Still covering the sofa

I have to say that I never thought that the sofa I bought back in 2003, would still be in its raw state in 2009. It has looked so forlorn and unloved, just waiting for it's transformation into the princess it deserves to be. Well, finally it is well on it's way, although work seems to have ground to all halt due to wedding preparation, but this week we'll be back into it. All I have to do now are the cushion covers. What a process it has been, I've had to learn and make up things all along the way but was quite pleased when one of the twins' friends said as she was jumping and rolling on it, "this is a very comfortable sofa". High praise indeed from a 6 year old!

It has given the the shove to get it finished once and for all, it is so close.

The seat and back cushions I had made weren't such a good idea, the foam was very thick and dense, I ended up having to cut them down, add more fill to the tops, then still not happy with the result, I cut up a duvet and made a case wrapping it completely. Now, it is good, firm but soft and comfortable. The back cushions were a disaster. I ended up not using them at all. Instead I cut out a new template based on several days of standing staring at the sofa and trying all sorts of sizes against the back, and cut a wrap/case out of a duvet and layered and layered the polyfibre fill from the old cushions. My sons were so proud, recycling and reusing - in line with their latest unit at school.They could report to their teacher that things did happen at home!

This is phase I, fitting the top cover. Once this was done, I could work on the back piece. It was all put together as a slip cover, then because it was on an angle, I had to slip stitch the final line in situ by hand.

So, seat and back cushions complete, all handstitched together, new lining cases made and now they are enclosed. This week onto the final covers as well as two scatter cushions. Then I can get back to wedding preps again..and two knitting projects that really need finishing before winter finishes - oh, it has. Well, it still feels like winter as we had a day of snow 3 days ago and it is just grey and cold today.

It's a bit bumpy in places, the inside fill has slipped with all the climbing on it by the boys, but it is all stapled and fixed underneath. If it gets to a point that I can't stand it, I'll just unpick the staples and take it all off again, reshuffle the stuffing and recover again. The smaller back cushions will be covered in the same linen but will be buttoned across the back, purely decorative and I hate zips, with a large cream bone button decorating the front corners.

Once it is all done, I can clean up the fabric dump that has become this corner of the living room.

Oh! kids incoming...ooh, kids left to neighbours place, time to do some sewing before moving onto apple crumble and cottage pie for dinner. It just never ends.