Monday, March 02, 2009

Slip covers

Today's pictures are for my kids so they can see my new sofa slip covers. I have written about my sofa before and it is still hanging in there. The slip covers mean it will be around a few more years!

Leiya was four when we moved into our house in Nikko. We had seen the house a couple of years before but in was unaffordable at that time. I liked the idea of living near a forest but we shelved the idea and lived another couple of years in our apartment. When Tetsu noticed that the same house had become available at a much lesser price we came out to check on it and Tetsu decided right then that this was the place for us. I didn't think we had given this enough thought and that there were a few more things we needed to consider before buying. Like how are the schools? What is the neighborhood like? And though I loved the natural surroundings, I really didn't want to live that far away from friends.

And what about furniture? We might be able to pull together enough money to make a down payment on the house but there would be nothing left over for furniture afterwards. Were we going to live in an empty house? I really wasn't sure this was what God had planned for us...

A couple of days later I was telling Sandra, my American friend about our possible move and my feelings about it, and lack of furniture etc.

"Tanya, we just got word that we are being transferred back to the States. We have to get rid of our furniture... I think I know where it is supposed to go."

Yes, we adopted my friend's whole house. For a fraction of the price (a fraction of a fraction!) we were practically given a refrigerator, dining room set, bookshelves, coffee table, closets, washing machine, carpets, curtains and sofa, armchair and ottoman set. I have always thought that Sandra's furniture looked better in my house than it did when it was in her house! (Sorry Sandra!) Their cat also became our first cat, Lammy.

But that was 16 years ago and some of the appliances have gone their way and the sofa and armchair and ottoman are extremely tattered and worn. Last week I found some slip covers in a catalog and ordered them with fingers crossed that they would work out. Pretty snazzy! The fabric stretches so that they will pretty much fit anything.

Now I don't have to wrestle with the throws that I'd been using (every time you stood up you had to readjust them) and there is the added benefit that the cats are very photogenic against the lighter background!

11 comments:

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

if the cats are happy I'm sure the whole household is too! Well done!

mamaspark said...

Love the"cat ball" photo! Reminds me on home.

Amanda said...

Yet another brilliant photograph of your cat huddle. I've been looking for some stretch covers for a couple of chairs we inherited from a great aunt - the cats have shredded the original covers over the year and we're wrestling with throws at the moment. They never look quite right do they. Most of our furniture is inherited too.

Connie W said...

I think slipcovers are a great idea and can bring new life to older furniture in just minutes. The cats looks happy with it!

Lazy Gal Tonya said...

love that photo of the four kitties - soooo sweet. My problem with slipcovers is that Lily is so determined to get up under them -she'd appear as a lump in these pics ;-)

Quiltin' LibraryLady said...

Looks like the kitties like the new slipcovers too. How do you get them to all snuggle like that? Our two cats wouldn't dream of sleeping together. The one we've had the longest is still hissing at the newest one & it's going on six years since he came to live with us.

4 Boys and a Lady said...

The slip covers are great - now the sofa has a new lease on life! We wonder what new adventures it will face in the coming years? (^_^)

That is an adorable picture of our kitty friends! We love it!

-Nermal, Nico, Virgil, Westley, and Maggie

artfilstitch said...

Your kitties look so contented on their new chairs, the covers fit just right and perfect color. Fabric is the best invention ever...what can't be done with fabric?

Mimi said...

Thanks for your story and pictures. Your friend sounds like an incredible person and everything worked out as it was to be.

Hugs,
Mimi

The Calico Quilter said...

Love those cat piles! The only ones that happen at my house have a 12 lb cat on the top and me on the bottom - generally when I'm asleep. It's a little hard to breathe with a 12 lb weight on your stomach. Especially one with stickers.

sewprimitive karen said...

Great story. Those cats! Did they do that by themselves or did you stack them :-) ?