Home furnishings: a beginner's guide

Cushion covers and curtains are the classic starts.

• An envelope cushion cover needs no zip: two overlapping back panels.
• B&Q says basic curtains are beginner-friendly, and pencil pleat is the easiest curtain to make.
• A zipped cushion cover is a good next step: Prima's 40 cm cover uses two 42 x 42.5 cm pieces (1 cm seam allowance each side, plus 0.5 cm on the zip edge) and a zip foot.
• Prewash fabrics that shrink, like linen and cotton.

Sources

All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.

1. Ourlette: Sew envelope cushion covers
2. B&Q: How to make curtains
3. Prima: How to make a simple cushion cover with a zip