Looking around our house the other day I realised that you would never know about my obsession with fibre… other than all the work bags and baskets. You may be surprised to know that the place is not awash with afghans, covered with crochet cushions nor festooned with felt. There are a few things around… felt tea cosy and camera case, lots of knitted socks and a variety of hats and gloves, but not much that’s showy or obvious. Around my office, you can see a knitted Nessie, crochet snail, mushrooms and bacteria, but they are quite discreet. Much of my work has been given away, swapped or sold. Soon, however, the masterpiece will adorn our bed and I will start on my Bavarian crochet afghan.
It’s all too easy to lose a dog in our sofa…
But right now I have embarked on a big new project. Our sofa is nearly 14 years old. It’s still comfy and we don’t want to get rid of it (despite the fact that it eats hair grips, crochet hooks, scissors and, occasionally, dogs), but it is looking rather tired and Sam has decided in recent years that all the zippers on the cushions are especially yummy and should be eaten. We have a spare set of covers, but we are fast running out of covers that have functioning zippers for the big square cushions (five of them) that go along the back. Fortunately, Sam has not noticed the large zipper up one side at the back of the sofa, so the two big covers are ok. In theory, I could replace the zippers, but I don’t want to for two reasons: (1) I hate putting in new zippers, and these are right along the top of each cushion, so are fiddly to replace, and (2) Sam would probably just eat them again (sigh). Anyway, it seems like a great excuse to yarnstorm my own home.
… but it’s still comfy
And so, blue yarn has arrived and crochet fun has commenced. I’m making the first cushion cover with Attic24’s Neat Ripple pattern as this was so successful for the cushion I made for my sis. Originally my intention was to make them all the same, but I’m tempted to use the same palette for them all, but different designs (would this be too much?) I have chosen five colours from the New Lanark range of double knitting wool: sky haze, iris, limestone, navy and denim. It’s going to require rather a lot of yarn and many hours of work, but I think that it will look great when it’s done. So often people throw away perfectly good furniture because it’s got a bit worn, so it feels good to put some work into reinvigorating this sofa.
The first cover is progressing
The Snail of Happiness 
Karen B
/ July 4, 2014What an exciting project! And although the cost of the yarn will be fairly expensive it will be nothing like as expensive as having the sofa covered in fabric. I think Sam is so sweet and both your dogs will love the comfort of wool on their bed! I had my sofa covered, years ago in a pale blue wool, imagine how my black cats love that!
I have no idea how you will tackle the body of the sofa, but you are very clever and will amaze us all!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014I’m thinking of a big throw, but I’ll focus on the cushions first!!
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Karen B
/ July 4, 2014Yes, that would be much more straightforward…
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Mrs P
/ July 4, 2014Ooooh I can’t wait to see your progress, post plenty of pics to keep us all enthralled 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014I will… don’t hold your breath, though, it’s going to take some time (and I have string bags to make too!)
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davidprosser
/ July 4, 2014Wow, that’s a heck of a project. I wish you luck with it. Mind the wavy lines don’t make your eyes wonky.
xxx Hugs Galore xxx
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014I’m sure a glass of wine will straighten things out!!
xxx hugs xxx
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nanacathy2
/ July 4, 2014Wowzers. That will look amazing. But will the sofa still eat the dog?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014As long as the dog doesn’t eat the sofa, I don’t mind!!!
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wscottling
/ July 4, 2014What a cute pooch! And what a huge project! You have my admiration for taking it on. I look forward to seeing it finished.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014I think it’s going to take a while!!!!
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Ann Owen
/ July 4, 2014I was so pleased when after 3 years the king size afghan that I’m making was big enough to go on our bed (I’m hoping to finish its border next winter), only to find that the cats were loving it too and that it is an absolute cat hair magnet and impossible to hoover…
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014Everything is covered in dog hair already, so we won’t notice!!
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katythenightowl
/ July 4, 2014What a great way to freshen up an older piece of furniture, and, of course, well within your remit of being Eco-friendly 🙂
I really love the colour palette you’re using, and can’t wait to see how it all turns out 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014You’ll have to come round and see it when it’s done… I reckon in about 5 years time!
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katythenightowl
/ July 5, 2014Lol
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katechiconi
/ July 4, 2014Ahah! Now I have a colour palette for the sofa holster I’m going to make you to prevent it eating the crochet hooks and scissors. Can’t do much about hair grips and dogs, I’m afraid. I shall go and interrogate the blue scraps basket when I get home.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 4, 2014How lovely… I think the dogs rather like being eaten and I’ll just have to remember to let my hair down elsewhere!
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narf77
/ July 5, 2014AWESOME IDEA! I am bouncing in my seat with excitement (and not only because I need a loo break 😉 ) I can’t wait to see how it starts to take shape metaphorically and literally :). Just caught up with my RSS Feed Reader so here’s hoping I can comment in a timely manner from now on 😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 5, 2014I just hope it doesn’t take too long… I don’t want the cover to outlast the sofa!
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narf77
/ July 5, 2014Lol! Earl doesn’t eat our sofa because we covered it up with SO many other things he gets bored shredding them before he gets to the tasty leather 😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 5, 2014If we had a leather sofa, Max would think it was the world’s biggest rawhide chew!
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narf77
/ July 6, 2014Not if it was buried underneath a tonne of blankets and sleeping bags making your lounge room look like a sherpa tent in the snow he wouldn’t ;).
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