Use Bed Linens to Redecorate Any Room in the House

When you're ready for a change in your home decorating, but don't want to go all out and you'd like to save some money, too, think "bed linens."

You don't even need to run out and buy new sheets and comforters. Use what you have to make your living room, den, dining room or kitchen fresh all over again.

Sheets can be made into table cloths, napkins, curtains, table runners, potholders and rugs. A set of sheets is all it takes, and it's all easy, straight seam sewing. You can even do it by hand while watching TV.

Table cloth? Measure and cut, leaving an extra inch all the way around for a hem. Hem on a sewing machine or by hand. Use the leftover scraps for napkins by cutting 12 or 13 inch squares and hemming them. Or make triangles! Who said napkins had to be square?

Curtains are just big rectangles, hemmed and hung. Measure your window and add six inches in length for top and bottom hems. Cut two pieces, and hem the sides first, then turn the top over a half inch, sew it down, then turn under and sew, leaving plenty of room for the curtain rod - usually three inches. Hem the bottom and you're done.

A set of sheets (top and bottom), even twin size, should give you enough material to make all this and more.

What about the living room? Cover the couch with a comforter or sheet! Mix and match covers for chairs and hem a few pieces to cover table tops, wrap throw pillows, or put on shelves for accents.

To cover an upholstered chair or couch, first position the sheet or comforter to make it fit good. If yours has loose pillows, put the sheet under them, and wrap the pillows with another sheet. If you don't have loose pillows, a stick, a couple of rulers, or a length of just about anything sturdy, narrow and long, can be pushed into the angle between seat and back to hold the cover in place. They sell rods for this, but they aren't necessary.