Dropcloth Sofa Blanket

Charlotte@Living Well on the Cheap  —  April 29, 2013 — 11 Comments

I’ve been searching for the perfect blanket to fold over the back of my office/playroom sofa for months. The top cushions are a favorite spot for all three of our pets because, hello, it’s a cushy spot right in front of the window (it’s also the ideal vantage point from which to await our arrival home). I finally found a solution I’m really happy with, and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner!

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My friend and blog sponsor Brandi asked if I wanted an old dropcloth she had no use for and I gladly accepted it, thinking I was sure to find something to do with it (I’ve used dropcloths for all sorts of projects, like a floorcloth, a slipcover, a pouf, upholstery fabric, window shades, and Christmas stockings). When I got it from her I realized that it was huge! I started to fold it up on the office rug so I could store it neatly when I realized it could be folded to pretty much the exact dimensions I needed for a blanket. I laid it over the sofa and WOOPWOOP it looked great! I really like the more subtle tone-on-tone look. It’s like a little visual vacation as your eye travels up from the high-contrast rug.

The couch is covered in a washable slipcover, but the cushions are such a pain to wrestle in and out of their covers that I really only wash it every few months. The dropcloth can easily be pulled off every few weeks for a quick wash to keep things looking nice. Plus when I have something special coming up (like the baby shower that I’m hosting in two weeks) I can wash the slipcover ahead of time and then spread the dropcloth across the whole sofa to keep pet hair from accumulating before the big day. Dropcloths are really soft once they’ve been washed a few times and you can pick them up for cheap cheap cheap at hardware stores or online. The fabric actually looks and feels a lot like linen! And someday if I get tired of this arrangement the dropcloth will be free fabric for me to use in other projects. Winning!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! We were busy busy busy-between a crawfish boil with friends and a day trip to visit family I really didn’t get much done at all around the house! I may or may not have absolutely nothing to blog about this week. We’ll see how productive I am today!

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Charlotte@Living Well on the Cheap

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11 responses to Dropcloth Sofa Blanket

  1. YAY!!!! I’m so happy you could use this! I think the texture and color are perfect!

  2. This looks great, Charlotte, kinda of shabby chic - my favorite style. I have been wanting to redo two large living room chairs that I am now using in the sitting room adjoining my bedroom. I love the look of old white chenille bedspreads and have thought of having slipcovers made from them, but I may now look at drop cloths to see it is possible to use that fabric. At least, that would keep the expense down a little bit. Wish I was as talented and innovative as you are, I would attempt it myself.

    • Charlotte@Living Well on the Cheap April 29, 2013 at 4:00 pm

      Thanks so much! I cannot sew slipcovers either, they’re way too complicated for me! I’ve heard of people using canvas drop cloths for them before though!

  3. You could paint it, too. I’ve seen some great tutorial for painted dropcloth curtains on Pinterest. An adorable chevron print in yellow or lime would look so great with that rug and your pillows.

    • Charlotte@Living Well on the Cheap April 29, 2013 at 4:01 pm

      Oh yeah I have seen some cool painted dropcloths! I actually painted one with a zebra pattern once and used it as a rug for a while.

  4. Dude, I need to find myself a Brandi. She finds such great stuff! Can I ask where you got that beautiful graphic pillow? I’ve been looking for something just like it!

    • Charlotte@Living Well on the Cheap April 29, 2013 at 4:02 pm

      Hahaha she is pretty great! My mother in law got me both of those pillows for my birthday! They’re from Grandin Road.

  5. Where did you get the pillow? I need to have it!

  6. PS- Before the dropcloth found its way to your house, a WAY LONG TIME ago, it was used to cover my loveseat to protect it from dog fur. Thus, its hugeness.

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