Recycle a party dress into a Moroccan pouf 

A Moroccan pouf is a popular and versatile home accessory for any small-space urban dweller. A pouf can double as a footstool, end table, extra seating and even storage.

Moroccan poufs have been popularized by designers like John Derian and Jonathan Adler over the past few years. A lavender John Derian pouf appeared on the cover of the May 2009 issue of Elle Decor. However, designer poufs, which are made of leather and actually come from Morocco, will run you $250 to $350 dollars.

My DIY version will give you the look and feel of a Moroccan pouf and might cost you absolutely nothing. It could even clear your closet of a few gaudy, possibly outdated, party outfits. (And you had always wondered what to do with those old bridesmaid dresses. . . )

Materials needed for this project are as follows:

• 1 sheet of paper that is at least 36" long and 12" wide.
• 1 or 2 ornate party dresses. (The amount of fabric needed will depend on the size of your pouf.)
• A lot of paper, rags, blankets or old duvets for stuffing your pouf.

My pouf design is made up of eight sections sewn together in the shape of a pincushion.  Using high school geometry, you can make any size pouf  you want, but I am providing the dimensions for both a large and a small pouf. The large pouf will measure about 14 inches tall and about 22 inches wide.  (The pouf in the photographs is a large one.) The small pouf will measure about 8 inches tall and about 18 inches wide. You can see the smaller version here.

To make your pattern, cut a rectangle of paper about 36 inches long and about a foot wide. Fold the paper in half along the short edge and in half again along the long edge. Then trim to the dimensions below.

Get your free pattern information here.

1. Unfold your paper pattern and pin it to your dress. If the dress has a lining, include the lining as well. Cut out a section. You may have to creative in finding sections of the dress that are large enough for a complete pattern piece. If your dress does not have enough fabric, consider using a second dress that has a complementary color. (The dress I used came with a matching jacket, which provided enough fabric for the project.) Continue until you have cut out eight sections. Save any scraps, embellishments and snaps from the dress or dresses.

2. For each of the eight sections, measure about three inches from one point and fold down the end. Sew in place. (See slideshow for details.) This will create a hole at the top of your ottoman to allow for stuffing it.

3. Pin two sections together, wrong sides out, and sew a 1/2 inch seam along one edge. Do the same for the remaining six sections. You will now have four pieces of two sections each.

4. Pin together two of your new pieces along one edge with the wrong sides out. Sew a 1/2" inch seam to join two pieces of two sections into one piece of four sections. Do the same with the remaining two pieces of two sections. You will now have two halves of your pouf - each made of up of four sections of fabric.

5. Pin one edge of your two pieces, wrong sides out, and sew a 1/2 inch seam. Pin the remaining edge and sew a 1/2 inch seam.

6. Pull the fabric through the hole at the top of your ottoman to turn your pouf right side out.

7. You can stuff the pouf with tightly crumbled paper, rags, old clothes, blankets and so forth. (I stuffed mine with fabric remnants, which created useful storage for me.)

8. The final step is to make a lid for your ottoman. You can make any kind of Moroccan-inspired shape for the top piece. To make a simple octagon, cut a circle about 8 inches in diameter. Fold the circle in half, in half again and in half again. Draw a straight line across the curved edge and cut. (See slideshow for details.) Unfold the paper and pin your octagon pattern to a remaining section of your dress. Cut out the octagon. Fold over each edge and sew a 1/2 inch seam. Hand bast one edge to your ottoman. You may want to use salvaged snaps from your dress to attach the remaining edges. This will allow you to easily add or remove stuffing from your ottoman.

9. Optional: Decorate the sides of your pouf with sequins, fringe, appliques or other embellishments from your dress.