Take your Pillow Designs to the next level by first learning the basics. When designing pillows do you jump into your pillow designs and add all the details right from the start? Only to realize you're missing a necessary skill in order to make the pillow as perfect as you'd like it to. You've [...]
Let's talk about pillow making. With so much information available online these days, I can see where someone getting into the soft furnishings/workroom business may get confused on fabrication techniques. Today, let's talk about pillow making. Specifically how to sew the corners of pillows. Do you taper the corners of the pillows [...]
Plaid chair no more! Now it's fun and happy with new colors, patterns, and textures. A drapery gal's perspective on learning upholstery. Learning to upholster furniture is a totally different skillset than drapery making. For one thing, you don't have to strip naked before making draperies. My friend, [...]
Designs by Donna is located in the cute town of Flowery Branch, GA. So let me show you around downtown, in case you're wondering what there is to do when you come and visit while taking a workshop at Designs by Donna. Flowery Branch crossroads of Railroad Ave. and Main St. Don't you love [...]
Let me introduce to you the latest instructional PDF we've added to our website, the Contrast Mitered Flange pillow. This pillow is easy to make once you understand the process. The instructions include photos with step by step directions for you to follow along with as you sew. This contrast mitered flange pillow is [...]
If you have grown children, you know they leave some things behind when they move into their new places, right? Trophies, books, papers, and clothing like letterman jackets. Sound familiar? I bet it does! And what do you do with all this stuff? Here's what I did with our son, Justin's Cross Country High School [...]
I hope your year has been a good one too and that 2018 brings you good health and much joy! At Designs by Donna my mission is: To use my passion, gifts, and abilities to bring joy and beauty into the lives of others through exquisite design, teaching, and sharing.
When making multi width drapery panels, adding an interlock stitch at the seams will help keep the seams lined up as they hang. Without this stitch the fabric layers may shift making the draperies look untidy or messy. Sewing the interlock stitch is quick and easy when using your thumb to pinky measurement. Here are [...]
Fabric arriving at Designs by Donna is checked in and inspected as soon as it arrives. Doing so may avoid delays with the project if any flaws, inconsistencies in the repeat, or wrong yardage amounts are found upon inspection. And the same is true for drapery hardware received. Check-in fabric and hardware as soon as it arrives. [...]
Patchwork chair seats and following your gut. You may be wondering how these can possibly be related. Well, really, they aren't. Except that because I followed my gut I created these one of a kind chair seats for the sample room here at Designs by Donna. And I really like them much better than my original [...]