So we’re back with our second faux sheepskin DIY undertaking (after sharing the first one this morning). For this project we actually visited the biggest most insane fabric store that we’d ever seen while on a recent trip to Charlotte to visit some friends. It’s called Mary Jo’s Cloth Store and it’s basically a gigantic 32,000 square foot warehouse full of about a million bolts of fabric (we’re talking about a football-stadium-sized holy grail of textiles). And it’s located right outside of Charlotte (just off of 1-85 at exit 21).
All I can say is that if they don’t have it there, nobody does. Plus their prices are fantastic. We saw designer prints marked down to $10 a yard that go for $19 a yard here at fabric stores in Richmond. Yes please. Here I am among the rows and rows (and rows) of stacked fabric bolts with my cute friend Kristin who showed us around the town (remember we crashed her house for you a while back?).
And here’s John doing what he does best. Finding the weirdest thing he can and taking an ironic picture with it (yes that’s dental themed fabric with teeth, floss, toothbrushes, and sayings like “smile!” on it). Like I said, if you’re looking for something specific they have it at Mary Jo’s.
Anyway, we ended up bypassing all the quirky patterns (cats with yarn? check. dogs in baskets? check) and picked up a yard and a half of gorgeous nursery fabric to make a modified crib skirt (to obscure the space between our crib mattress and the top of our slide out drawer- stay tuned for those details) along with one yard of fluffy ivory faux fur. We looked through dozens of faux fur options to find the densest, most creamy colored version that looked and felt the most like sheepskin. And the cost? $14.99 for the yard that we grabbed.
The best thing is that it was on one of those super long bolts so even though it was only 3 feet wide, our big rectangle of fluffiness was nearly six feet long which meant we could get three faux sheepskin throws out of it, making them just $5 a pop (which is a heckova deal when you consider that Ikea’s cheap-o real ones are around $25 each). Of course we just whipped out our homemade paper sheepskin template (see how we made that in this morning’s post) and used a thin sharpie to trace the pattern from our template onto the back of our fabric three times.
Then I did a test cut on the edge of the fabric to be sure fluff wouldn’t fly everywhere and the faux fur wouldn’t completely unwind or come loose when it was trimmed down to size. Happily just a few fluffs were freed with each snip (it was sort of like giving the large shaggy fabric a haircut) but nothing too major was released, and even when I tugged on the fur around the edge of my test cut it held steady and didn’t unravel. Whew. This meant that I could then go ahead and cut along me three sharpie outlines to create three fast and easy faux sheepskin throws in a matter of minutes without worrying about binding the edges. Easy.
Things were a bit floofy when I was done (picture my black shirt covered in matted sheepdog-like hair) so I tossed all three of our new throws into the dryer on “extra low heat” and let them spin a bit to shake out any and all remaining fuzz. It worked like a charm and when I pulled out our three surprisingly realistic looking $5 faux sheepskins they looked pretty darn good. Definitely good enough to be used around the base of my Christmas tree, draped over chairs and the back of my couch, tossed over an ottoman or two, etc. And this dryer de-floofing process seemed to really be effective since I was no longer covered with white hair every time I brushed up against them. Which is nice because that would seriously get annoying.
Now just as we mentioned that this morning’s DIY sheepskin project yielded more structured “rug-like” versions, this approach makes for much floppier and flexible “throw-like” accents. So they’re great for tossing over pieces of furniture to add some nice lightness and softness but probably couldn’t hold up on the floor (without creating death-trap slipping scenarios) like our rug counterparts could from this morning. So here’s one of our three new furry guys living it up on the storage bench in our dining area (pardon the bluish-white cast, the sky was reflecting through the window- for a more true indication of the real color check out the picture of them in the dryer above).
Here’s a close up so you can see how the edges look nice and fluffy just like the real deal. We honestly don’t know if anyone would be able to tell that we switched out our real sheepskin for this faux one since they look so eerily similar. Which was totally the goal. Score.
We tossed the second one over the back of a nearby living room chair (we love the layered tone on tone texture that it adds).
And draped the third one over the back of another slipper chair in our den. Doesn’t it look soft and inviting? Who knew three $5 upgrades could add so much to three different seating areas in our house?
So that’s our second faux sheepskin DIY tutorial for ya. It really was as simple as hunting down some wooly white fabric (or even a white furry blanket if you see one of those at TJ Maxx, Home Goods or Target), whipping up a free homemade paper sheepskin template, tracing it onto the back of the fabric (or blanket if you go that route) and cutting it out. And don’t forget that a quick low-heat spin through the dryer should de-lint it for you. Easy peasy.
Or should we say easy fleecey? Sorry that was terrible. I’m cringing over here. Maybe we’re just a little too excited about our cheap-o $5 furry friends (I can’t wait to move them around our house like I used to do with our Ikea ones- they’re so flexible and fun). Plus these are WASHABLE (our Ikea versions never were) since they’re made of fabric, so that’s the icing on the cake. But now it’s time to ask you guys what you’ve been making lately. Have you picked up any discount fabric and used it to recover a chair or whip up a quick pillow? Have you made your own faux-fur throws, pillows, or blankets? Do tell.
Psst- Wanna check out our first DIY sheepskin tutorial from this morning? Here’s a shortcut.
Rowan says
A very clever idea for making the faux throws. Especially good for people with lanolin allergies.
Though, I should mention that the sheepskins from Ikea are washable, just the same as Ugg boots being washable. Toss in washer on delicate cool along with towels of similar colour and a gentle detergent. Let air dry over a sweater rack. The boots take a couple days to dry thoroughly. The length of time varies for sheepskin throws depending on the type of wool and size. Another option is to wash them in the shower with baby shampoo. (tip learned from when I was the executive assistant to the founder of Ugg Boots)
Also, be very careful when drying faux fur. I melted a really nice piece of faux sable once. I now only use the air dry with no heat if I toss any in the dryer. Most of the time I simply hang on a line or over the shower rod for my faux fur pieces to dry.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing.
xo,
s
Sarah says
My parents gave me a (real) sheepskin as my “blankie” when I was a baby. I still have it, even as an adult (it stays in the closet). It was a really wonderful choice, as it held up extremely well and could be washed easily.
The best part is when I discovered that my boyfriend ALSO had a sheepskin as his “blankie”!
Natalie says
Wow, another great find! You guys are on a roll :)
Love the layering on the chair in the Living Room!
Carla says
cute!! Way to go! OK, I know that dental fabric was weird and the cats with yarn but those fabrics are usually what people buy to make scrub tops, which is super easy as well. Think dental hygenist, animal vet tech, etc. :)
tara says
That is so funny that I log in today and see you blogging abour Mary Jo’s. I just went there this weekend for the first time with my mother in law (we were on our way to the pottery barn outlet and they live in CLT). I was in heaven! So, many choices. I actually saw your nursery fabric there and pointed that out to my mother in law “oh, thats the YHL fabric. So, funny. As I know you guys love a deal, I scored 5 linen drum shades at the PB outlet that were regular 20.00 for less than $4.50. I am hoping to be able to follow your DIY project of replacing the light fixtures with a more “chic look” using linen drum shade. I just need to figure out how to cover the bottom so that you don’t look up at the bulb. I have a few thoughts, but if you have any ideas, feel free to gab!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! We hit up that Pottery Barn outlet while we were out there too! Stay tuned to see what steals and deals we scored there. So much fun! And your drum shades sound amazing by the way, and we love the idea of creating a bulb cover- send pics!
xo,
s
RD says
Wow! A shout-out for my native city, a Mary Jo’s mention, and cute “sheepskin” throws! I feel like it’s my birthday! I am planning on a trip to Mary Jo’s next month to acquire fabric for 2 chairs, a vanity bench and a jewelry board I’m doing for my girls. Back in the day, I could not have pulled off my wedding without Mary Jo’s! It’s fantastic! Great post!
Bromeliad says
Looks convincing. And the washability is a big plus.
Bryn says
I just saw the comment from Natasha after checking back to see if Sherry responded to my comment (Thanks Sherry!!) I have an amazing rec for her.
I used to live in Orange County and THE BEST best best fabric store on the West Coast is called “Home Fabrics”. Here is the website: http://www.homefabricsonline.com/locations
And looks like there is a location in San Diego. I used that fabric store for all my interior design projects in Orange County before I got a tax id.. the best part is everything is $10 or less. You can see an IKAT fabric from there in a project I did here: http://bit.ly/bMuzIW
I know this sounds like a paid endorsement for Home Fabrics but I swear it’s not :)
sherrie says
I see. Well, I def have my own idealisms that others don’t understand. i.e.: I’m having a homebirth for so many reasons: avoid the “cascade of intervention” of the medical model, make it more likely to avoid meds, have more hands on care, and actually make it more likely to try to relax while in labor.
Sheep are rather cute. It is a nice tutorial for those who want sheepskin, but can’t afford and unfortunately don’t live near an IKEA.
Katy says
We are in Charlotte and gotta LOVE some Mary Jo’s!! IT’s good stuff! It’s so fun to go to different cities and find their goodies! Nice splashes of texture and softness!
Dana @ House*Tweaking says
Is there anything you guys don’t think of?! All those sheep-ish items are adorable.
I consider you the MacGyver’s of DIY. Really. Let’s say you have duct tape, string, a paint brush, a tube of toothpaste and an old lamp…make it work…in 30 minutes or less. Seriously, you guys rock.
Condo Blues says
I like the texture it adds to the room. My dog on the other hand, would LOVE to snooze on it. He’s into all things fleece. He’s cute, so I let him snooze away.
Katie says
I loved this idea! I am already looking for somewhere to put a sheepskin rug or throw in my room. Thanks for the great (and cheap) idea!
Lynette says
This might sound a little odd, but the shape of your little rugs look like a chocolate we have in Australia called Freddo Frogs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Freddoaus.jpg) haha.
Rosie says
Wow…those throws look so cool and comfy! Great idea and great job DIYing.
In looking at the photos posted with the new throws in the Den, I noticed a white roundish end table. Is that new? Where did you get that? Perhaps a pedestal table? In the past didn’t you have a rattan square one? Sorry for the “inqisition”, but I’m trying to figure out an endtable style for myself.
We have two beige leather sofas and placed in an L-shape to eachother. The coffee table is dark brown wood rectangular form. Which is best for that setup, a round endtable or square endtable between the two sofas? Also, is it weird to have the endtable and coffee tables in different colors? Perhaps white or dark brown? I really have no clue!
Hope you can help…you guys are the best!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rosie,
Here’s a post all about how we made the round table in the den (and here’s a post about how we eventually moved it into the den). Here’s a post about mixing and matching furniture (we like when it’s varied so it doesn’t look like one big bought-it-all-at-once set). As for the round or square end table debate, they both can look amazing so there’s definitely no right or wrong answer!
xo,
s
hmm says
I usually love what you DIY. These are so phallic though – didnt you notice that they are shaped like furry penises???
YoungHouseLove says
That’s too funny. Maybe we’re in denial here but we don’t see it! Perhaps like little furry gingerbread men, but…
xo,
s
Candace says
I had one of the real sheepskin rugs given as a gift back when we had our first baby. It was so wonderful to take along with us so the baby always had a soft place to lay. I think the faux fur is so much better for cleaning up after the little one plus they look fabulous. Great job as always!
Roeshel says
I love both faux sheepskin tutorials! Thanks for sharing your creative genius with us! :)
heidi says
I landed on your site from my new desire to blog for 30 minutes a day in an effort to travel the roads i travel least:)
it’s been super cool to learn new things and ‘meet’ new people outside of my own little blogging community!
LOVE your work, words, and inspiration. we are lucky we have people like to help out the designed challenged like myself, so i’m leaving a little blog lovin’!
Lori Schmitt says
OMG I was just at Mary Jo’s Saturday! I live in Charlotte…read you blog daily.I found some fab fabric for a headboard I am making!
Carol says
Speaking of dental themed fabric, I know you will need a dental home for your beanette. My daughter is a pediatric dentist in Midlothian and is expecting a beanette in a few weeks so she would be the perfect choice to consider when you are looking for a dentist. Ironically your home looks very similar to her first house in Richmond and I LOVE what you’ve created. The website, if you’re interested is http://www.childrensdentistryofva.com
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the link Carol!
xo,
s
Allison K says
I am a recent transplant to Gastonia(where Mary Jo’s is), and I go there all the time! That would have been neat for me to spot you there. In my experience, I’ve had trouble finding fabric that was in my budget. I guess I have expensive taste because every time I spot a fabric I love, I check the price and it ends up being something like $25 or $30/yd. But they do have EVERY kind of fabric there is! I just discovered another store north of Charlotte in Huntersville called Tony’s. It is ALL $6.99/yd and changes constantly. They have great fabric, but no where near the variety of Mary Jo’s. It’s mostly upholstery and window treatment weight. But it’s much more in my budget, and you don’t have to wrestle with heavy bolts of fabric with 200 lbs laying on top of them, like you do at Mary Jo’s. I sometimes spot a bolt I like on the bottom of the stack, and think, “Oh just forget it!” because it’s too heavy to move.
sonya says
I personally think it’s kind of funny how people can get so up in arms over the topic of skins/leathers/furs. There are so many different facets to this topic so I totally agree that it should be a personal decision based on what you think is right for you. So you eat meat and have a faux rug- big whoop! :) I think the faux sheepskins you made are super cool. I have never even thought to do something like that and I love the 2nd ones you made the best! I think it’s great that you came up with a creative and budget-conscious way to make them for those who want a similar color/texture/feel alternative to a real one.
Megan says
I love this idea! I’m going to go out this weekend & find some great faux fabric so I can place one in our baby boy’s nursery (due 7/2), our spare bedroom & one on our living room chair. Can’t wait & thanks again!! :)
jenn says
Those are great, what a fabulous knock-off idea!! You can also use those sheepskins for the inside of your stroller when it gets colder. I think you live in a colder area, and they’re perfect for those places when your little one needs a little extra warmth!
Libby says
Great info. I live in the Raleigh area. Any one know of a place like that in this area to find great fabric. The typical JoAnn’s does not have cool modern prints and other smaller places have CRAZY prices. Any thoughts?
YoungHouseLove says
We don’t know of anything in Raleigh offhand, but we love the yellow pages, google and even sites like yelp.com for tracking down good fabric outlets and retailers (as opposed to massive chains like JoAnn’s). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
amy says
Your white, floating shelves above the dining room table just jumped out at me while I scrolled through this post. I’m looking to make/buy some like this for my kitchen. They have to support the weight of dishes and need to be attractive, of course! Did you purchase yours already made, or did you make them yourselves?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
They’re from Ikea! They’re actually super cheap and they come in a bunch of finishes. Just go to ikea.com and search “lack shelf” and scroll through the options. We think ours are 72″ long or so, and of course we got the white ones. Oh and hang them with heavy duty metal anchors so they support a lot of weight. Ours can definitely hold tons of dishes, books, glasses, mugs, frames, etc. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ewa & James Powell says
Hello Sherry & John- this is a great project and we love the results!
Next time you are in Charlotte please drop-in and visit our little fabric shop in South End. We would love to meet you guys and help inspire your next project!
All the best – Ewa + James Powell
Modern Fabrics
Charlotte, NC
http://www.modern-fabrics.com
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Ewa and James! We’d love to check out your store the next time we find ourselves in Charlotte.
xo,
s
candy says
We love Mary Jo’s but sometimes it too much for me! I have to go in with a plan, otherwise I would walk out of there with an insane amount of fabric. And I love that the location has never changed regardless of what seems to go on around it. Glad to know you are down in our neck of the woods and I love your website!
loveflyny says
i am sorry to get off topic, but where did you get that yellow rug? I love it!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Pottery Barn’s Moorish Tile Rug (which they no longer sell, but you can find it on ebay). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
kelley says
Hi! I really want to do this project, but am having trouble finding a local fabric store that carries faux sheepskin material. I checked out Joanne fabrics and Ufab in the fan with no luck! Any suggestions? (live in Richmond, too!) Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, what about William’s & Sherrill or the outlet in the same strip mall? Just google for the address. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Andrea P says
Just wanted to drop a line to say I made this faux sheepskin throw last night! I laid out a big towel in the backyard & did it there…that way I did not have fur flying all over the house!
Just wanted to say thank you for the great idea…keep the easy thrifty DIYs coming!
I was wondering the approximate measurements of your faux sheepskins….mine looks a little wide, he may need to have a little trim!
Thanks again for the awesome tutorial!
YoungHouseLove says
Glad it worked out so well, Andrea! Our sheepskins are about 20″ at the widest part in the middle. Hope that helps!
-John
Renee says
Love this idea, however, do you have any suggestions for binding the edges if the material starts to unravel?
YoungHouseLove says
We would suggest that if you think the material will unravel you should use white duct tape along the back of the fabric to bind it (you can get a seamless look by applying the tape to the back before cutting the fabric (and the tape on top of it) so it’s held together from behind without a visible “edge.” Hope it helps!
xo,
s
~Lucy says
I love this idea! I’ve been eyeing the Ikea sheepskins for years, but can’t bring myself to pay $35 for one (the cost in Canada). Thanks for sharing this, I can’t wait to give it a try :)
l'atelier13 says
hello – just discovered your blog and am very happy about that! will spend some hours wandering around…
I actually love your green-ish rug.. may I ask where you found it?
thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually don’t own a green rug. Do you mean the yellow one on the floor in the living room? We’d be happy to help if you could describe it a bit more!
xo,
s
Angie says
I just discovered your blog and L*O*V*E it! I am so beyond thrilled to begin sorting through all the DIY projects. Starting right here! I have always longed for a sheepskin throw/rug but have never been willing to throw down the money. Can’t wait to give this a try. Thanks!!!
Katie says
Hello! LOVE this idea and wanted to try it for my dining table bench, but called Mary Jo’s and they had no idea what I was talking about and said they only have faux sheepskin-ish material that is fabric (with a rough backing, not the sueded one you found). Does anyone know where to find this fabric online???? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah that must be the stuff we got! It actually wasn’t sueded on the back- just fabric and faux-furry on the front. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tamara says
Hi there!
Thanks to you I have been inspired to add about 500 more items to my already long never-ending project list! What an inspiration you are :) I, like you, do not have anything as great as Mary Jo’s anywhere near me. I have been trying to find a good online fabric store, but either find they are too expensive once you add in shipping or they only have prints my great-grandmother would have enjoyed (I’m all for vintage, but sometimes you need something fun and modern).
Do you know of any online fabric stores worth checking into?
Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas!
Tamara
YoungHouseLove says
We have heard great things about fabric.com. Anyone else have suggestions for Tamara?
xo,
s
Lily says
You have such a pretty house! Love all your decor!
NinaVivaldi says
I love it! this is such a simple and beautiful idea!
Actually I was at Ikea the other day and wanted to buy the fake sheep skin rug, but in the Netherlands it’s €36 per rug! Which I believe is around $40-$42 or so. Seriously it was such a ridicolously high price, that I refused to buy it – however this DIY really wants me to try and finally get my fake fur rug afterall!
So thank you so much! This is really fab!
Cheerio,
NinaVivaldi
YoungHouseLove says
So glad! All the best, NinaVivaldi!
xo
s