Good News and DIY Moroccan-inspired fabric coasters

I love to start new weeks with sharing some good news and this one is definitely a BIG one so let’s make it official!

I have recently become a new columnist for Decor8, where once a month I will be sharing my DIY ideas! A dream come true, as Decor8 was one of the first blogs I ever followed and the one that keeps on inspiring me on a daily basis. I pinch myself to make sure it’s real…and yes, it seems like it is happening!

So the aim of my Home column is to share pretty details for our spaces in regards to recent trends and styles. I really, really hope you will join me and follow along!

The first project I created for Decor8 is very much design and travel inspired. Undeniably, there has been a lot of excitement surrounding Arabic fabrics in the last couple of years. And, when I say a lot, I really mean a lot. It seems like we are slightly obsessed draping every surface around our homes with the Beni Ouarain rugs, cushions, blankets, table runners, and everything else we can find with fluffy ends and zig zag lines. In fact, it appears the trend is still very hot as I saw Moroccan curtains the other day.

In keeping with this Moroccan trend, I came up with a new accessory. It’s something I haven’t seen yet, a mini version of the rugs for our hot drinks or our plants. Before we get into the details I have a confession to make, I love pretty fabrics and all sorts of textiles. My cupboards are filled with many materials I bring back from my travels or find digging in the street market baskets, but when it comes to sewing, I’m not the girl for the job. Seriously. My skills allow me to sew a button to a jacket, but that’s about it. Any sewing jobs involving a sewing machine scares me, so I always look for alternative ways to bring my ideas to life. And, here it is, a very simple way to make no-sew fabric Moroccan coasters. Your drink will be dying to rest on these!

You will need:
– Thin layer of cork
– Arabic style fabric in beige color
– Craft knife
– Scissors
– Fabric pens – black and blue
– Strong hardware double-sided tape

Instructions:
1. First, you will need to decide how big you want your coasters to be – the standard size is 4 in x 4 in but since we are going for the look of the rug I thought 4 in (+1 in of fluff, 1/2 in on each side) x 3.5 in was perfect.
2. Draw the desired shape on thin layer of cork and cut it out, using a craft knife.

3. Cut the right size fabric for each coaster, adding 1 in to the long side for the rug edge fluff and be sure to leave enough fabric to wrap it around the cork.
4. Cover both sides of the cork with the double-sided tape making sure to cover the entire surface.
NOTE: The hardware double tape is so strong that if you want to readjust the fabric at the later stage you might not be able to, so make sure to be as precise as you can from the beginning.

5. Remove the protective layer from the tape and place the cork right in the middle of the fabric. Then wrap the fabric around it and press to the cork to the other side. At the end you should have cork tightly secured to the fabric.
6. Unravel a thread at the edges of your coaster, until you reach cork and tape. Then repeat it on the other side of the coaster.
7. Once you finish unraveling the edges of your mini rug coaster, stick double sided on top of the fabric ends to prevent from unraveling and give the bottom of the coaster a nice finish.

8. Now comes the fun part! It’s time to make your own your pattern! Get the fabric pens and get creative. The good thing is, the lines on the original rugs are never perfectly straight so it can’t go wrong.

The best thing about this DIY is how easy they are to make. I do have an insane amount of coasters at home, suitable for different occasions, but I have to say, these are particularly eye catching.What do you think of them? Are you also into the Moroccan trend?

What do you think of them? Are you also into the Moroccan trend?

Photography, Styling and Text: Agata Dimmich for Decor8. Editor: Jessy Senti