July 10/2013 – I Don’t Sew

I don’t sew.

This reminds me of the time we took the kids (and us) to get new ice skates. We went to Listowel, Ontario to the place with the widest selection and best selection, or so we had been told. Steven’s sister had recently moved from Whitehorse to a country property near Fergus and we would be going ice skating — for the first time in 14 years of marriage — on her pond. The skating store in Listowel is apparently THE place to go in Southwestern/Southern Ontario for all things skating, from skates to costumes to supplies. Steve sat down to try on the best skates they had for his size — figure skates, which are a better fit apparently for huge feet like his….and they were the race-car equivalent of figure skates in terms of sleekness and agility. Steve is a big, strong 6′ 4″ farmer – and was a little bulkier at that time than he is now. He was not what you would call an obvious figure skater. Seriously. But the fit and comfort of the skates were alluring and they impressed him immensely.

As the owner laced up the black Ferrari’s onto his feet, she asked nonchalantly, “Will you be doing much jumping?”, to which he replied drily, “Only if I have to.”

Which brings me back to sewing: Only if I have to.

July 10/2013 Pop-Up Trailer – Starting Out

Here is our new to us pop-up trailer! Looking forward to redecorating. Steve can worry about electrical and plumbing and license, etc.. My job is redecorating (with his measuring and calculating advice) and packing. Here we go!!! Before pictures, followed by a bit of a mock-up (no sew cushion covers) before the hard work is done (measuring, cutting, sewing).

For redecorating colours, I found a gorgeous colourful fabric napkin at Pier 1 and striped outdoor cushions at Canadian Tire that sort if match…Pier 1 also had a solid teal blue cushion that ties them together. Colours all together: teal blue, muted turquoise, deep red, muted lime green, medium yellow, sandy-beige.

But bench cushion covers and curtains? No clue. Thanks goodness for IKEA and Steve!! We went yesterday and I had a vague idea of buying bed sheets to cover all the bench cushions and make curtains. With duct tape, glue, staples, whatever. I’d measured everything in the trailer the day before so I was reasonably ready.

In the “As Is” section at IKEA, I spotted a nice deep red sofa cover and passed it over because it wasn’t a simple flat fabric remnant I could tape or glue (or sew?) around cushions. Steve had a vision though and it worked! The four cushions (2 seats, 2 backs) fit the width of our cushions perfectly, and the extra length could be tucked in. Voila! Cushion covers in actual upholstery fabric with actual piping – and new seeing involved 🙂 He then suggested a duvet cover to house both the seat and back cushions on the bigger bench (I thought we needed a neutral so I chose a sandy-beige that matched a stripe in one if the cushions)…a little tucking here and there and voila! No sewing!

We replaced the bunk curtains with a shower tension rod and IKEA fabric shower curtain. I have to shorten it, but may just use the adhesive hemming tape I found at Michaels — yipeeeee!! We’ll keep the upholstery covers on the mattresses and I’ve simply covered them with fitted sheets.

Next: white sheet curtains