When the sun comes back...

I realise that this may seem an odd project to tackle now if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, but Kiwis and Aussies may understand.  In the last couple of weeks spring has sprung here, and then hurdled headlong into summer with minimal delay.  The sun has been shining, and it has been seriously warm.

Now I may not like the fact that I’m currently unemployed, but it is what it is, and I might as well take advantage of the early summer.  My garden is pretty public, but I do have a small balcony upstairs which would be ideal for a brief afternoon siesta. 

In a previous life I considered it my smoking corner, so when I gave up at the end of last year I avoided using it because of the smell and the association.  Today I decided to reclaim my balcony and create a private sun deck for myself.  The challenge, of course was to do this with minimal expense.

Obviously the first job was a cleanup, so I scrubbed and rinsed the deck and eliminated all signs of cigarettes, as well as the mould that had built up over the winter.  Even clean, the chairs had problems.

I’m not sure why I thought trying to crochet a deck chair cover was a good idea, but as well as looking odd, it stretches…

…which makes it pretty uncomfortable.

So I dispensed with the string and used webbing, tightened with a ratchet, to support the new cushions

The cushion covers were made from a jumble of short lengths of fabric from my stash.  Rather than invest in cushion inners I found an old single duvet. My son took it camping a couple of years ago and got mud and beer all over it.  Even after a wash it still looked grubby, and I don’t have a single bed in the house anymore any way, so I cut it half and folded it up to make two rectangle cushion inners.  

They sit quite nicely on the chair frames, but if I put them end to end they also make a perfect cushion for a siesta. 

It is now quite obvious that the frames themselves need some attention, but by the time I’d finished the cushions the heavens open and we had our first rain in over a week!  The frames can wait for another day, as the webbing and cushions are removable.

Next time the sun shines I will have comfortable chairs to enjoy it.

All I need is for the sun to come back…