioned her genuine-ness, let me tell you, this girl is the real deal. I don’t know if I have ever met a

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You. Guys. I am having the best time working on Cara’s Office this week, if have you ever questioned her genuine-ness, let me tell you, this girl is the real deal. I don’t know if I have ever met a nicer person in my life. We have talked about everything under the sun,  and one of my favorite chats was about YOU!

Have you ever heard the expression Too Far Down The Tunnel? I feel like every project/room that I do is bigger and better than the last. I LOVE trying new things and rarely do things more than once. The problem? The stuff that I am doing is WAY down deep in the tunnel of DIY skills. I just think (even though I know that this is SO NOT THE CASE) that everyone of you have read my blog from the beginning. Travelling the same DIY journey and acquiring the same skills.

So. Chatting with Cara my eyes were totally opened to the error of my ways when she said “I love looking at your projects, but I don’t think I would ever attempt them.”

Ding! (That click was the light bulb in my brain FINALLY understanding  a few things that have kept me up at night.)

Basic DIY Series

So I am going to be sharing a post with you every Friday called Basic DIY. It may be something from a room project that I am working on, or my favorite tips, or a project that you can execute in less than 10 minutes. Its all about the basic skills that you need to get started working on your own fun projects,  so that you can follow your gut intuition when it comes to decorating for yourself (remember no PB catalog should dictate how your house FEELS.)

Are you as excited about this as I am? Are you ready to start walking into the tunnel of DIY love?!

I want to know what YOU want to learn. It could be something as simple as my trick for getting paint off of outlet covers (because sometimes/all the time, I am too impatient to track down a screwdriver and think that it will be fine…)

So speak up, what Basic DIY skills do you need to know to conquer your DIY demons?

Love Your Guts

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Who Is Your Blog Crush? Ultimate Linky https://vintagerevivals.com/who-is-your-blog-crush-ultimate-linky/ https://vintagerevivals.com/who-is-your-blog-crush-ultimate-linky/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:50:00 +0000 https://204.197.248.17/~vintager/?p=12114 One thing that I have been painfully aware of recently is the fact that there are SO many amazing blogs out there that I have no clue about. For example just yesterday I found an AMAZING blog that I am

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Best Blogs,  Best Home Decor Blogs, Best Food Blogs, Best Mom Blogs

One thing that I have been painfully aware of recently is the fact that there are SO many amazing blogs out there that I have no clue about.

For example just yesterday I found an AMAZING blog that I am sure so many of you know about since Katie is sort of a DIY Rockstar…have you ever read Bower Power? Seriously so creative and fun and HILARIOUS. (If you have not yet felt the Power of the Bower head over and tell her that her BFF Mandilicious sent you.) and if you have WHY didn’t you tell me to go read it?!!

Oh and how about 71 toes? I want to be JUST. LIKE. SHAWNI when I grow awesome.

It seems the more time my blog takes the less time I have to blog hop (strange how that happens right?!) And I know that there are TONS of amazing blogs that I am missing out on.

So I want you link up your favorite blog. Not so much your blog, but the one(s) that you read that you would DIE if you missed a post. (feel free to link up as many as you want)

And make sure that you leave a comment on that site telling your blog crush that you love them as much as the Snap girls (minus me) love Neil Diamond. (Which is more than humanly possible FYI)
This is for you girls.

Where was I going with this?

Ummm…Oh yes, leave a comment telling them why you are their blog crush I promise on my first born that it will make their entire day.

All you need to do is link up the URL of your fave blog, and image from their site. In the description leave their blog name and a SHORT description of what we can expect to find.

For example if you were writing one about me (which is not necessary but I am flattered, thank you) it would look like this:

Vintage Revivals:  Epic DIY Room Makeovers

Or if you REALLY wanted to be my friend you would write something like this:

Vintage Revivals: Gorgeous, Talented, Funny. The Miss America of Blogland.

You know, what ever you feel like the right description is…. that’s easy enough right?!

Ok, get to linking so we can all ignore our children today! Wahooo! (Just joking for all the crazies who thought I was serious.)

And I would love it if you are a Pinner and would pin this so it could reach outside our DIY land!

Love Your Guts

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