DIY Mud Cloth Pillow Cover
Ever since I was a little girl, I've always loved craft projects. I would scour magazines day and night, tear out the pages I loved, and figure out how I could create the latest trend in my own space. We hardly ever bought anything brand new or full price, so I would rummage through our garage and sort through my art supplies to see what I could come up with on my own. I suppose I have been DIY-ing even before DIY was a thing.
All these years later, DIY projects are still some of my favorite. There is hardly an item in our house that we purchased brand new. To some that may seem crazy, but to me it was the most affordable (and fun!) option. When you build or design something yourself, suddenly those pieces take on a whole new meaning. You actually have a memory tied to each of your goods which makes your house feel like a home.
The latest trend that has caught my eye are African mud cloth pillows. These pillows are made by hand by African tribes. The tribe uses a unique procedure that makes dyes from mud and leaves. Then they weave the cotton cloth in narrow strips and sew them together. I'm sure you've seen them...
Via Pinterest
I love the texture they bring to a room, but the price for "real" African mud cloth covers were WAY out of my budget. I couldn't afford the originals and I didn't want to pay for fake, so I decided I might as well make my own out of something lying around the house. Time for a little DIY!
I happened to purchase some linen pillow covers several months ago and had recently whipped them out to use in the guest room. They were pretty plain, so I thought this might be the perfect opportunity for a little update. Here's what I did...
DIY Mud Cloth Pillow Cover
Supplies:
- Linen pillow cover (H&M: 16x16-$9.95 ; 20x20- $12.99)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Sharpie
- Magazine, piece of cardboard, etc.
How To:
- Remove pillow insert and lay cover flat on hard surface
- Lightly sketch design with pencil. A ruler is nice for double checking any spacing issues, but there is no need to make the design perfect.
- Place magazine/cardboard/etc. inside pillow cover
- Trace pencil marks with Sharpie. Be sure the magazine/cardboard piece is directly under your marker to ensure you do not bleed onto the other side of pillow or your work surface.
- Insert pillow and voila!
While my sketches were by no means perfect, that's kind of why I like them so much. I'm shocked how well it all turned out. As a bonus, it didn't cost a dime and it only took about 30 minutes to complete. Now that is my kind of project!
For reference, here is a "before" photo of the guest bedroom with the plain white linen pillow covers...
b e f o r e
And here is the after! The slight update really makes the pillows cases feel special and the graphic design creates some much needed interest. I couldn't be more pleased.
a f t e r
