Easy fabric vase covers | How About Orange

July 22, 2008

Easy fabric vase covers

While poking around in my cupboard the other day, I found a shot glass that would make a lovely little bud vase. Except it wasn't very cute, so I put a removable jacket on it. This turned out to be so easy and so much fun that I couldn't stop making these vase covers. Here's how.

1. Cut a piece of fabric large enough to wrap around your glass or vase once, plus about an inch of overlap. Make it as tall as your vase is, plus an extra half inch. (Of course, vary this depending on how much glass you want to show at the top.)

2. Fold over and press a half inch at the top and bottom of the fabric; then sew a seam across it to hold it down.

3. Wrap the fabric around your vase, right side to the inside, and pin it exactly where you'd like your seam to go. Slide the vase out and draw a line along the pins to help you sew where you need to.

4. Sew the tube along the line and press the seam open.

5. Flip the tube right side out and put it on your vase.

I put some cuttings of pothos vines (is that what these are?) here in water. They'll grow for years like this. A fresh flower centerpiece would be nice, too. Or maybe at Christmas I'll sew new holiday covers and put in some holly or branches. So many possibilities.

53 comments:

Kathleen Rietz said...

Great idea!

anjuli paschall said...

I love this idea: fun, creative, and do-able for someone like me :) thanks for sharing. btw... St. John of the Cross- one pretty amazing guy. and it is hard to find a more enjoyable book than "traveling mercies." peace, love, and blessings.
anjuli

Pina said...

Very lovely and very addictive.
I used to wrap some nice wrapping paper around one of the dull vases I had. Easy and fun, too.

Mussipitz said...

what a great idea... this look so awesome... thanks for that tipp...

regards from Germany

Andrea

Swiss Ms. said...

I just hope the Holy Mother forgives you for covering her up with fabric.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely LOVE that tree fabric! Is that one of your designs too?

Elfin Goddess said...

Thanks for this awesome idea! Im sitting on a few bottles wondering what in the world I can do to turn them into pretty holders for my flowers. Merci merci! As for those vines, I recognise them, except here we call them 'money plants' in more colloquial terms. Im not sure why they're called that. Cheerio!

Anonymous said...

Here's a nice idea !
I especially like the last one, with the white dots.

Jessica Jones said...

Not to worry, Swiss Ms. No Madonnas were covered in the making of this project. But I see why you might think so. :)

Tree fabric isn't my design--a friend sent it from Japan--but I do love it!

Barb said...

That is the best idea ever. I have BOXES of these types of vases left over from my daughters wedding. I think they may just be Christmas gifts this year! Thanks

sewtakeahike said...

What a simple and cute idea, thank-you for posting this!

Anonymous said...

What a clever little project! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Such a good idea! You know what else this would be good for?? Candles! You know after you've burned them for a while and they've got weird wax patterns along the sides...
I read your blog all the time and I enjoy it so much! Come check out mine if you are ever inclined :)

Brie said...

Those are great :) I've got some glass vases that definitely need some TLC. Also, that vine is just Ivy to me...

Grandma G said...

Hey, that's a fun project even I would enjoy doing! :-) Great idea!

Hugs,
Mum

Mod and Mint said...

You creative genious! Lovely project, looks so easy with instant gratification! perfect.

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

These look great! I love "wrapping" things. I have a field day when I go to IKEA and think- oooh, this will look fabulous wrapped in X! Here's some variation ideas. So many things to wrap, so little time...
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=8911302
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=8727701

Tracey said...

Great idea! As a former florist, we did everything to dress up plain vases! A no-sew option is to take a pretty cloth napkin, fold it up around the vase, and hold it in place with a rubber band around the lip of the vase. Fluff out the excess fabric and you do not see the rubber band. Easy and fun!

Unknown said...

Fantastic Idea!!! This would be great in the kitchen too to cover canisters :)

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! Must find vases to be wrapped!!! :)

Project Ecoart said...

Execellent! easy and fun!

sarah jerger said...

does your brain ever hurt from being so brilliant? ;-)

Stitchify said...

OH MY!
Love it!
Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I like the idea very much. I'll use it on glass jars headed for the recycling bin. (It's a bit more posh than just spray painting them, which is what I normally do when I need a vase. smiling)

But, I'm curious, what gave anyone the idea that you had covered the Virgin Mary? I read, reread and looked at the photos really closely, and just can't figure that reference.

Unknown said...

You always know how to make me happy. I have some fabric that's been waiting for a project like this!

AMM blog said...

Great ides! I'm going to do this!

Anonymous said...

That's the coolest idea ever! Thanks for the tutorial :)

Jessica Jones said...

melakim, I happen to know Swiss Ms. personally, and I happen to know she has a candle or two that are this style, you know, those tall glass ones with icons of saints and things, which happen to look awfully similar in shape and size to the things I'm covering with fabric here. Except mine are drinking glasses, a vase, and a shot glass. I'm guessing that's the origin of the Holy Mother comment...

Jessica Jones said...

And kind of funny that Anjuli mentioned St. John of the Cross in these comments, too. Again, nothing to do with this project! She must be referring to books I like from my profile.

Unknown said...

So cute! I'm going to try that.

Anonymous said...

excellent! i love the tree fabric. how about orange is one of my favorite blogs!

Anonymous said...

Long time reader, first time commenting! This is such an awesome idea for budget decorating. I have a ton of vases in the wrong color, and what a great way to create a small display of varying sizes. I can't wait to try this!

hungry little bird said...

I love this idea, especially because it's quick.

Cosmo DK said...

Yes, it's pothos!

Christy said...

so cute! I love them!!!

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful idea. i am definitely going to have to share this idea with my room mate for our dorm next semester. thank you for sharing :)

Mandi said...

LOVE the idea!! I'll have to try that when I get all settled in the new place! Thanks for sharing!

Sara said...

Ooooooo, what a great idea! Love it!

all over the map said...

I've been covering a lot of tins. Love the idea of covering old glasses and the like. yay!

Anonymous said...

Oh! Thank you, Jess, for the BVM explanation! Growing up Catholic, those tall "saints" candles were common fundraisers. I actually looked at the photos really well to see if maybe there was a Virgin Mary candle hiding back there. laughing, then when I couldn't see it, I thought I must've been out of my mind for guessing that. (Then, I just couldn't figure out what it might be.) Thanks a million!

debbiec said...

oh, this is a perfect idea! i'm going to do it, too! thanks for the tip!!!

Alfred T. Mahan said...

You covered a perfectly good shot glass! And your excuse was that it "wasn't cute"?

I'm disappointed in you, Jess. You could have sent that glass to a good home where it would have been appreciated by someone who collects them and appreciates their TRUE and unsullied beauty.

*sighs*

;]

boltandfrolic said...

What a great tutorial, thanks a bun-ch!
Your blog is wonderful and one of my favorites.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! I love it, I'll have to make some of my own.

Anonymous said...

Love it!!

Sheree said...

I think I'll have to try this!

Anonymous said...

This is SUCH a great idea! Now if only I could sew...

By the way, where I come from, the plant is known as a "money plant" (I'm not sure why).

Thanks for sharing all your crafty adventures with us. Blogs like yours are a constant source of comfort, inspiration and joy for me. It's wonderful to read about people who are creative even in the daily aspects of their lives. I don't have friends in the real world who enjoy these things and you cannot imagine how relieved I felt to find out that there's a whole community of people out there on the internet who do.

Looking forward to more great posts on your blog. :)

Anonymous said...

Great idea! Will make some for sure!
Thanks again for all your ideas and help to keep my house prettier each day, lol...

TranquilityKnots said...

Fun and easy project! Now I have to dig for my vases. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Good Job! :)

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

We want to try this one... we're on the look out for straight vases. Thank you.

kimberly said...

This was my very first sewing project! So simple! I did this first because I figured I would be able to finish it and then I'd feel accomplished.

I love your blog!

Deb Robertson Writes said...

Great idea, I'm going to try this one! Thanks. first visit to your blog, I'm going to have to bookmark it!!