My fellow short-statured friends, this one is for you! I'm sure you can relate to the struggle of finding an office chair (or any chair for that matter) where you can scoot all the way back and have your feet touch the ground. At 5'2" (5"3" on a good day) I'm either leaning forward with zero back support or sitting back with my feet dangling in mid-air. Not good when you're spending so much time on the computer.

Lowering the chair isn't an option either because the desk is way too high to comfortably type. So I came up with a budget-friendly alternative by making an office chair bolster pillow with farmhouse charm and my back is thanking me!

Office Chair Bolster Pillow For Us Short-Statured Folks

This handy bolster pillow scoots me forward on the seat while providing much needed back support AND my feet touch the floor. Prior to making it, I was using a pillow that I slipped behind my back and was such a nuisance. It was constantly shifting and every time I stood up it would fall to the floor. Plus it was kind of embarrassing because it was just a pillow form without a cover and our guest bathroom has a direct sightline to my office.

The bolster pillow attaches to the chair with ties wrapped around the headrest and can be adjusted as needed.

I made the bolster pillow with a red ticking stripe remnant from an armchair slipcover that I've been itching to put to good use. Some of the slipcover fabric was used to make these Farmhouse Ticking Stripe Pumpkins and to upholster this IKEA Bentwood Stool.

This office chair bolster is for a novice sewing skill level. Instead of a more difficult zipper closure, it is an envelope style pillow cover.

Here's how I made it...

Cutting the fabric

The measurements are based on a 20-inch pillow form, adjust your measurements according to your pillow form size.

Tip 1:

For a fuller pillow cut the fabric the same size as the pillow form without an allotment for a seam allowance.

Tip 2:

When salvaging a slipcover try to incorporate the parts with finished seams and recycle the tie backs too. The less sewing involved the better.

The pillow front fabric is cut  20" x 20".

I was thrilled to find a long piece of the slipcover with a finished seam that I could use for the two back pieces of the pillow cover. With envelope style pillows you want the back two pieces to overlap one another by at least four inches. My readymade option is 14-inches long which provides a four-inch overlap on both pieces. I cut it into two 20-inch wide pieces (pictured below).

I'll be using the salvaged tie back pictured below to hang the bolster pillow around the headrest of my office chair. Saved me a lot of time not having to sew new tie backs.

Making the bolster pillow ruffle

Cut long strips of fabric (make sure the pattern is the same direction) into 4-inch wide strips. You will need enough to make a 160-inch long strip plus an extra 10-inches for seam allowances.

Sew the 4-inch strips together as pictured below. Ticking stripe fabric is prone to fraying so I used the elastic stretch stitch on my sewing machine to stop the edges from fraying. A serging or zig zag stitch is another option.

Once you have your 160-inch long ruffle sewn, fold it in half and iron the fold. My ironing board and iron are kept in the basement laundry room so I have a small tabletop ironing board and travel steam iron in my office to use for sewing projects. Excuse the stains on the ironing board cover, time to make a new one.

Iron any wrinkles out of the front and back pieces of the pillow cover at this point as well.

This step is tedious and a little finicky so you will want to take your time. It's a good step to do while watching television.

Measure the ruffle every 40-inches (double the width of each side of the pillow form) and mark with a pin.

Starting at one end, with needle and thread run a basting stitch (pictured below) the first up to the first 40-inch mark. Make sure to leave long thread strands on each end for pulling. It's important that there not be any knots in the fabric so it gathers easily.

Slowly and carefully pull the thread on either end to gather the fabric until it measures 20-inches (the length of one side of the pillow) for a double ruffle (pictured below). Tie the threads so they don't unravel. Gather the next 40-inches of fabric much the same. Continue these steps until you have an 81-inch long ruffle - an extra inch for 1/2-inch seam allowance.

Sew the two ends of the ruffle together (make sure the ruffle isn't twisted), much like you did when making the long ruffle strip.

Attaching the ruffle

There are two ways to attach the ruffle to the pillow cover. If you're an experienced sewer, you can skip this step and move onto assembling the pillow cover. But in this tutorial, we're going to take the easier route of sewing the ruffle onto the front piece first.

Pin the raw edges of the ruffle to the raw edge of the pillow front piece. With the stitch length set to #4 (longest stitch on the sewing machine), baste stitch the ruffle with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, pivoting the needle at the corners.

Tip - How to sew corners

Stop near the edge and leave the same distance between the needle and the edge of the fabric (1/2-inch seam allowance). Put the needle in the down position, lift the pressure foot, pivot the fabric 90 degrees, and continue sewing. Double check that the ruffles on both sides of the corner are still facing towards the center of the pillow cover.

Now we have the front ruffle finished we'll work on the two back pieces for an envelope closure. You can see in the photo below that I didn't take my own advice and iron the piece first while making the ruffle.

Assembling the envelope pillow cover 

1. Lay the front piece with the right side facing up and the ruffles pointing inwards toward the center of the pillow.
2. Lay the ties pointing inward toward the center of the pillow and spaced approximately 6-inches from each corner. You want them hanging on each side of the headrest on the office chair.
3. Lay one of the back pieces with the good side facing down and the finished seam towards the center of the cover. Pin the raw edges together. 
4. Lay the second piece over the previous one, again with the finished seam towards the center, and pin the raw edges together.
5. Sew a 5/8-inch seam allowance around the entire pillow, pivoting the needle at the corners. Take your time as there will be a lot of bulk and make sure the ruffles are laying flat towards the center, especially around the corners.

Turn the pillow cover right side out, pushing the corners with the end of a wooden spoon. Slip the pillow form inside one half of the cover (pictured below).

And fold the other half of the pillow cover over the pillow form and you're ready to hang it on the chair.

Adjust the height of the pillow to your liking and tie it around the headrest of the office chair.

I am so glad to FINALLY have the back support that I need while scooting forward in my office chair so my feet touch the ground. No more loose pillows constantly shifting and falling to the ground and it looks lovely with its farmhouse charm.

If you have any questions about this project, please leave them in the comment section below or press the Contact Me button at the top of the blog to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

For more DIY pillow inspiration and tutorials see my Pearl Earring Envelope Pillow Cover or Turquoise Rosette Drop Cloth Pillow posts.

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.

Back in the Fall, we purchased a new mattress with an adjustable reclining base. Oh, how I love the recline feature! But what I didn't realize was that a traditional bed skirt that lays between the mattress and box spring wouldn't work. Because the top of the base reclines, so too does the dust ruffle on the skirt. Skirts for this style of bed can have a hefty price tag so instead, I modified a standard bed skirt into a no-sew tailored bed skirt for an adjustable bed.

No Sew Tailored Bed Skirt For Adjustable Beds

Not only did I save a lot of money but it took less than thirty minutes to make with no sewing machine required. But what I also love about this modified bed skirt is that when it's time to wash it, you don't have to lift a heavy mattress to take it off. Reclining bed or not, what's not to love about that?

The bed's been skirtless since last Fall because getting to this project kept being put on the back burner. When I learned that this months challenge for my friends and I in the Int'l Bloggers Club was creating a project with silk or linen, it was just the motivation I needed to finally cover our naked bed.

If you're new here and haven't heard of the International Bloggers Club, we are a group of friends from around the globe who come together every month to share a themed DIY project. Links to my friend's silk or linen projects are included at the bottom of this post.

Last month the theme was leather where I breathed new life into a curvy thrift store footstool with a gorgeous embossed leather hide.

This is the modified tailored bed skirt with the adjustable base in the flat position.

And here it is with the adjustable base at a recline. See how the modified bed skirt doesn't move with the base?

One of the reasons we purchased the adjustable bed is so it can be kept at a slight incline because both Mr. Frugalista and I suffer from acid reflux. It's a nuisance to have to readjust the incline every night before going to bed. Hence the reason I needed a bed skirt that didn't move up with the adjustable bed.

We also chose an adjustable bed because I LOVE to read in bed. My favorite way to start the day is grabbing a coffee, opening the blinds on our large bedroom window and snuggling back in bed with a good book while enjoying the view of our backyard. Oftentimes I am distracted by the chirping of birds or the shenanigans of our neighborhood squirrels. We have these little tiny birds (have no clue what they are) that will chase the squirrels as they run along our fence. Who needs a television in the bedroom when nature can provide so much entertainment.

This is what I used to make it

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience so you can see what products I used or recommend to make this project. See my full disclosure policy.

Modifying a standard bed skirt is so easy because it requires no sewing. I found my grey queen size pleated bed skirt for $19.99 at Walmart. The color matched the lighter grey in our duvet cover perfectly.

To modify the standard bed skirt you'll need 3/4-inch self-adhesive velcro. We used approximately 22-feet for a queen size bed. Bonus, we found ours in a clearance bin for $2 per package - the regular price was $6.

Here's how I did it...

See what I mean when I say that the platform on the top of the adjustable base reclines and a regular skirt would lift right along with it?

Wash and cut a standard bed skirt

First, wash the bed skirt and dry on the low heat setting. I didn't iron mine at this point - or any point for that matter and we'll talk about that further down in the post.

Remove the middle fabric of the skirt by cutting along the seam of the dust ruffle with sharp fabric scissors.

Reclining bed skirts come with a six-inch border around the dust ruffle that lays on top of the platform and hangs over the frame on the part that reclines. I can see that shifting around and being a total nuisance. Instead, I didn't bother with a border and secured mine with velcro.

Velcro fasteners on the bed skirt

With the wrong side of the skirt facing towards you, attach the fuzzy side of the velcro to the top edge of the bed skirt. Press firmly with your fingers for good adhesion. You may want to dab a little hot glue every so often if you find it isn't holding firmly onto the fabric.

Attach the hooked side of the velcro along the top edge of the reclining base as pictured below. Press firmly with your fingers for good adhesion.

Starting at one corner attach the skirt and that's all there is to it. How quick and easy was that!

To iron or not to iron, that is the question

And my answer is always HELL NO! This Mama will find any excuse to avoid ironing. I used my handy portable fabric steamer and drapery tool attachment to steam out the wrinkles.

How easy was that? And for around $25 compared to upwards of $140 for a tailored adjustable bed skirt, I couldn't be happier.

But my modified bed skirt would work for any bed with a box spring. The fact that you can just tear it off when it needs to be washed without having to lift a heavy mattress is all the motivation I need. What about you?

Whenever I post pictures of the bedroom I'm always asked about some of the elements in the room so I've included links should you be wondering too. Like the Stenciled Wall behind the bed or our 3-Panel Door Headboard. I also made the Dollar Store Birdhouses displayed on the top of the headboard and the night table is an Inexpensive Box Store Table Makeover.

If you have any questions about this no-sew bed skirt, please leave them in the comment section below or press the Contact Me button at the top of the blog to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.

Please join me by clicking the links below to visit my friend's silk or linen inspired projects...

Minimal Water Colour Abstract Linen Painting by Northern Feeling

How To Make A Silky Bohemian Dreamcatcher by A Crafty Mix

DIY Pin Cushion Made With Linen by Faeries & Fauna

Do you like to dress up your Easter table with that little extra something to wow your guests? The centerpiece steals the show but adding a little pop of color either on top or beside the dinner plates is always a nice touch. Today I'm sharing an easy tutorial on how to make Spring cutlery holders with burlap ribbon but they could be used any time of the year.

You don't have to use burlap ribbon like I did, any wide ribbon would work. Which makes the possibilities for these endless. Depending on the stencil or the ribbon, you could make them for any season or holiday.

Spring Cutlery Holders With Burlap Ribbon

What I love about these cutlery holders is that they are so handy to have for buffets, large gatherings, summer BBQ's or picnics, weddings, and of course to embellish holiday tables.

For the holidays I made a few different styles of burlap Christmas Cutlery Holders both for my dinner table as well as extra sets to give for hostess gifts.

It's better to use the unwired ribbon because you will be sewing along the edges. Although you could make these without sewing by using no-sew fabric glue.

These cutlery holders are so inexpensive to make because oftentimes you can find the plain burlap ribbon at the dollar store. These are the supplies used to make the Spring Cutlery Holders.

Here's how I made them...

Step 1 - Cut the burlap ribbon

To mark the cut lines for each cutlery holder on the burlap ribbon spool, remove a strand of jute every 15 inches (like pictured below).

I prefer making my cutlery holders in sets of eight but depending on how large your gatherings, you may want to make more. Cut the ribbon at your 15-inch markings.

Step 2 - Cut the jute trim

Cut strips of narrow decorative ribbon about 4 1/2-inches long, slightly larger than the 4-inch burlap. You'll need two per cutlery holder. I used 3/8-inch green jute ribbon to decorate mine.

Step 3 - Sew (or glue) the trim

No worries if you don't have a sewing machine, you definitely can make these with no-sew fabric glue.

Lay the cut burlap ribbon flat and sew or glue one piece of decorative ribbon on the top facing outwards. Flip the burlap over and sew the bottom piece on the back side of the burlap (as pictured below).

Step 4 - Mark the fold

Fold the bottom half of the burlap ribbon over and measure 5 1/2 inches and pin in place.

Step 5 - Sew the side seams

Stitch or glue the sides of the cutlery holders together along the factory edge with either matching thread or a contrasting color like I did. Mine matches the color of the green jute ribbon.

Trim the decorative ribbon, any loose threads, and strands of burlap.

Here is one complete set of eight finished. Now time to decorate the cutlery holders with a stencil.

Step 6 - Stencil the cutlery holders

Slip a piece of paper inside each pouch so the paint doesn't seep through to the back. You could stencil the cutlery holders before they are sewn together but I found it easier to line up the stencil after they are sewn.

Place the self-adhesive stencil onto the center of the front of each cutlery holder. You don't have to use adhesive stencils but I found it much easier if you do. A regular stencil with stencil spray adhesive certainly would work too.

Place some multi-surface or fabric paint onto a paper plate. Load just a little paint onto a stencil brush and offload onto a paper towel until the brush is almost dry. The key is having very little paint on the brush. Pounce the paint over the stencil until it is dark enough to your liking then move on to the next cutlery pouch.

I used a French Fleur De Lis stencil which really isn't Spring but the color I stenciled them certainly is. The color matches my woven placemats which I use for both Spring and Summer.

A bunny silhouette stencil with a pompom tail would be adorable for Easter. Like I said, the possibilities are endless for decorating these cutlery holders.

I've included affiliate links below so you can see what products I used or recommend to make these cutlery holders. See my disclosure policy

For This Project You Will Need:

4-inch Wide Burlap Ribbon
3/8 inch Wide Jute or Decorative Ribbon
Thread or No-Sew Fabric Glue
Small Adhesive Stencil
Small Stencil Brush
Multi-Surface or Fabric Paint

Here's another idea to dress up your dining room for Spring or Easter. Turn plastic or metal charger plates into adorable round chalkboards.

Here's a fun and inexpensive centerpiece idea for Spring. Turn dollar store glass vases or domes into adorable DIY Glass Cloches with furniture knob handles. The possibilities are endless for what you display under the glass.

So what do you think, any ideas of how you would use these cutlery holders? What would you use to make them? I'd love to hear your ideas.

If you have any questions about this makeover, please leave them in the comment section below or press the Contact Me button at the top of the blog to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.