Trying to brighten up your living area with the minimum of cost is a difficult thing to do if it involves buying a cosy sofa or even buying new seat covers (have you noticed the prices lately?). The only way for a poor girl to cope is to think practical and get into the cottage industry kick with some nice fabric, a needle and thread. The simplest and most comfortable way to make a living-room really liveable in—i.e., to plonk around and relax in, as well as providing a soft space for an overnight guest to kip on to go into cushions in a big way.
All cushions, except for our sag bags, came from Pontings. They do a range of foam and feather ones. We covered them in fabrics from a selection at Pontings, Derry and Toms and Barkers. Prices are for cushions only. We filled our sag bags with polystyrene beads and have arranged that 19 readers can buy this lovely stuff at a special price (see overleaf).
BACKGROUND: Huge roly-poly floor cushion, 8ft x 3ft, £13.50, covered in black velvet (13yds. of 36in. fabric). TOP. Left to right: 36in. square cushion, £3.50, covered in narrow black/white striped satin (2¼yds. of 45in. fabric); 45in. square cushion, £4.50, covered in red/black/white striped Tricel jersey (2yds. of 45in. fabric); 45in. round cushion, £4.50, covered in black/white striped satin (2½yds. of 45in. fabric).
CENTRE. Left to right: 16in. round cushion, 70p., covered in black/white striped rayon and lurex (1yd. of 45in. fabric); 36in. x 11in. bolster, £2, covered in cotton poplin and gingham (13/4yds. and lyd. of 36in. fabric); 36in. x 11in. bolster, £2, covered in red cotton poplin and striped Polyster cotton (1¾yds. and 1 yd. of 36in. fabric).
BOTTOM. Left to right: Our expanded polystyrene bead sag bag (polystyrene £2) covered in red/white spot cotton (5yds. of 36in. fabric); 16in. feather cushion, 70p., covered in red/white spot rayon Honan (1 ½yds. of 36in. fabric); our sag bag, covered in 5yds of black cotton sailcloth.
GIRL: Cotton Vincel halter-neck top, £2.95. White cotton bags, £5.95. Both by Lizzie Carr for Plain Clothes. Socks, from Woolworth, 18p. Peep-toe shoes, from Biba, £6.50. Telephone metallised by Ryman Interiors Ltd. (It costs £7.50 to have your phone treated like this.)
Model is Renate Zatsch
Photographed by Karl Stoecker.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1972.