June 25, 2010

Use what you have: part un (cushions)

I think it's very important to use what you have on hand before you go out and buy it.  Not just because you're merely saving money, but because you're developing a mindset to be content with what you have.  Our culture feeds our desire for more stuff...and there's nothing wrong with having or desiring abundance...but it's probably best to avoid extremes in any case.  If we took a step back and looked at the big picture, we would probably be shocked at how we relatively have SO much more than many others do.

So this begins my personal adventure of using what I have.  And, I have to say, it's been kind of fun...and very rewarding.
One such project that I took an evening to work on, was recovering a couple of my cushions to better match my family room.  I thought of using some of the ample supply of fabric I have available...but then I didn't feel like sewing, so I looked for an easier solution.  I found 2 outdoor chair covers that my mom gave me awhile back and experimented until I made them work.  They were made of very thick cotton in a grey and white stripe.  They had these little loops on each side that looked like they may be good for tying together...so I got to work.
The pictures are pretty much self-explanatory.  I just did some ironing, folding, pinning, and then tying.  It took less than 30 minutes.

The end result was satisfactory.  I mean, I probably won't keep these cushion covers on forever (just because I like variety), but for now, they function perfectly and look great!  I like to keep them with the tied side face-down. Although the tied side up gives it a more cottage-y relaxed feel.


What do you have in your house that you can put to good use?

1 comment:

Wanda Robertson said...

Great job Estelle. I need to do the same. I have to many cushions, for my spare room, so I am going to recover them, for my couch! But then, I have been meaning to do this for awhile. Suppose to rain all week, so they might get finished. LOL. Love you kiddo!!!!!XXXXXX