The Petaluma Sofa and Free Digital Downloads

Living in Petaluma, California is so wonderful, especially if you’re into vintage and thrifting. Selena, Apron Thrift Girl, shares how much fun it is to shop second-hand here, and in her post she shows the recent Country Living Magazine write-up about this sweet little rivertown. I love the thrift stores here, especially Sacks which benefits our local Hospice organization. I was in there the other day with my friend, Kate, Centsational Girl, who also wrote about the fun of thrifting in Petaluma and other areas of the county. Kate and I went into Sacks after catching up over breakfast at Hallies Diner so that I could show her the couch I purchased the day before and would be picking up to haul home. I normally would have walked right by a couch like this, but the upholstery was so fabulous and the price was only $45. There wasn’t any staining, wear, grime, odor or cat scratchings. But there was an area along the top back that was coming loose and the woodwork was pretty nicked up, and just plain ugly. I convinced myself that if I bought it and it didn’t work in my living or family rooms, (I already have 3 couches, so seriously…) that it would look great in my 12 year old daughter’s room for the Bohemian-style thing we’ve been wanting to do. But once home, it looked way too granny among my other furniture and decor and as far as Plan B, it could not make the necessary turns through the doorway into my daughter’s room. So, on to Plan C. The plan I’d shamelessly had all along, to harvest the beautiful vintage upholstery from the sofa for sewing and crafting as I imagined making gorgeous and functional things like magnificent weekender carpet bags, throw pillows for one of my couches, the back panel to a denim jacket, or a hundred other cool things. I mean, just look at the yardage! I do realize the risk of many of you wishing I had saved the sofa, but I’m sorry, it wasn’t meant to be.And so I began, pulling, cutting, tearing, unstuffing and ripping. That piping- major bonus! I will save it for reuse as well.My handy Xacto knife was very useful so that I didn’t hurt myself too much pulling out all those tacks, after all, I won’t be saving the couch frame, so leaving some fabric attached was ok.What a treasure to discover another fabric beneath the upholstery and stuffing. It’s not the original upholstery, but likely scrap fabric used when reuphostering.I’m so fascinated by the different pieces of fabric used by upholsterers, pieces that are never seen in the finished piece. Here are a few more.The cushions were stripped and the filling piled up to discard.I thought the muslin covered spring sections hiding within the fluff of the seat cushions were pretty cool. I’d hang them on my wall as some funky art pieces, but that would never fly with Mr. Wonderful. I gotta pick my battles. And now with the skeletal remains of the (did I mention terribly uncomfortable) sofa on my back patio, (a gift for my husband -to take to the recycle area of the landfill) I now have several yards of spectacular upholstery fabric to rupurpose. I will lightly launder and air dry the pieces and be sure to share what I make down the road.Oh, and look how lovely it goes with some of my furniture! Here’s a couple scans of the fabric for you in high enough resolution to use as computer monitor wallpaper or background images for your crafty or design projects. UPDATE: The sofa frame has been saved. A local artist was thrilled to receive it and hoping to create something fabulous. I will be sure to post photos when it’s complete.