Monday, July 7, 2008

Love the One You'r e With

There's my Scion parked next to her boyfriend, Cliff's Tercel. I have blogged before about my devotion to The Little Scion that Could and during this gas crisis, our passion has only grown. I can still fill all the way up for just under $50!

My Little Scion is dating a much older man. The Tercel is 10 years her senior. Another Hollywood stereotype, I know. Sure the Tercel has been around the block a few times. (Actually, he's been all around the USA.) Still he maintains his boyish charm.

Check out the millage baby...















Only 72,491 miles in 15 years! With a complete tune up and some extra work from our friend in the OC, he's running like a young pup.

But, there is this embarrassing sun damage.

No amount of Botox was going to fix these nasty tears. A full on face lift was needed.

After the pink kitchen, Cliff thinks I can make just about anything and he asked me to make him some sort of seat covers. While a big departure from the knotted handbags I normally sew, I decided to take up the challenge. Rather I added it to my "someday" list of things to make or sew and got busy wallpapering the fridge.

Then one day I was at Big Lots and saw a disposable seat cover similar to this one. From the description on the package it seemed to contain a slightly fitted and elasticized seat cover. It was six bucks, but I figured I could use it as a pattern.

Worst six bucks I ever spent. What I actually got was a large paper rectangle with a hood on one end.

My annoyance motivated me! I was determined now to get going on this and went downtown to get some $2 pound fabric at The Loft. I found about ten pounds of great fabric for knotted handbags and some gray stretch corduroy to make the seat covers. I also bought two large towels. The Tercel is a hot blooded man and has no AC. In LA, one might need some extra absorbency in such a car.

First I sewed the towel to a long rectangle of corduroy. This made a rectangle with a pocket on the end, much like the bogus paper seat cover. Then I turned it inside out and went down to the garage. Armed with a bunch of pins, I pinned the cover to take the shape of the seat. I had seen this done quite a few times on Trading Spaces and I am here to say it really does work... sort of.
Sunshine on the Seat Covers

I am not nearly as accurate or skilled as Hildi.
But then again, I would never put straw on any one's walls. So, props to me.

Elastic Pouch on Seat Cover
I added a map pocket to the back of one seat and voila! We have seat covers!
Car Seat Covers

7 comments:

Sarah and Jack said...

Excellent work!

The Hildi bit made me laugh. That woman is crazy with a capital C.

jodi said...

Very nice. You can do anything!!

Mama Said Sew said...

Definitely, props to you! I think they look great. :)

HollyLynne said...

neat trick!!! i envy your loft visit, i haven't made it out there in forever!

my desk, btw, was from the acs shop in sherman oaks . . . VERY close to the ross!! On Van Nuys Blvd just north of ventura behind the big In-N-Out . . . just follow the smell of grilled onions! :) (also, in the same mini mall, there's an AWESOME bead shop!)

HollyLynne said...

i said ross . . . i meant JOANN. Very close to our Joann on Riverside :)

Genny said...

That is so great! Good for you. Wish I could sew.

Anonymous said...

Wow. I'm so impressed!