Pages

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Before and After Verandah Chairs


Now that the hot weather is past us at last I am enjoying using our verandah again. On a warm day it is the perfect spot for reading, morning tea or lunch. In the early afternoons the western sun is too strong at the moment but the late afternoons are more pleasant.

We have a set of cane furniture which used to belong to my Nanna, a table, 2 chairs and a footrest/stool. When we first got them the cushions were covered with some 60s fabric in a bright red, and I just made cotton covers to slip over the top. (Recently I took one off to check that 60s fabric, hoping maybe I had forgotten how groovy they were, but they weren't groovy at all) The colours on the cotton fabric coordinate well with our walls and at the time I used what I had, left over from another project.

Fast forward ten or so years and now the cotton fabric is dirty from the weather, lots of insects and lots of dust, comfy but not so nice to sit on. Spiders love to lurk around this furniture. But if I re-cover them (spending lots of money to do so) I will have the same problem soon of faded stained fabric. Bringing the cushions inside is not an option, we just don't have room. What to do ...?

On the weekend I had a brainwave. I dug out a double quilt cover that I bought a few years ago at an op shop (sitting in my fabric box ever since) and cut it into quarters. Then I stitched up the open sides making 4 big rectangles, each double thickness.


Voila!

Four covers that I can throw onto a cushion (tucking in the sides) and then bring inside when I've finished on the verandah. I can wash them after every few uses andthey will dry quickly and iron well. They won't take much room to store. Our clothes will stay clean and we won't feel grotty.

And most of all - they look pretty!