Summer Crafts

Give decorative pillows a summery makeover with a sleeve that slips right over them.

Perfect for summer table settings, these napkin rings were inspired by the cuff of a seersucker shirt.

Stitch a pretty sun hat with a floppy brim for you or the kids using fabrics of your choice.

These whimsical little samplers only require a few supplies and are small enough to pack up and take with you to the beach or the airport. Choose from our animal, gardening, fashion, and sewing clip-art motifs, and start cross-stitching!

Create a fresh flower necklace with the kids by linking flowers to make a long bohemian strand, a demure choker, or anything in between.

Make seersucker cocktail and dinner napkins for your warm-weather party in no time.

With the help of the sun, you can capture the silhouettes of flowers and plants on pillow cases and enjoy botanical beauty all year long.

Wrap glass candleholders in textured plant leaves, and your meal will have the feel of the tropics, no matter your latitude.

Bleach is usually off-limits where colored fabric is concerned, but this decorative application gets our full approval.

A plain canvas tote and a straw beach hat are turned into bright, sunny creations using touches of raffia.

Colorful pinwheels, made out of coordinating sheets of origami or lightweight paper, stand tall against a blue summer sky, poised to whirl at the slightest suggestion of wind.

We gave these terra-cotta pots an aged look, then trimmed them with seashells.

Birch disks, stained in a variety of hues and then treated with a coat of matte polyurethane, can be used as decorative and functional trivets, coasters for drinks, and mini hors d'oeuvre trays.

Give your flip-flops a one-of-a-kind look by decorating them with trim and embellishments.

Turn bathroom towels into an all-in-one beach mat and tote bag.

Dress a serving tray or two in jaunty summer stripes.

Collect white clamshells to form a pretty souvenir wreath for your home.

Add a terry cloth slipcover, so plastic beach pillows will feel soft and dry, not hot and sticky.

Adorn beachwear -- the kids' or your own -- with charming starfish, shell, and sea horse motifs. 

A round cotton tablecloth printed with huge monstera leaves in something close to their natural color makes a summery statement.

Dress up standard summer flip-flops with these whimsical decorations.

Applique sea star motifs onto a canvas tote for a seaside-inspired touch.

For cheerful containers, stain pots in colors that complement their contents.

Mini raffia pom-poms atop bamboo skewers create a stir. Bright-green raffia wrapped around the pitcher provides more texture.

Give an orphaned pillowcase a new home -- over your shoulder.

Camp chairs with sling seats are ideal for lounging by the sea, especially when they have been updated with beach-worthy prints.

Use this simple fish-print technique to make a one-of-a-kind T-shirt that's perfect for adults and kids alike.

Bamboo is as handsome as it is versatile. So it seems only natural that the material should join us at the table in the form of sturdy napkin rings.

Canvas sneakers are comfy and cool, but you may not find them in colors you want. Put a spring in your step by setting the shade yourself.

Fold your tablecloth in half a few times, and it can be easily stowed for your trip to the picnic spot.

Protect your party clothes while serving guests or whipping up last-minute treats -- without donning an outfit-obscuring coverall.

A day at the beach needn't end with a bag full of sand.

These fashionably printed grocery totes will have you saying "no thanks" to plastic bags.

Star-topped s'more sticks make this fireside treat even more special.

Encased in luminous yellow jars, these charming votives add an inviting glow to any summertime table.

Found objects -- seashells, stones, and the like -- can become party-perfect place cards when you use an ink pad and rubber stamps to dress them up.

A patterned trim can tie together almost any assortment of colored towels.

This windproof holder ensures napkins will stay stacked during your next outdoor party.

Baking potatoes turn into custom stamps for fabric paint.

Protect your summer reading at the beach or pool with these stylish covers.