Mmmmm Thrift
- mrsflibble
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- Location: Essex, uk, clay soil, paved w.facing very enclosed garden w/ planters
Mmmmm Thrift
We had a tear in our 6 year old, very well used, quite loved leather sofa. TRADGEDY! We also have no money to replace it unless jim goes out and works himself to death doing overtime for at least three months.
I was all for getting credit etc, but he didnt want the added burden of more financial hassle. I do see his point, and agreed that we should hold off buying a new one for a while; but only if he could come up with a way to fix the sofa. I was also happy to get rid of the three seat and just live with the twoseater and the two 1960s armchairs we have in the kitchen.
On the three seater, the tear was between two of the fixed seat cushions, and was very noticable when one sat one's massive butt on the sofa. also, things kept falling into the gap only to be lost forever in the base of the sofa. here's the three seater, circa 2009
the two seater, at this time, was in our kitchen.
here it is, yesterday, in my livingroom
Back to 2011... So, my husband; an engineer by career but a designer by training, set to work trying to work out what to do.
We had a matching two seater and three seater set bought in 2005 when we moved into our first flat. they were cheap. they were badly constructed and within the first year he'd had to fix them.
bodge repair circa 2006 lol no pictures of it at the time, but shows it's stood up well lol.
ok. here's some pictures of the process....
jim unbolting an arm form the three seater, after having taken off the base part
the scariest bit was this, then he had to cut the broken piece off the end of the three seater. basically, it was torn so we'd not lost anything if it went horribly wrong at this stage.
Sophie was used as extra ballast. and for cute appeal.
once he'd done this, I could mend the tear as best I could. it'd later be hidden by the arm of the sofa being bolted back on, but i needed to be mended so that the leather which was folded under and stapled had enough strength. one big needle, one pair of pliers, ten hurty lady fingers lol
ummmm... this bolt? or this one?
ooooh! coming together...
under the back, right hand, corner bit is a box made from scrap wood which supports the cushion of that particular bit of the three-seat side. It's not there for security, just cosmetics. it will eventually be used for storing the laptop when not in use I think.
nearly finished!
the corner part was made from the non-torn portion of the torn cushion, and is supported with scrap wood and green elastic strapping from the deconstruction of the three seat. The padding is made from our daughter's old cot-bed mattress lol. woot! recycling!
enter a large lady in a onesie to upload pictures of the new sofa, and to test out the corner. mwaaaaaaa!
I was all for getting credit etc, but he didnt want the added burden of more financial hassle. I do see his point, and agreed that we should hold off buying a new one for a while; but only if he could come up with a way to fix the sofa. I was also happy to get rid of the three seat and just live with the twoseater and the two 1960s armchairs we have in the kitchen.
On the three seater, the tear was between two of the fixed seat cushions, and was very noticable when one sat one's massive butt on the sofa. also, things kept falling into the gap only to be lost forever in the base of the sofa. here's the three seater, circa 2009
the two seater, at this time, was in our kitchen.
here it is, yesterday, in my livingroom
Back to 2011... So, my husband; an engineer by career but a designer by training, set to work trying to work out what to do.
We had a matching two seater and three seater set bought in 2005 when we moved into our first flat. they were cheap. they were badly constructed and within the first year he'd had to fix them.
bodge repair circa 2006 lol no pictures of it at the time, but shows it's stood up well lol.
ok. here's some pictures of the process....
jim unbolting an arm form the three seater, after having taken off the base part
the scariest bit was this, then he had to cut the broken piece off the end of the three seater. basically, it was torn so we'd not lost anything if it went horribly wrong at this stage.
Sophie was used as extra ballast. and for cute appeal.
once he'd done this, I could mend the tear as best I could. it'd later be hidden by the arm of the sofa being bolted back on, but i needed to be mended so that the leather which was folded under and stapled had enough strength. one big needle, one pair of pliers, ten hurty lady fingers lol
ummmm... this bolt? or this one?
ooooh! coming together...
under the back, right hand, corner bit is a box made from scrap wood which supports the cushion of that particular bit of the three-seat side. It's not there for security, just cosmetics. it will eventually be used for storing the laptop when not in use I think.
nearly finished!
the corner part was made from the non-torn portion of the torn cushion, and is supported with scrap wood and green elastic strapping from the deconstruction of the three seat. The padding is made from our daughter's old cot-bed mattress lol. woot! recycling!
enter a large lady in a onesie to upload pictures of the new sofa, and to test out the corner. mwaaaaaaa!
oh how I love my tea, tea in the afternoon. I can't do without it, and I think I'll have another cup very
ve-he-he-he-heryyyyyyy soooooooooooon!!!!
ve-he-he-he-heryyyyyyy soooooooooooon!!!!
Re: Mmmmm Thrift
I think I like it even more! Thought about making a corner couch, what you've done is so cool!
England is not a Free People, till the Poor that have no Land, have a free allowance to dig and labour the Commons.
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- Barbara Good
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
Ingenious repair,and it looks even more comfy than the original 2+3.
More space for
I like those vintage armchairs a lot too.
They seem to scream 1965 but they still manage to look timeless.
And if they still refuse to fall apart after 50 years chances are they'll be around a lot longer.
''I'm riding a pig and trashing things,I dunno what else I'm supposed to do here.''
(My wife, while playing Lego pirates of the carribean.)
''If you open your mind too far your brain will fall out''
(My wife, while playing Lego pirates of the carribean.)
''If you open your mind too far your brain will fall out''
- Milims
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
What a clever husband you have! Well done! It'sfabby!
Let us be lovely
And let us be kind
Let us be silly and free
It won't make us famous
It won't make us rich
But damn it how happy we'll be!
Edward Monkton
Member of the Ish Weight Loss Club since 10/1/11 Started at 12st 8 and have lost 8lb so far!
And let us be kind
Let us be silly and free
It won't make us famous
It won't make us rich
But damn it how happy we'll be!
Edward Monkton
Member of the Ish Weight Loss Club since 10/1/11 Started at 12st 8 and have lost 8lb so far!
- mrsflibble
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:21 pm
- Location: Essex, uk, clay soil, paved w.facing very enclosed garden w/ planters
Re: Mmmmm Thrift
scrap wrote:
Ingenious repair,and it looks even more comfy than the original 2+3.
More space for
I like those vintage armchairs a lot too.
They seem to scream 1965 but they still manage to look timeless.
And if they still refuse to fall apart after 50 years chances are they'll be around a lot longer.
lol, yes they do. they were bought as a weddingpresent for my parents in law in 1964 lol.
they're my next project ;)
oh how I love my tea, tea in the afternoon. I can't do without it, and I think I'll have another cup very
ve-he-he-he-heryyyyyyy soooooooooooon!!!!
ve-he-he-he-heryyyyyyy soooooooooooon!!!!
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- A selfsufficientish Regular
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
Seems to me that you & J are well matched in the genius department. That's just brilliant.
@Scrap all things made in the '60s are cool, timeless but begining to show wear
MW
@Scrap all things made in the '60s are cool, timeless but begining to show wear
MW
If it isn't a Greyhound, it's just a dog!
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- Barbara Good
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
They would look great with corduroy IMO.
A pastel-ish faded orange,or perhaps that 1950s mental hospital green...
Just my two eurocents,do keep us posted on them!
@ MuddyWitch
The wear is a sign of character and individuality,'specially if it's shown with pride...
...We're still discussin' vintage furniture,right?...
A pastel-ish faded orange,or perhaps that 1950s mental hospital green...
Just my two eurocents,do keep us posted on them!
@ MuddyWitch
The wear is a sign of character and individuality,'specially if it's shown with pride...
...We're still discussin' vintage furniture,right?...
''I'm riding a pig and trashing things,I dunno what else I'm supposed to do here.''
(My wife, while playing Lego pirates of the carribean.)
''If you open your mind too far your brain will fall out''
(My wife, while playing Lego pirates of the carribean.)
''If you open your mind too far your brain will fall out''
-
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 2460
- Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:13 pm
- latitude: 52.643985
- longitude: -1.052939
- Location: Leicester, uk, but heading to Ireland
Re: Mmmmm Thrift
What a brilliant repair, happy new corner sofa - very trendy at the mo
Well done!
Well done!
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- Barbara Good
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 10:28 pm
- Location: Artificial swamp area of North-Holland
Re: Mmmmm Thrift
Always nice to hear from a like-minded corduroy aficionado...MuddyWitch wrote:@Scrap I like your style!
MW
''I'm riding a pig and trashing things,I dunno what else I'm supposed to do here.''
(My wife, while playing Lego pirates of the carribean.)
''If you open your mind too far your brain will fall out''
(My wife, while playing Lego pirates of the carribean.)
''If you open your mind too far your brain will fall out''
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- A selfsufficientish Regular
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
This is just marvellous, and now I've had the chance to nosy (virtually) round your living room, I would also like you to know that the throw on the sofa is fab, I love your picture wall, and ditto everybody else on the armchairs.
Another vote for corduroy.
Another vote for corduroy.
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- Barbara Good
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
Love it!!!!
- Silver Ether
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
Love it ... what a clever family ..... and little Sophie seems to have been very helpful
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You can be as self-asservative as you like, I said, just so long as you do what you're told.' Esme Weatherwax.
- Keaniebean
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
That is so coooooooooooooool. I am so in admiration of your skills there.
Sarah.x
Come on over and see the fun at Troll Manor http://trollfamily.blogspot.com/ Now blogging once more :) after a little shove from the one and only MMM.
Come on over and see the fun at Troll Manor http://trollfamily.blogspot.com/ Now blogging once more :) after a little shove from the one and only MMM.
- bonniethomas06
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Re: Mmmmm Thrift
Ditto the above - you'd pay a fortune for that in DFS!!!
"A pretty face is fine, but what a farmer needs is a woman who can carry a pig under each arm"
My blog...
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My blog...
http://www.theparttimesmallholder.blogspot.com