Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Stuff happens, but not much gardening . . .

Here at Chez Do It Yourself, we like to have a good crack at doing lots of different things.

Having two dogs that own a doggie door and are therefore free to go in and out at will in all weathers and for all reasons (see last post), means that sometimes an inordinate amount of 'dirty' happens.  Unfortunately the dirty on their feet, unless there is intervention, is often later to be found on the lounge, where unfortunately they often end up and we seem to be powerless to change this habit.  Consequently we have come to realise that we kind of can't have nice things and two dogs at the same time.

So a lounge that has fixed covers starts to look like this -


How gross is that!!  What plonker with dogs would buy a cream coloured lounge?  Hmm, that would be me . . .

The other sofa had a removable cover which I made years ago and which had seen the inside of the washing machine many, many times - so many in fact that there was much wear and tear.  However, it was made from a different blue fabric to the check one above and I lived for all these years with an odd pair of sofas, dreaming of the day when I would be able to have a matching pair.  So to speak . . .

About two years ago, I purchased a roll of fabric on eBay which languished in the back of the cupboard in the sewing room, waiting for me to conjure up the inspiration to turn it into covers for both lounges.  But the thought scared me, because the roll came with the indecisive fabric length of '21+ yards'.  Plus how much?  21 yards wasn't going to cover two lounges, but 21 plus another 10 or 15 would be just fine.  So I was nervous to start, knowing there was a chance that the fabric would run out before the job was done.

In the meantime, it was pointed out to me that IKEA had a lounge with removable covers which would be eminently suitable.  There wasn't quite a colour that appealed to me, but at least one that I could have lived with, knowing that I didn't have to stitch a thing.

However, the situation got to the point where it was now or never.  About the time I took the photo above.

So a kind of sewing marathon began.  Somewhat akin to stitching together a large and difficult jigsaw puzzle, all the while with the thoughts that, as the fabric roll grew smaller and smaller, there just may not be enough to finish the job.

I cut the last lot of pieces last Wednesday.  There was approximately 14 inches of fabric left over!  Except for some offcuts which will become scatter cushion covers (if I can muster the enthusiasm).

So the lounge above has become -


A bit better, eh?

I now have matching sofas!


Despite my best efforts, the fabric is turned the wrong way in a few places, hence the difference in colour.  Man, we need to repaint those walls, that colour is just so wrong!


Now quick, get out the old sheets and cover everything before the dogs come back inside!

A few things I've learned doing this job -

1.  If you want to wash these covers, every raw edge must be zig-zagged.
2.  Fabric must be marked as it is cut to avoid being turned and showing up a different colour.
3.  There is an awful lot of sewing involved in making these.
4.  There is a lot of awful sewing involved in making these.
5.  In future, go to IKEA and buy a new lounge with covers already made.

We had a family get together yesterday for Easter, 25 in-laws and outlaws for brunch.  Everyone met my latest grandson, who is wearing his Easter hat that I knitted for him -


What a sweetheart, he's already 14 weeks old - where does the time go!!

My older brother and his wife fly out today for a nine week holiday beginning in London where their daughter is working as a Doctor and then on to Europe, including a visit to Belgium and Ploegsteert Wood and the Toronto Avenue War Cemetery where my dad's eldest brother is buried.  One day I'll get there . . . .



2 comments:

  1. The person that told you to go buy them from Ikea sounds like an extremely intelligent and very good looking person ;0P

    ReplyDelete
  2. Geez, wonder who that was . . . . .

    ReplyDelete