Monday, 2 July 2012

crafty cushion time!

 Hello! Today I was on an op shop mission to find some cool stuff to redecorate my lounge/dining area. I recently purchased some new yellow stools to go with my pink 50s table (see past post of mine) and was hoping to find some yellow vintage fabric or a yellow phone or something that would tie my chairs in to the rest of the room. But you all know the opshopping law, if you want something in particular you won't find it. If you go thinking you don't really need anything, you come home with a carload of stuff! So even though I didn't find any cool yellow retro gear today, I did find this great unused Adelaide tea towel for 50c that I turned into a cushion cover this afternoon. (BOSL Moonee Ponds) This satisfied my redecoration bug for the day ;o)
After spending $6 on a cushion insert from spotlight I found some cushions at the next op shop for $3 that had inserts in good condition. Doh!! I purchased one anyway so that I can make another tea towel cushion soon. I want a Melbourne one next I think :o)

Last Friday I also purchased a corkboard just like Gina E!! I laughed when I saw your post Gina, great Opshop minds must think alike ;o) 
(50c St. John's Op Shop Brunswick)



 I also got this winter coat at St. John's for $4. When I got home I found 50c in the pocket! Score!
Last week I found these converse shoes at BOSL Brunswick. I was pretty excited as I had always wanted a pair but every time I went to buy some I just couldn't bring myself to spend the $80 or $90. They were marked at $15 but when I took them to the counter the lady rang them up at $8 so there must've been a sale on?? They did have a $1 sale on all pants that day and I found a great pair of pink polar fleece trackie dacks that felt like a teddy bear! Too ugly to put a photo up, but sooo good for these cold winter nights we've had lately! 

9 comments:

I Love To Op Shop said...

wow, some great finds, love the Converse!

Gina E. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gina E. said...

Sorry, I stuffed up the previous comment! I asked what you had in mind for your corkboard - going to display your jewels on it like me?
What a great idea, using tea towels to make cushion covers! Never thought of that. I've got heaps of souvenir tea towels that are just sitting in the linen cupboard. I might get them out and think about making some of them up into cushions myself!

mothertheresa said...

I was just going to use the corkboard for boring things like 'to do' lists and things like that. I love the jewellery organiser idea though. Maybe I'll have to keep my eye out for another one :o)

Stella said...

That cushion cover is the best thing I have seen on here. I'm jealous (because I can't sew). A friend of mine has a mount Isa handbag. it's fabulous.
well done!

Ren said...

Yes, I love the cushion cover and agree with Stella, it's the best idea ever and I am so going to copy it! The shoes are a good find too, you know you can throw them into the washing machine to give them a spruce up.

mothertheresa said...

Awww thanks! I was pretty chuffed about the cushion cover myself! I actually got impatient and bought a Melbourne tea towel off ebay last night because I couldn't wait to find one op shopping! You'll have to post some pics Ren when you've made yours!

Stella, you should give it a go, my sewing expertise is very limited. All I did was fold up the tea towel so it was 'square' at the front, then the left over bit came about half way up the back of the cushion. (The 'picture' side of the tea towel should be facing in) I cut a plain bit of material to fit the other half of the back part of the cushion. I made it overlap the tea towel part by about 10cm. (I used the edge part of the fabric that won't frey so I didn't need to hem the part that overlapped) Then I sewed all the way around the edge. You then turn it the right way so that the seam is on the inside and you have a cushion cover! It's sort of like a pillow case but with the opening in the middle of the back, so no zippers at all! You could put a button on the back but if you allow enough of an overlap the cushion insert won't show. I hope that kind of makes sense!! Perhaps some more experienced sewers could explain it better or I'm sure theres a website somewhere with instructions. :o)

cookiecrumbs said...

Love the tea towel cushion cover! Gives me ideas for the great NZ one I found ages ago :-)

MooBear Designs said...

I am so proud of you for waiting till you found and op shopped pair of cons. Be careful though... It could turn into an obsession like mine hehehe...

http://moobeardesigns.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/i-have-confession-to-make.html

Love and light
Steph