CasaSugar

Ask Casa: A Cheap Quilt Alternative?

CasaSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:00:35 -0700

Hi Casa,

I was hoping you could help me with my dilemma. I fell in love with this quilt from Urban Outfitters. I'm a college student, and in a month I'm moving into a house that I'm renting myself, so money is really tight and I was hoping to find something inexpensive. I found this amazing quilt for $79, but by the time I really decided to get it, they ran out of it in twin size. My room is painted a light teal color, and I love the paisley pattern of this quilt. Do you know of any similar quilts or duvets that are out there, or at least a store where I could find similar style quilts without breaking the bank?

Thanks!
Rmur

Curious as to what I discovered? Check out what I've found for Rmur

Ask Casa: Taylor Swift's Duvet Cover

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:30:00 -0700

Dear Casa,
I know how much you love Moroccan-themed décor. I was watching a Dateline special Sunday night featuring Taylor Swift, and they showed her Moroccan-themed bedroom. Do you know where she bought her comforter/duvet cover (or where I could get a similar one)? I've been dying to find a bedspread for a Moroccan bedroom.
Thanks so much!
khameel

To hear my suggestions, read more.

Hi Khameel,
Thanks for writing in! I found this photo of Taylor Swift's bedroom at People.com, which I assume is what you're referring to. Her duvet actually looks to be a coverlet made from Indian saris.

If that's what you're looking for, I'd first check local import stores. You can also find similar items on eBay. I'm partial to the Pottery Barn Kantha Patchwork Quilt & Sham, but it looks like the quilt is no longer available.

What I actually suggest you do is make your coverlet yourself. Choosing fabric remnants yourself will allow you to cue the palette to your tastes and existing furnishings. Another CasaSugar reader recently wrote in asking how she could get started making her own quilt from sari fabric, and I gave her some tips in this post. So be sure to check that out!

Hope this helps. If you're looking for more traditional Moroccan textiles, let me know, and I'll hunt that down for you!
Cheers,
Casa
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Ask Casa: Find My Dream Bedding!

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Dear Casa,
I am an apartment dweller in desperate need of new bedding. My bedroom has an accent wall painted a rich blue, with the remaining walls entirely white. The furniture includes a white, shabby-chic bed with foot board, and silver and mirrored night stands and a chest of drawers. The majority of the accents in the room (wall decor, rug, etc.) are also blue. The curtains have a blue and bright green pattern on a white background. I am looking to add more colors to the room perhaps
like red and yellow, but not pink or purple! But, I want to maintain the overall blue emphasis, and would like to do so with new bedding. I'm thinking of something contemporary, classy, simple, strong, a bit feminine, and patterned which fills the center portion of the bed, not just the edges. To make matters more complicated, I am totally opposed to duvet covers, having had difficulty in the past with them. Any suggestions on a moderately priced solution? Please, lead the way to the comforter of my dreams!
Thanks,
Natalie

To hear my suggestions for Natalie, read more.

Hi Natalie,
You certainly are a girl who knows what she wants! That's good. Your room sounds beautiful; I'd love to see a photo of it. The duvet clause makes this hunt a little more difficult, but seeing as blue is so versatile, you still have a lot to work with. I hunted down several comforters or quilts that I think might meet your wishes. I particularly love this Blissliving Peri Comforter ($325). Its citron stripes will really pop with blue, and its peek-a-boo pleats are as you wish, "contemporary, classy, simple, strong, and a bit feminine."

If these don't make the cut, it'll be easy to find a duvet cover that you love that coordinates. Just have a seamstress fill it and quilt it, or stitch it to a comforter, so you don't have issues.

Hope that helps!
Cheers,
Casa

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Nice and New: Amy Butler's New Organic Quilt Line

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:15:32 -0800

One of my favorite textile designers, Amy Butler, has teamed up with Welspun textiles to create a new organic home textiles line. Don't hold your breath quite yet, since you still have a few months before you can snap up the full line: the quilts will be available starting in June through Bed, Bath & Beyond. The quilts range in price from $99.99 for a twin size to $179 for a king, making these pieces not only beautiful and eco, but affordable as well.

If you can't wait until June to see the entire line, good news: as a preview to this new line, Amy Butler for Welspun is offering the limited edition Kyoto quilt through Amy Butler's site. I also had the chance to check out a preview image of the rest of the line, and it looks absolutely lovely! I'll update you as soon as more photos become available.

Steal of the Day: Pottery Barn Velvet Linen Quilt and Sham

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:00:27 -0800

I’m not even in the market for new bedding, but there’s something about an exceptional piece of velvet that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (i.e. want to shop). Pottery Barn knows what I’m talking about: the retailer’s new Velvet Linen Quilts and Shams (originally $39-$299, on sale for $24-$179) have that soft, weighty, and wintry texture and elegant diamond hand-quilting that instantly win my attention. Throw in the wide range of colors available (choose from sherwood green, sapphire blue, chrome gray, green apple, glacier blue, deep wisteria purple, orange, espresso, or ivory) and the reduced price, and where do I sign? That was easy. Now, getting me out of bed is another story . . .

Ask Casa: Advice For a Beginning Quilter?

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:00:05 -0800

Hi Casa,
I have this awesome idea to make a quilt out of sari fabric. I found a couple listings on eBay for lots of sari fabric. Problem is, I don't know how to make a quilt. Do you have any suggestions for websites or books I may be able to use to help me?

Thanks!
Valova82

To see my suggestion, read more.

Hi Valova82,

Quilting isn't as hard as you might think, especially if you're sewing on a machine. I made my first quilt when I was 17, using velvet block patches and a sewing machine, and finished it fairly quickly. It's pretty addictive, actually, to be able to make such an impressive and large object, especially if you're making it as a gift, so be prepared to possibly give in to the desire to keep making quilts for years to come!

For a beginner quilt, you can get away with a minimum of materials. You'll need saris for the top, cotton batting for the interior, and more saris for the backside of the quilt, or, for an easier option, a pretty sheet. Instead of stitching through the layers, you can tie embroidery thread or yarn through the layers at evenly spaced intervals. However, this is just one method. There are many more!

I love the idea of upcycling saris into a new quilt. Since you're working with such large pieces of fabric, you have the option of creating a larger patterned quilt, like this silk scarf quilt. This might be the easiest place to start for you, as a newbie quilter, since the bigger pieces will cut down on your work time, and also be easier to work with.

A good place to start reading about quilting is at Quilting 101. It'll give you a good background for your project. Quilter Denyse Schmidt's Quilt-It Kit is also a good resource. You can find some free beginning patterns here.

Good luck on your first quilting project!

Casa

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DIY: The Lotus Brick Path Quilt

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:15:49 -0700

Craftster member Lizap just finished this beautiful quilt. She says, "I finally finished my first quilt. The pattern is Amy Butler's Lotus Brick Path and I used mostly scrap fabrics from my stash. I'm really pleased with how it came out."

I can't think of much anything that's cozier than a handmade quilt, which makes this project perfect for house warming month.

Want to find out how to make your own? Then read more.

You can download this pattern for free from Amy Butler's website. To find out more about Lizap's quilt check out her post on Craftster. Are there any quilt making plans in your future?

Source

Steal of the Day: Hable Sand-Dollar Quilt and Sham

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:00:11 -0700

One surefire way to hold onto Summer, even after it's bid you adieu, is to introduce accents with a subtle, beachy motif into your home. Just because the leaves may be turning, and you're keeping an extra layer handy when you leave the house, doesn't mean you can't have a reminder of Summer close to home. The Hable Sand Dollar Quilt ($128 -$134) and Sham ($14) will prolong the season with their cheerful, but muted, turquoise and green tones and sand-dollar motif, whilst keeping you warm. And, on sale, they'll do so without breaking the bank. If you're the type who likes to inject warm tones into your home come Fall, consider snatching these up and saving them for the Spring. Better safe than sorry!

Love It or Hate It? Ralph Lauren Madras Quilt

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:15:00 -0700

Even though I was the furthest thing from a preppy in high school, some part of me still loves the look of madras. However, I'm torn about whether I could pull off a Ralph Lauren Madras Quilt ($249.99) in my bedroom. Obviously, I'd switch up the style a little with some less country-cute pillows, to give the quilt an edge, but I'm not sure if that's enough of a change. What about you? Do you like this bedding?

Etsy Find: Summer Patchwork Quilt

CasaSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:00:26 -0700

For me, there's nothing as romantic as a Summer evening picnic laid out on a handmade patchwork quilt. This quilt ($225), named "Poetry in the Summer," from Etsy seller Littlerosequilts, will fit the bill nicely. The name comes from the fact that most of the squares in the quilt are April Cornell's "Poetry" from Moda fabric line, with a few other types added for variety. For added romance, the quilt has ruffled edges and French binding, and at just over four feet square, there's just enough room to fit you and your potential (or actual) sweetheart and your picnic dinner. As far as I'm concerned, that cozy dimension is perfect for inviting some summertime smooching. What could be more romantic than that?

Ribbon Quilt - Leaf - $199.00	Quintana Roo Bedding - $58.00
Honeycomb Shams - $29.00	Lanai Quilt & Sham - Clementine Orange - $39.00
Reversible Floral Quilt & Sham - $39.00	Michael Kors "Bali" Bedding Collection - $82.00
Pine Cone Hill - $9.90	SPECIAL SAVINGS! Lauren Ralph Lauren "Cote d'Azur" Bedding Collection - $28.00
Tea Garden Toile Quilt & Sham - Orange - $39.00	Diamond Quilt + Shams - $24.00
Blissliving Home Carrie Comforter Set - $45.00	Spring Lake Complete Bed Ensemble, 100% Cotton - $249.99
Stephanie Reversible Quilt & Sham - $29.00	Blissliving Home Peri Comforter Set - $50.00