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The Dirty Little Secret Hiding in my Backyard

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I have a secret to share with you today.

I don’t share this secret with any ol’ Joe because, well, there are certain things that a blogger only shares with her beloved readers.  Dirty little secret things.

… 

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It’s Perfect Weather for a Sleeping Porch

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Has there ever been a time in your life when you were absolutely sure about something but you turned out to be wrong?  Maybe it was the lunch date you were supposed have with someone, only you got there a week early.  Maybe it was the directions to a place you know and have been before, but this time you got hopelessly lost.  Maybe it was as simple as laying your glasses down in a safe place and then, when they go missing, blaming someone else in the house for moving them!  Nope they were on your head all along. UGH!!!

Mr. OTN and I are quite alike in believing that we are right all most of the time so it often comes as a surprise when one or the other of us is proven wrong.  I say often because it seems the older we get, the more often it becomes.

Now I have a new motto:

Be a lifelong learner...What does all that have to do with a Sleeping Porch?  Well, I won’t go into details, or tell you who was in the wrong.  Suffice it to say that I’m thankful that Amazon accepts returns of BIG items and hubby is thankful that I have a sense of humor 😉 

Sometimes the best choice is to laugh! Click To Tweet

Today, since the weather is feeling a bit like Summer, I’m finally sharing pictures of our Sleeping Porch.  We actually started using it last Summer but I never got around to posting about it, other than on Instagram.  I’ll tell ya’, you are missing out on a lot of the day-to-day excitement of my life (tee hee) if you aren’t following along on IG.

 Here is a picture of our Screened Porch where we spend much of our time – Spring, Summer, and Fall.

We swapped out our love seat, and two chairs with ottomans for daybeds.  This created more floor space in the room and didn’t take away any seating.  What it did do was give Mr. OTN and I each our own spot to take a nap. 

NOTE:  I’ve included links at the end of this post to full enclosure mattress and pillow covers, similar to those I used on my porch as protection against moisture.

I recovered the old throw pillows we already had in this room with thrift store and drop cloth fabrics.

I really lucked out as our local Habitat store had huge bins of fabric samples, large enough to make pillow covers.

For back support I ordered large wedges of foam online and made washable drop cloth covers for them.

I purchased bed pillows to use in front of the bolsters and made envelope pillow covers for those too.   Here is link to post I did last year that tells how to make Envelope Pillows. 

They are super easy to do!

I covered the beds in fun quilts I found on sale at Stein Mart (they have the best prices on bedding and you can make purchases online) and added dust ruffles that I made from drop cloths.  The bed springs are high from the ground (15″) so I can hide storage bins beneath the beds.  I keep outdoor pillows and cushions here when we’re going to have a long stretch of rainy weather.

Here are a few other details of our screened porch/sleeping porch.  We found this old farm table when we first moved to SC and I added a drop cloth skirt around all four sides.  It hides dining supplies and other fun stuff under it’s skirt 😉

The dining table chairs have pillows to match those on the beds.

Maybe you remember these drop cloth curtains (Pollen Proofing the Screened Porch) from last year.  I also did a tutorial for Quick, Easy, & Affordable Drapery Tiebacks.

We’ve hung large candles on the porch for those nights when we like to sit in the dark watching the lightening flash.   We get a lot of thunder storms here in the Summer.

Since our porch is a warm weather room it has a Coastal theme going on.

Right outside the screened porch is a fountain by which we can lull ourselves to sleep.  😉

Thanks for coming along on the Sleeping Porch tour.  I hope to have plenty of guests this year that will be adventurous enough to have slumber parties in the woods with me. 

But for now, I do believe it’s time for a Sunday afternoon nap.

Blessings friends,

The following are links to total enclosure mattress and pillow protectors, similar to those that I purchased for my Screened Porch.  A good idea for humid climates.  They are not only 100% waterproof but also bed bug proof and hypoallergenic. 🙂

 

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired,  InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, Making Your Home Sing Mondays, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, SmallWonder, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse, TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles,  Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner,  I Choose Joy,   Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration,  Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

Top 10 Posts of 2016

by 8 Comments

Have you ever felt like you’re going round and round in circles, working hard but accomplishing little?  I think we all feel that way at times.  That’s when it can be a good thing to take a look back to see that you really have made some forward progress.  My blogging life sort of fizzled out toward the end of 2016 but looking back I find myself encouraged by these things that I DID accomplish. … 

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French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers – Part 2

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Patio Courtyard 033Hey y’all!  I’m back with Part 2 of French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers.  In Part 1 (HERE)  I shared instructions for sewing an Envelope Pillow . . . the easiest pillow in the world!  In Part 2 I will show you, step-by-step, how I sewed the Ruffled Slipcovers for my patio chairs.

These tutorials are a result of your requests after my post about creating a French Courtyard Look on my backyard deck. You can view that post right HERE.

So here it is, for your sewing pleasure 🙂

These instructions are based on the particular type of patio chair I have but with a little ingenuity adjustments can be made to fit a different style.  I made my slipcovers with ruffles on three sides of the chair (you can do all four if you prefer) and added extra fabric across the back to tuck under the chair seat. This, along with ties, helps to keep the slipcover in place.

Ruffled Chair Slipcovers 001

Step 1: Remove your chair seat from the chair and make a pattern by laying it on a piece of lightweight cardboard and tracing around it.

Step 2: Cut out the cardboard pattern, lay it on top of your fabric of choice (I used painter’s drop cloth fabric) and trace around it with a pencil . . . then STOP . . .read the next part carefully!

Ruffled Drop Cloth Table Cloth 003. . . Don’t cut your fabric on that line!  On the front and two sides of your chair cover make your cut approximately  5/8″ away from the pencil line.  On the back side of the chair cover make your cut approximately 3″ away from the pencil line  (or long enough to tuck under the back of your particular type of chair seat).

Ruffled Chair Cover 002Step 3: Hem back edge of chair cover by turning edge under 1/4″, then turning under another 1/4″ and hemming it on the sewing machine.  Do this step before moving on to the ruffle.

Ruffled Slipcover TutorialStep 4: Measure the distance from the back right corner of your chair seat, all the way around the front and to the back left corner.  Double this number.  This is the measurement you will use for the length of your ruffle.

Step 5: Cut a 6-8″ wide piece of fabric (depending on how wide you want your ruffle to be) the length of the doubled measurement in Step 4 above.

Step 6: Sew two rows of basting stitch 1/4″ apart, along one long edge of the ruffle piece.  Knot one end and gently pull threads to gather.

Drop cloth tablecloth 002Step 6: Adjust gathers to fit your ruffle to the three sides of the chair top, and pin in place.

Ruffled Slip Covers 002Step 7: Sew ruffle to chair top and remove basting stitches.

Ruffled Slip Covers 003Step 8: Top stitch along the edge, close to the ruffle for a finished look.  Hem the raw edge of your ruffle by turning under 1/4″ then turning under 1/4″ again and hemming on the sewing machine.

Moving right along to chair ties:

Ruffled Chair Slipcovers 005Step 9: Cut four ties for each chair.  Mine were 16″ long x 2″ wide. Fold the short ends of the ties under 1/4″ and press in place, then fold the two long edges inward (in the same direction as the short turns) until the raw edges touch.

Ruffled Chair Slipcovers 004Fold the entire length in half again and stitch the folded edges closed on the sewing machine.

Patio Courtyard 060Step 10: At this point, if you have a buttonholer, make button holes approximately 2″ from the hemmed back edge of the seat cover and in the correct position for the ties to wrap around an anchor (chair frame or slat) on the back seat of your chair (every chair will be unique).  Slide the ends of the ties through the open button holes and stitch them in place on the sewing machine.

Ruffled Chair Slipcovers 007Tie your ties into a bow onto the back  of the chair and tuck the excess fabric under the back of the chair seat.  Note: I actually couldn’t find my buttonholer so I cut a slit, slipped my ties through it, used fray check on the raw edges, and sewed the ties in place on the machine.

Voila’! There you have it.

Another request from my original post was for a tutorial for the Burlap Table Runner.  That will be an upcoming post later in the Fall.

Thank you SO much for taking an interest in the things I create here at Old Things New and for being so kind as to ask for more.  I am one lucky girl to have readers as sweet as you.

Blessings to you my friends,

My SignatureIf you like this please PIN and SHARE!

Ruffledchaircoversfrenchcountrystyle

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired,  InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles,  Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story, IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty,  The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy,  Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration,  Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

 

 

 

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How to Make Quick, Easy & Affordable Drapery Tiebacks

by 12 Comments

Lately I’ve been all tied up in knots.  Beautiful nautical knots.  While planning my curtains for Pollen Proofing my Screened Porch I looked around for some drapery tiebacks online and was surprised at how expensive they can be!

Screened Porch Curtains 020While searching through listings on Etsy I found a set of beautiful soft cotton rope ties that I felt would be perfect for my coastal themed screened porch.  However, at almost $50 a pair they were way out of my price range.  I didn’t want to end up spending more for the tiebacks than for ALL the drapes combined!

Nautical Drapery TiesAt first I thought I might simply go down to my local hardware store and buy some rope to make my own but the rope they carry is stiff and rough.  So after Googling “Cotton Rope” I was led to Knot & Rope Supply and found exactly what I was looking for.  I love Internet shopping don’t you?

Nautical Drapery Ties2This is what I ordered and at .61 cents per foot it was an excellent buy!

Nautical Drapery Ties3I love that it is soft to the touch too.

So this is all you need:

  1. 5/8″ 3-strand cotton rope (about 1 yard per tieback)
  2. Scissors
  3. Scotch Tape

And this is the “how to”:

Nautical Drapery Tiebacks 002

  1. Cut as many pieces of rope as you will need with scissors.  Yes, scissors!  The softness of this rope makes it super easy to cut.

Nautical Drapery Ties42. Wrap cut ends with scotch tape to keep them from fraying.  That part comes later.

Nautical Drapery Tiebacks 0033.  Bring the two ends of your rope together and tie a simple knot, about 6-8″ from the ends of the rope.

 Nautical Drapery Tiebacks 0044.  Remove tape and unravel the ends of your rope.  This is the best part!

Screened Porch Curtains 0205.  Wrap the tie around your drape, slip the knotted end through the loop, and pull it tight.  That’s it!  The knubby texture of the rope holds it in place so it won’t slip down your curtain.

Note:  These tiebacks were used on drop cloth fabric and have stayed perfectly in place.  I’m not sure how it would work on a slipperier fabric.

Nautical Inspired Drapery Tie-backsI made five tiebacks for my porch and spent under $10 dollars for all of them, as opposed to nearly $225 I would’ve spent by purchasing them ready-made online.

Wow!  Just WOW!  Feeling blessed by God who inspires me in my thriftiness!

Blessings friends,

My SignatureScreened Porch Curtains 020a

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:

 TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday: