Instant Decorating Upgrades With Old Linens By Joyce Bautista
Ten fuss-free projects add stylish touches to your home.
Recycle Linen Napkins Into Photo-Album Covers
One by one, your linen napkins have been frayed from use or ruined by sharing a wash cycle with a red sock. Use the last pristine
orphan to personalize a store-bought photo album.
What you need: An ironed napkin, ½-inch-wide ribbon (measure the album's four sides and get a piece of ribbon that's slightly longer), scissors,
and craft glue.
What you do:
1. Place the napkin right-side down. Lay the photo album open on top and cut around it, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides.
2. Apply small dots of glue across one long edge of the album's paper lining. Fold the adjacent fabric over it, then press for
a minute or so until the bond sets. Repeat with the other edges. Note: Don't pull the fabric too tightly or the album won't
close easily.
3. For a clean finish and to cover any imperfections, add a hemlike strip of ribbon where the fabric's edge meets the paper
lining. Cut pieces of ribbon to fit the four sides, clipping the ends of the short pieces at a 45-degree angle to create neat
corners. Use dots of glue to attach the long pieces so they're flush with the ends of the book. Then attach the short pieces.
Also works with: Tea towels, tablecloths, and sheets with playful patterns, for covering other kinds of books, including binders and datebooks.
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