Great New Looks for an Accessory You Already Own

We put two blankets on one sofa downstairs that the dogs are always allowed on, because the blankets cover the cushions completely. The other sofa has a blanket draped on the back, and they know they're only allowed up when the blanket is down. It's a whole lot easier to throw a blanket in the washer than try to get dog hair off the sofa fabric!

My dog has 3 times more blankets than hubby and I do -- she has one in nearly every room of the house (she likes to throw them over her head before she naps). We keep a blanket on each bed 4 months out of the year (between the sheet and bedspread), then I pack them away for the other 8 months. My dog will stake claim to any blanket I leave around, getting dog hair all over it. :-( I run at least 2 loads of laundry a week just in dog bedding, but that's a small price to pay for having such a great dog around. :-)

I love blankets and can't bring myself to throw them out, so now I have some ideas to use them in creative ways. I use a queen size bedspread to cover an upholstered chair. I tie a knot on two corners of the bedspread, place the knots at the two front corners of the of the chair close to the floor, tuck in the slack around the cushion and back of the chair and tie the other two corners together behind the chair. It stays in place and brings new life to an old chair for the cottage. If visiting pets make themselves comfortable it can be removed and washed after they leave. Also on this website I saw a chair upholstered with a Hudson Bay blanket. Looked great.