Budget Bed

Turn a basic bedroom into a dream with three simple projects that cost so little you can give your room a facelift without depleting your savings.

 

Make a covered headboard (ours is medium-density fiberboard) with batting and fabric; pick a fabric with spandex fiber for extra stretch.

Yardage: Fabric at least 3 inches wider all around than headboard frame
Time: 3 hours

1. Drill two 1/4-inch holes where you want to add covered buttons.
2. Wrap two layers of batting around the frame; staple on the back.
3. Lay the frame facedown on the wrong side of the fabric. Pull the fabric to the back at the center top and bottom; staple. Repeat on both sides.
4. Stretch and staple the fabric to fit smoothly around the board.
5. To further secure fabric to the headboard, push a needle and thread from the back through the hole drilled in the board, through the button loop, then to the back of the board. Pull ends of thread tight and twist around a brad nailed to the board back. This step lets the button dimple the fabric.

 

Yardage: 2 inches larger all around than comforter
Time: 2 hours

1. Measure the comforter, adding 1 inch on three sides and 2 inches along top edge.
2. Turn top edges of fabric under 2 inches and hem.
3. Stitch hook-and-loop tape to inside of top edges.
4. Lay top and bottom right sides together; stitch around three edges.
5. Add loops at inside corners; turn right side out. Add loops at comforter's corners to hold comforter in place.

 

The trick to making this fun, fringy pillow is to buy coarsely woven fabric that makes it easy to pull thick, loose threads off the cut ends.

Yardage: 1/2 yard for a 16-inch pillow
Time: 1 hour

1. To start, cut two pieces of fabric 2 inches wider all around than the pillow form.
2. With wrong sides together, stitch the pieces together 2 inches from the edges, leaving a 6-inch opening.
3. Slip a pillow form through the opening and machine-stitch the opening shut.
4. Unravel the edges of the pillow by pulling the loose threads down to the machine-stitched line.