Holiday weekend = progress

We take our holidays seriously around here. That is, we consider them to be serious opportunities to get some work done. My dedicated and talented husband’s project: a new fence. Look how great it is!

I spent most of the time moving lava rocks, shoveling sand and digging out the area which will eventually be a new patio. We are hoping next weekend is patio weekend. And yes, that is the royal we.

(SIDEBAR: Did you know the actual term for the royal we is also called the majestic plural?)

By Monday, I was tired of digging/shoveling, and so I turned to more domestic pursuits: recovering the cushions for the outdoor couches.

Here’s what I started with: huge yardages of heavy weight fabrics, and two seat cushions, each the size of a twin mattress. The floral patterned sheet you see a temporary cushion cover I fashioned to protect the foam.

First, I had to cut the fabric in half, then iron both pieces. Then I had to decide on the design.

Yes, I could have made it more professional looking by doing all of the edges as their own seams, to make it look fitted. Lots of work, especially for an outdoor seat.

Yes, I could have made it simpler by doing it all in one fabric, or if I was really lazy AND thrifty, just sew it like a big pillowcase with one fabric on the top and the other on the bottom. (But that would lead to an unsightly seam along the sides, with the top part as one fabric and the bottom as the other.)

THE COMPROMISE: Use the patterned (more expensive) fabric on the top, wrap it around the sides, and use solid beige for the bottom. HOORAY.

I spread the fabric over the cushion, and cut off the excess (to be used for accent pieces or perhaps as part of a tablecloth).

After wrapping the top edge over to the back, I flipped the whole thing over. Next, I pinned the bottom panel to the top edge, preparing to top stitch it in place.

After that was secured, I pulled the sides up and folded over the raw edges, pinned them in place.

Next I top stitched down both sides. It was a little tricky at the corners (and of course, right at the tricky part my bobbin thread ran out) but I made it through. As for the opening, I simply folded over the top edge, straight stitched it down, then added some velcro to keep it closed.
(FULL DISCLOSURE: As of today, all of the velcro has not been sewn on – hand sewing involved, I know I needn’t say more.)

The next part was to sew the back cushions in an accent color. Two stumbling blocks: I had chosen slippery polyester blend fabric that kept sliding off the table and the pillows are an odd wedge-shape.

I hemmed and hawed (ha! hemmed) before determining that the simplest solution for these odd-shaped pillows would be to make a tube, one seam, and then make ties to close it at either end. Conveniently, the ends are the selvedges, so they don’t need additional finishing (though I COULD run them through the serger, if the mood strikes.)

The work was done (except for the aforementioned velcro)! The sun had (finally, and briefly) come out! Hubby grabbed a beer, I poured myself a glass of wine, and we had a seat.

Cheers!

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