I have this weird little quirk in which I cannot touch textiles or objects with a certain “quality.” That quality is hard to describe in words other than “sends a cold chill down my spine.” I just cannot handle it without thinking I’m going to have a seizure. I wish I was kidding, but I am not.
At the top of my list of things I cannot touch, you will find velvet. Just typing the word makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Several years ago, I was working in a ladies’ retail shop and thought I would have to quit when the holiday collection began arriving in the store. It was all velvet – all of it! The worst part was that customers would come in, try on the velvet, and leave it wadded up on the floor of the dressing room…which meant I actually had to touch it to put it back on the hanger. Luckily, my co-workers thought it was funny (if not a little insane) and helped me with my velvet phobia by touching the velvet I encountered.
The next texture I have to avoid is sponges. I’m not talking about the kind that are hard when they’re new; I’m talking about the kind that starts off soft.
People use them to wash cars or to clean up grout. I remember my mother cut one in a triangle for me to use as a chin rest for my 4th grade violin lessons. On second thought, I may have just figured out where my phobia originated. Who needs a therapist?
This week, I discovered that I can add window seat cushion foam to my list of items that I can’t touch.
I’ll admit to putting off the making of the window seat cushion for our breakfast room since April. Oh, I’ve had the fabric since before we actually moved into the house. I was just really scared of the whole concept of a box with a zipper. Insane, I know.
I decided to bite the bullet this week when I realized that it wasn’t actually as difficult as I was making it. I measured the window seat, headed to Jo-Ann for some foam (at 50% off!), and sat down to work. Really, I just took the measurements of all sides of the foam and added 1 1/4 inches (for 5/8″ seam allowance on each side) to each measurement. For the zipper on the back of the cushion, I followed this great tutorial and had absolutely no problems.
The problem came when it was time to insert the foam into the cushion cover. The thought of having to handle the foam for that long made my teeth hurt, so I asked DH to do it for me. Knowing of my issues, he agreed, but somehow managed to put the cover on the foam as crooked as possible. Then, he turned to me and said, “Is this good enough?”
Um, no.
So now, I had to touch the foam so that I could get it in there straight. I kind of had a cold chill the entire time, but I was able to pull the cover onto the foam so that it laid exactly how I wanted it to lay.
Sometimes, I don’t think people realize the sacrifices I make in order to make my home beautiful.
Screaming Meme says
Pillows are a must! I love the look of your dining area! It is beautiful! 🙂 Hi, My name is Meme from Screaming Meme…I wanted to personally invite you to a blog I started called Project: {Create A Home}….I started it to bring creative and inspiring women together to help each other reach for our dreams and learn to be the best women we can be….in 2009! I hope to see you there…if you want to contribute as a writer…Let me know! 🙂 And I still have Screaming Meme…It is going to be a DIY 2009 year over there! I look forward to getting to know you! Meme
Angry Julie Monday says
Beautiful Linds…
You crack me up. You are soo like me.
Yes, it screams for some funky pillows in coordinating fabrics.
Beki - TheRustedChain says
I think it looks great! Yes, pillows would be even better.
You’re too funny!
Julia @ Hooked on Houses says
Your story of working at the retail store and having to deal with velvet when the holiday collection arrived cracked me up! My son has similar aversions to certain textures. Velvet is one of them. He also goes a little crazy if we bring Styrofoam anywhere near him. I’ll be sure to let him know he’s not alone! 🙂
The windowseat looks great. I think you can add a pillow on each side, sure! People are putting actual loveseats and armchairs in kitchens now, so why not a couple of pillows? I say go for it.
I am Lee-Ann... says
Great blog! I came on over to check it out from Angry Julie! :o)
I know the feeling you are talking about. I can’t touch cotton balls *shivers*.
the BLAH BLAH BLAHger says
What about a bolster? That way, it’s not too pillowy. : )
PS – I can’t handle touching unfinished wood.
Brenda Nicholson says
My son and husband can’t touch velvet, either. And I had an uncle who got chills if you just said the words ‘peach fuzz”. Hey, I’m afraid of feathers, so I guess we all have our quirks!
Allen and Becky says
Hi! I was just browsing your blog (great ideas by the way!) and cam across this one. I recently re-covered my glider cushions and couldn’t stand touching that foam either! lol I also don’t like to touch velvet, unfinished wood or chalkboards. I don’t think pillows in the kitchen is weird, nester does it!
Jeanine says
I feel the same way about soft sponges and foam!! [shiver] I avoid the former, but use cotton gloves to handle the foam when I absolutely MUST, otherwise, I avoid it! I’m getting the willies just thinking about it! I can empathize…