(no subject)

[ewt]

I wonder whether I could make something like this, or have something made. The polystyrene beads go pretty cheaply on eBay. It would be cheaper than buying viscoelastic memory foam on eBay or from IKEA. Not entirely sure how comfortable it would be. I know when I did have a beanbag chair I sometimes slept on it and found it quite comfortable, but I was younger then.

I still want a sewing machine. Maybe I can borrow shevek's one for a few weeks at some point. I'm sure if I plan I could get a lot of sewing done in a fairly short time.

I wish to sew/have sewn:
-fleece curtains for windows in this house (which is not double-glazed)
-some sort of beanbag bed holder thing
-a long comfy t-shirt material nightdress
-one or two long sleeveless black (or maybe deep dark purple) silk gowns that would work as nightdresses or as floaty summer dresses
-a good tailored jacket or two - one wool, one velvet? (this is probably too hard for me)
-an ankle-length plain black kilt (not one with a tartan) (also probably too hard)
-a scrap skirt or two
-a fleece duvet cover (all the warm!)
-monster pyjamas, with feet in them

That's just what I can think of at the moment, off the top of my head.

Comments

[leunnammi.livejournal.com]

I still have the old straight stitch only machine, I haven't passed it on due to needing to get it a spare part first. I can pass it back to you if you like.

[juliet]

My experience of beanbags is that they are Not Good for the back in terms of sleeping on (tend to sag too much, basically). I guess if you made it very very stuffed with beads it might work better, but I suspect they would scrunch up & thus become less stuffed, pretty fast.

How much sewing experience do you have, btw? I find that sewing is a thing which always takes about 3 x longer than anticipated, but that may just be my inexperience. Mind you, fleece curtains should be minimal sewing as surely they don't need hemmed, really?

[karen2205]

Probably not what you want to hear, but I agree with Juliet re bean bags as beds. Back pain is something you should see your GP about and get medical advice on before spending $lots on memory foam or anything else (though saying that, I believe earwigmc has recently bought a memory foam mattress and might know more about it). I've a feeling that the last thing I heard on recommended beds for back pain was that all you really need is a firm, supportive mattress and not anything more expensive that bed manufacturers might try to sell you. A chiropractor or osteopath may be worth investigating (I don't actually know the difference between the two). Go by personal recommendation if you can - does the person who teaches you Alexander Technique know anyone who does either of these? Or maybe investigate the British School of Osteopathy (http://www.bso.ac.uk/mm3appt.htm)?

Fleece can be difficult to sew 'cos it's stretchy. Helen's in the middle (and has been for a while, this is now something of a forgotten project) of making herself a quilt out of fleece squares and was finding it hard because it's stretchy and twists about a lot.

La Senza do long cotton night dresses (twas something like 2 for £15 the last time I looked, with a 10% student discount) - their medium/large fits me comfortably and they're about mid-thigh length.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

I suffered back pain for nearly a year after straining it picking up a heavy computer. This continued until, coincidentally, I ended up sleeping on an air beed for a couple of months -- just a cheap thing costing about 15 pounds new from Argos. I found that it worked extremely well, so long as it wasn't overinflated, and supported me perfectly.

[oban23.livejournal.com]

It's not a kilt if it's ankle-length, is it? Especially not if it's plain coloured.

[arkady.livejournal.com]

Yes it is. Kilt applies to the cut and style, not colour or length. If it is a pleated wrap-around skirt that fastens at one side, it is a kilt.

[arkady.livejournal.com]

I've located the box my sewing machine got tidied away into. I haven't actually used it since the flat-tidying, but if it all works OK you're more than welcome to borrow it.

[dreamerdark.livejournal.com]

me too! wow I wish I knew how to sew

[riomhoideas.livejournal.com]

You don't even need to sew fleece curtains - here are directions for non-sewing machine ones

www.diynet.com/diy/li_curtains_valances/article/0,2041,DIY_14043_2276057,00.html

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

I have a sewing machine now (yay for birthday presents), so I'll probably sew instead; the buttons are a good idea, but fiddly compared to doing a simple zig-zag.

Thanks for the link, though.