Mattress Tips

Chenille has been used for bedspreads since Catherine Evans revived the craft in the 1890s. She applied raised tufts of yarn to cotton sheeting and these spreads were often referred to as chenille products. Chenille is the French word for caterpillar – the yarn looks like those fuzzy little creatures. Thick pile of yarn ends stuck out all around at right angles. Stamps were created into a pattern and the yarn was stuck on to fill in the pattern. Bedspreads from this craft were all the rage in the 20s. The demand was so high that new warehousing systems were developed to put out these products. This truly developed from a cottage industry in that haulers would deliver stamped sheets to the women of north Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. They would then pick up the spread, pay the women and take the spreads back to the warehouse. A final finishing of washing in hot water locked in the yarns. They were also dyed in all kinds of colors.

By the 30s, chenille bedspreads would be seen in most homes all along the east coast and beyond. Since they were so popular, manufacturers started mass producing the spreads in factories. Sewing machines were invented to do the process that was once done only by hand. The remarkable success of the chenille products lead to robes, toilet seat covers, rugs and more. Of course, bigger is better so a special machine was designed to create a piece of fabric that was at least nine by twelve for a whole room. By the 50s chenille was in every home all over the country. My mom had several spreads in different colors and yours probably did too. I still search out vintage bedspreads at flea markets, and if you find them in good shape they fetch a good price as well. My mother in law had a pink chenille spread she started using for a drop cloth. YIKES. I snatched it up quickly, but now it is cut into pieces ready to become the next bear or sheep. For more information on how to find these chenille pieces, look at http://www.bedding-4u.com/Bedspreads.htm.

Many crafters take pieces of this caterpillar material and create toys and stuffed animals. It has become quite chic to have chenille in your childs room. New material is everywhere, or you can still find some vintage pieces. Furniture is also popular in a girls room that has been covered with pastel chenille. You can combine new chenille with vintage and thats perfectly acceptable. The soft texture adds to the warmth and charm you look for in a nursery or little girls room. If you know how to knit, the colors of chenille yarn on the market is huge. You can find kitschy robes with every imaginable motif. Some cute young styles are cell phones, lipstick and nail polish, coffee mugs, shoes, and every conceivable animal. Im glad chenille has made such a comeback in the market. Its fuzzy texture takes us back to a simpler time. The caterpillar was beloved in my home and still is today. Try it in your decorating plans and see how this nostalgic fabric complements everything else you have in the house. Thank you Catherine Evans for working so hard with your friends to make this a long lasting fabric we cherish today.

About the author:

Beverly Marshall is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying bedding, duvet covers, bedspreads, mattresses, and more. Her many articles can be found at http://www.bedding-4u.comShe gives information and tips to help you save money, make informed buying decisions and common sense ideas for changing your life

Written By: Beverly Marshall

Is lack of space a problem in your kid’s room? Join the club! Many parents deal with this issue and can’t seem to figure out exactly what to do about it.
Let me share what we decided to do in our son’s room that is working out great!
Our son has a loft bed with an extra bed underneath (basically a versatile bunkbed), but he has the luxury of not sharing a room with anyone. So, the bottom bed was never used (except as a landing pad for items he doesn’t feel like putting away!).
We decided to take the bottom bed out and use the space underneath for a tent that all three of our children love to play in. Not only does it look REALLY cool, but it saved us SO much space. (The extra bed was placed in the nursery of our youngest son for the day he is ready for it.)
We had contemplated taking the tent down before this because of the lack of space, but our kids didn’t like that idea one bit. So by putting the tent where the bottom bed had been, it gave them a cool hideaway space and much more room for playing.
Some other ideas for the space under a loft bed are:
*a study area, which can include a desk, a chair and a bookshelf;
*a play area;
*an area to store the dresser; or
*attach a sheet/curtain around the bed to create a little hideaway for quiet time
*attach a sheet/curtain just on the lower half of the loft space to be used for puppet shows, etc.
Loft beds are a really good idea for younger kids who have small rooms or are sharing with a sibling. If siblings are sharing a room, that extra little space can be the “Do Not Disturb” area of the room to give them a break from each other.
Use your imagination and turn that unused space into something fun and exciting for your kids!

About the Author

Julie Bonner is the co-owner of www.cool-kid-bedrooms.com and has had extensive experience in organizing and decorating kids’ bedrooms as well as all other areas of the home. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three children.

Written By: Julie Bonner