Antique Linens

After I turned my master bedroom into a Sewing Studio, my new much smaller bedroom needed some design help.  Nick and Janet helped move boxes in my storage unit so I could get to the ones containing the linens I had inherited.

This redo was pretty easy to do and involved very little sewing or cutting/damaging the linens.  I have the quilt I made earlier this year on the bed now as it is very summery looking but will change the quilts with the seasons.  I also have another white tablecloth that looks really pretty as a coverlet - but is not a good choice with my black/white cat.

Overall view - the headboard was "FREE" (a trade for some sewing) and is just screwed to the wall;
 the euros I found on sale in Chattanooga;
the long bolster I made with a tablecloth; the two small pillows I made with tea towels; the old
silver pot and china cup were my grandmothers (one from each side).  I plan to add pictures of my grandparents
and parents to complete the "antique" look.  My bedside table is my grandmother's sewing table.

 To make the pillow shams, I bought double faced satin ribbon for the side ties.  I could only find bright white or ecru.   Neither was quite right so I tea dyed the white briefly so it would blend in with the white of the towels.  (to do that soak the ribbon in brewed tea until it is a little darker than you want.  Rinse and dry).  I made the pillow forms out of an old pillow case.  The idea at first was to just tie the towels around the pillows.  That didn't work as I thought so I blind stitched the botttoms together.  Cost:  ribbon and a bag of poly filler.

The bolster was made with a purchased form ($10 at Bed, Bath & Beyond) and another old tablecloth.  I folded the tablecloth over envelope style; stitched the ends; done!!

Close up of headboard.  Someone made this using an old shutter
and adding the shelf and rail.  I could have hung it either way but
wanted to use the shelf for display.  Free!!

It was hard to get a good picture of the window covering!
I bought some glass doorknob reproductions at Hobby Lobby
and mounted them to some wood blocks spraypainted white.  The lace tablecloth
is just folded diagonally and draped over the doorknobs.
Cost - about $15 for the doorknobs/wood/spray paint

My new bedskirt is made with two antique tablecloths.  I did
not cut these at all!  Just ironed them carefully and laid
them over the boxspring so they would hang to the floor.  I didn't
have one big enough so used one for the side and one for the
end.  I didn't worry about the other side because it is almost against
the wall and isn't seen.