Textured Linen Coverlet DIY

9This simple, no-sew linen coverlet is one of the easiest ways to add another layer of luxe to any bedroom in the house. It’s lightweight, so it’s great for summer styling over your favorite bedspread or duvet cover and can easily be made to match your existing decor. The yarn tassels add a ton of texture and interest while the white linen helps brighten any room. Think of it as another accessory for your bed, just like that hand-dyed bolster pillow you’ve been eyeing. It’s also perfectly acceptable for curling up under should you need a nap!

This particular coverlet is sized to fit a full/queen, so if you’re looking to fit a twin or king, just measure the width of your mattress and add another 24″ to that number to get the length for your coverlet. Most linens will already be 54″ wide, but you can cut that down if you’d like a narrower width. I call this a no-sew coverlet because heavy linen looks beautiful with frayed edges. So you can skip the hems as long as you have mostly straight cuts from the cutting counter at your local fabric store and can pull off enough threads for about 1/4″ or so of a frayed edge on all four sides.   

-2 yds of 54″-58″ wide linen fabric (the heavier the weight, the better)
-1 skein of black worsted weight acrylic or cotton yarn (avoid wool as it will felt or shrink)
-3″ embroidery needle
-2″x 5″ piece of cardboard
-sewing machine and thread (optional)
-iron and ironing board 

Create TasselsStep One: Pre-wash your linen on a gentle cycle, and then remove it while it’s slightly damp for fewer creases. To create your tassels, wrap your yarn around your cardboard 12-15 times depending on how thick you’d like your tassels to be, and then cut through your yarn at the top and bottom of the wraps. This will leave you with two bundles of yarn for two separate tassels. 

2-Tie them offStep Two: Tie a 2″ cut of black yarn around the middle of your strands and double knot it as tightly as you can. Trim the ends to be even with the rest of the tassel. Do this a million more times. Just kidding, only about 63 more.

6U8A55303-Stitch them onto linenStep Three: Place your linen on a flat surface and lay your tassels out in a grid to ensure they are evenly spaced on your throw. I left about 12″ from each of the short ends to the first row of eight tassels, and then spaced them all out about 5″-6″ apart from each other. You can eyeball this or make marks with straight pins or chalk. 

Then thread your yarn through your needle, stitch down through the linen and back up again so that you have a 3″ tail left. Place a tassel on top of your stitch and tie a double-knot snugly over the top of it. Trim the yarn so that it’s even with the rest of the tassel. Continue stitching them onto the linen until you’re finished. 

11When you’re finished, you can hem the edges of your linen with a sewing machine for a more finished look or leave them raw. Just be sure the cut lines are even and pull out the loose strings until you have a nicely frayed edge. If your linen is really wrinkled, spray it lightly with the water setting on your iron and iron it upside down so that you’re not moving it over the yarn side. Wash your coverlet in a delicate wash and line dry or tumble dry on a low heat and take it out while it’s slightly damp to avoid hard-to-remove wrinkles. 

1210Place your linen throw over a patterned quilt and add a few special throw pillows to make your bed feel like a million bucks, or make a slightly smaller one to drape on your couch! It’s a great way to add another easy layer of texture and pattern to your space. –Rachel

Credits//Author and Photography: Rachel Denbow and Janae Hardy.