This cozy and easy-to-make coverlet requires no stitches, no seams, no hems, no sewing skills at all! All you need to know is how to thread a needle and how to make a knot. Easy, right?
I simply used a duvet cover and I inserted a layer of batting. Then I stabilized the three layers (fabric – batting – fabric) with embroidery floss that ended in cute little tassels.
I chose a batting made of 100% cotton. Although It’s a little less fluffier and slightly more expensive than polyester batting, it is made of natural fibers and is very soft. Both types of batting will work and you can even use a wool one for a warmer coverlet.
Most of the surface is covered with tassels to prevent the batting from moving around, especially near the edges.
The duvet cover came with a pillow case. I decided that the coverlet was busy enough, so I added only four tassels, one on each corner of the pillow.
To make your own, you will need just a few supplies:
- One duvet cover (mine was a white twin size DVALA from IKEA)
- batting
- a needle with a large eye
- cotton embroidery floss
- sharp scissors
- pins
- a fabric marker
- a long ruler (or a tape measure).
1. Insert the batting inside the duvet cover. If necessary, cut the batting to size.
2. Pin at even intervals to keep the batting in place. Make sure that the insert and the duvet are laying flat without any wrinkles.
3. Choose a pattern that you like and use a washable fabric marker to mark the spots of the tassels onto the fabric. I did rows of vertical stripes at even intervals, but you can do something as simple and classic as this:
and of course this:
Alternatively, if your duvet cover has a printed design, choose a repeated part of the motif as a pattern.
4. Thread a needle with two lengths of embroidery floss. Embroidery floss has 6 strands of thread, so each little tassels will end up having 24 strands of thread.
5. Insert the needle from the top and bring it back up 1or 2 millimeters close to the first insert.
6. Without removing the floss from the needle, make a knot, and before pulling on both sides of the thread,
insert the needle again from underneath the loop,
to create a second knot. Or alternatively, make two regular knots. Pull both ends of the thread to tie the knot, tightly.
7. Cut the thread straight to form the tassels. Mine are about 1½ cm long.
8. It literally takes just a few seconds to make each tassel!
9. Remove the pins.
10. Wash the coverlet (use the delicate cycle & cold water) and let it dry on on a drying rack. (Note: a couple of tassels that were not too tight loosened during the wash, so you may want to keep some embroidery floss, just in case. Also, not recommended for smaller children).
The weather will be warming up soon and a coverlet can be used from the end of the spring until early fall. Even in sunny California the temperature drops at night so it’s the perfect choice for staying warm without the bulkiness and the extra warmth of a duvet filled with feathers.
Right now, I still have on the duvet cover that I made last year and the new coverlet will be used as a throw.
Actually, someone is already enjoying it!
With different colors, this coverlet can go in a girl’s room or it can be a beautiful bedspread in the guest room.
Tres joli blog, plein d’idees et de bonnes recettes!
Merci beaucoup Laurence!
What a great idea! I love this..I am sewing challenged. I break out in a sweat trying to sew a button on. But this looks fun.
Thank you Sally! It is fun and so easy!
Angelica, this is absolutely adorable! I love the texture, fun pops of color and your tutorial and photos are awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Best of the Nest! 🙂
Pam, thank you so much! I had so much fun making it and I was so happy that my son absolutely loved it! Thanks for the Link Parties! It’s great to share and see what everyone else is up to!