old cushions stacked in the living room - autumn 2011
I've had three square cushions since Eliza was a baby. I bought them in Norway, and used them in her play area:
Eliza & three pretty cushions in her play area - summer 2003
It turns out they were actually Danish, made by a company called Green Gate.
They were also pretty expensive (
Scandinavia, after all....) so I have tried to use them faithfully in each house we've had since then. We used them a great deal in Germany, especially on sunny days outside:
picnic in the backyard with friends - spring 2011
I tried to keep them
as clean as possible with lots and lots of old-fashioned "beating" the dust out & off.....but nine years takes it's toll. They had become lumpy and misshapen -- with a few holes (!!) here and there where the stitching had come loose. I realized those cushions were coming to the end of the line. :-(
Suddenly, I thought that maybe I could harvest my own "vintage" fabric out of these cushions.
I also eyed the STUFFING for that large Gumdrop pillow I've been wanting to make.
So, I cut them up.
Now, there WAS a great deal of resistance from Eliza, who likes to keep everything.
E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.
It didn't matter that I told her / showed her how the cushions were old, raggedy....
dirty. A great number of promises were required before the gnashing of teeth subsided.
I promised the fabric would make a cozy lap quilt for the couch. I promised that it would be a way to keep the special cushions for several more years. I promised her it would all be wonderful...
that it would be better than wonderful. I promised myself right into a corner...and then worked steadily for three days, like only a mother who has promised the moon can do:
Happy Ending. :-)
The fabric is so nice and clean now. The stitching & composition are most certainly very "homemade" -- but that run through the washing machine puckered the fabric up nicely, tightening all the little holes that had started.
More importantly:
on the couch before school - 3/1/2012
It fits her idea of an upcycle. It fits her.
smaller gumdrop cushion on the top, finished two years ago
large gumdrop cushion on the bottom, finished just now
Plus, I got the stuffing out to finish that large Gumdrop cushion.
4 comments:
Your dad told me this was a really good blog...and wow...it really is!
I keep being reminded how much GG would LOVE all you do! It's a beautiful little quilt..and so "GG" in so many ways (the sentiment, the saving, the working for child). AND...could you please bring directions for gumdrop pillows? When there are kids in front room, they're often on floor (and trying to use "Blackie" for a cushion..ha..and his little legs just can't take much more of it) Your pillows stack so cutely when not needed...may be what I need here?
Absolutely fantastic! Love, love, love it! You are so creative and I adore what you "upcycled" to. And that sure looks like one comfy, happy young lady.
Have to add that this blog also brings happy memories of being in Eliza's play area with her...ha...and how she actually enjoyed climbing over my legs as she toddled around and around her little house...ha...the athlete was there already...now she easily pulls up to deck and over chest high rail...time goes by so quickly...(and...what's next??)
Thanks Padden4 -- I know you know the satisfaction of having the project in mind match the project in reality. I'm so glad it worked. :-)
I like that photo of Eliza, too. I've had it inside the computer since 2003 - never printed, never scrapbooked. But, I love seeing those curls again now.
Mom -- I'll bring the pattern wiht me, but I think you'll want to make some modifications, like a zipper and maybe even an inner pillow with liner, to ease the dust allergy issues.
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