Customize Burlap For Fall Decorating

With the kids back at school, I am almost firmly planted in fall. Ok, ok, the weather has me longing for a few more days on the beach. But fall fabrics are back on my mind.

I am thinking versatile, textural, natural or in one word; burlap. Of all the fall fabrics I’ve discussed, burlap is the epitome of fall.

Traditionally, it is a heavy, rough, openly woven fabric made of Jute. Burlap, today, is made of other fibers, too. It’s the roughness of the yarns and the openness of the weave that categorizes it as burlap; making it ideal to slipcover chairs, foot stools, ottomans and headboards.

It’s also a great fabric for no sew projects because it is self-fringing, meaning if you pull an inch or two of thread off the sides, or top/bottom, you can eliminate hemming while creating a really nice design detail. If you cut rectangles and fringe all four sides you can make place mats. Fringe just the bottom or just the top of a length of burlap and you can make drapery panels simply by clipping rings to it. Or you can cut burlap into strips, mix with vintage lace, knot onto string and hang like a café curtain.

I love all those ideas, but burlap is most fabulous for table coverings. Layer slabs of it as a casual table cloth. Weave strips if it into a runner. Use squares of it to wrap up your place-settings, tie then together with jute string and a sprig of leaves for your holiday table.

Burlap can be painted, dyed, washed and bleached. Use stencils to create a unique message, then make a pillow out of it, or frame it, and hang it. Bleaching and washing will result in different hues, but also make it much softer for those Shabby Chic projects.

Lastly, wrap your candles in strips of burlap, or glue it to your lampshades. It can even be applied to the fronts or tops of furniture you’re repurposing.

For me, burlap provides endless ways to express my creativity, and add dimension and texture to my home for fall. I’ve gathered more ideas on a Pinterest board, and an ideabook in Houzz, check them out.

I’d love to hear or see what you do with burlap for fall, so please leave comments or pictures. Happy decorating!