News From The Swamp: Slipcovers

We have a couch and chair in the den that we sit on. That seems a logical thing to do, but I mean we can really sit on them. If we come in from the garden or from kayaking and want to take a rest before showering, we do. The cats sit on them. We can eat while we're sitting on them. They're the "comfortable" furniture.

Of course, with this rather cavalier treatment, they do need washable covers. For years I've contented myself with just throwing canvas drop cloths over them. I actually like the look--it reminds me of the old homes where people would cover the furniture with sheets before heading off to the summer home. They would start off looking properly casual.

But after sitting and sprawling and wiggling the covers would get a little wonky, and end up eventually looking like this. A little too informal, even for me.

So, having a few days of being "temporarily underemployed" (meaning the time period between the university jobs ending and the museum programs getting busy) I decided it was time to make fitted slipcovers--still using the drop cloth canvas because I like it (and it's cheap).

Usually I do my sewing in my little cottage (aka Chez Wicca). But I wasn't about to go running back and forth endlessly, so I moved my sewing stuff to the living room. The downside of that is that the living room isn't cat-proof--and RiverSong and Noko Marie happily helped in the laying out of the fabric.

Then they decided that they should teach young Wilhelm how to be helpful.

When I took a break, they made sure my fabric didn't get away.

Finally I got the chair done, and I must say I think it looks pretty good.

Being a glutton for punishment--and as I had the living room fairly well trashed by now with bits of fabric and sewing paraphernalia--I thought I might as well do the couch while I was at it. Noko and River and Wilhelm never flagged in their assistance. Here River makes sure my zipper is sewn in properly.