Our guest room in our three-bedroom home was occupied by our eldest after the birth of our second child decades ago. Not wishing to make out-of-town guests sleep on the floor, we got rid of the living room sectional I purchased while still in college and replaced it with a sturdy futon couch and chair set. We're not talking the rickety futons of game rooms and frat houses; these pieces are made of sturdy tropical hardwood with coil-spring mattresses, which we replaced a few years ago with a generous tax refund. Three people could sleep fairly comfortably when all the pieces were unfolded.
The arms of the couch were a problem, though. There are slats on the sides where the remote would fall through, and we were used to having softer places to rest our arms. Being a thrifty, crafty housewife back in the day without access to the internet or Amazon, but with access to a sewing machine that wasn't yet covered with dust, I headed to Wallyworld, bought some dishtowels and pillow stuffing, and created simple bolster pillows to soften the ends of the couch and keep the remote from straying.
Those pillows have been through baby rocking, lots of naps, illnesses, and visitors. They have been washed multiple times a year, resulting in clumps and bumps in their stuffing. The gingham on two of the pillows is beginning to fade a bit. It was time to level up to real bolsters. Kohls happened to have 12in x 20in inserts, and pillow shams that match our futon covers.
My plans are to rip apart the seams, toss the old stuffing, and used the towels for their intended purpose or add them to my husband's rag pile. But first, I'm going to take a moment to thank my old self for her ingenuity, and for the support these pillows have lent to our tired bodies over the years.
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| Our old, lumpy dishtowel pillows |
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| Firm, new bolster pillows! |
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