Chenille refers to a soft, textured fabric with a slight iridescence. This fabric, commonly made from cotton or acrylic, became all the rage in bedspreads in the 1930s. Since that time, chenille bedspreads have gone in and out of style but are always a good way to bring the classic elegance of that decade to any bedroom.
Things You'll Need:
- Sewing Machine
- Measuring Tape
- Scissors
- Matching Thread
- Needle
- Buttons
- Chenille Fabric
- Batting
Take Measurements
Measure the length and width of your bed as well as the height from the floor.
Figure out the dimensions of the finished bedspread. To find the length of the bedspread, add the height measurement to the length measurement from Step 1. To find the width, multiply the height by two, and add that number to the width. For example if your bed measures 60 inches wide by 80 inches long and sits 24 inches high, your bedspread should measure 108 inches wide (60 inches plus 48 inches) by 104 inches long (80 inches plus 24 inches).
Add seam allowances to figure out the size of the fabric pieces. You will need to sew three strips of fabric together to form both the top and the bottom of the bedspread based on standard fabric widths.
Add 1/2 inch to the width of your finished bedspread to find the length of each piece. To find the width, divide the length of the finished bedspread by three and add 1/2 inch.
Continuing with the example measurements in Step 2, the length of each piece will measure 108 1/2 inches, and the width of each piece will measure 35 inches (104 divided by 3 equals 34 1/2).
Cut and Sew Fabric
Cut six strips of chenille with the measurements in Section 1.
One at a time, sew three strips together along the length. All strips should be sewn with right sides facing. Repeat this for the second set of three strips.
Press seams open. Place a towel between the chenille and the iron to avoid scorching.
Stitch the seamed sections together. Place the two sections of three strips each with right sides facing and stitch all the way around the top, bottom and one side. On the other side, leave an opening of about 12 inches not stitched.
Pull bedspread right-side-out. Through the 12-inch opening, pull the material through, making sure to fully extract the corners.
Fill and Finish
Fill the bedspread. Gently push the batting into the bedspread through the opening and flatten it so it is evenly disbursed.
Sew buttons along the seams. The buttons will create tufting, keep the batting in place and provide a decorative element.
The number of buttons placed along each seam depends on the size of the buttons, the size of your bedspread and your personal taste. If the buttons are large, you can use as few as four per seam.
Space the buttons evenly along the seam line.
Slip stitch the opening.
Warnings:
- Never place an iron directly on chenille fabric. Even cotton chenille has man-made fibers added to it, and these fibers will melt. Instead, place a clean towel between the iron and the fabric.
