The husband and I love Ikea. Seriously. We both have tiny cars, so the 4 hour round trip usually involves a van rental and days of emailing back and forth with Kallax vs Liatorp debates and budgeting talk. Seriously- we’re dorks that like a giant store.
We have redone the computer room this year- I can’t stand the term ‘man cave’it just harshes my mellow- like Mr B needs a private room to escape from my gardenia scented foolishness…..oh. I get it now. Huh.
Moving along! He needed 400 shelves for his legos. God forbid the different Starwars timelines might meet on a shelf and create a plastic sci-fi wormhole. So we’ve been looking at Ikea Hacks on Pinterest, Reddit, the dark web, you know- like all adults decorate their homes. He now has a Besta/Kallax/Ekat motif.
Here’s a link to a website that explains all the Ikea collection names: https://lar5.com/ikea/ You can thank me in 2 hours. Here’s some meatball porn:
Where is all this going Chubby Sewing Gadfly, you ask? Do I have a point? Um. Sure.
Usually I roam thru Ikea wishing that my husband shopped faster and hiding in the 675 square foot apartment living room and pretending I’m in an episode of Fortutude. This last time I found a bin of Varkage!! Yes, Varkage! I know right? Isn’t that the best? Who doesn’t like Varkage for $4.99 each? Nordic nirvana indeed!! So I bought 2.
Behold- the Ikea hack for little me!!
McCall’s 7760 has been in the ‘not sure what to do with you’ bin for a few months now. You know I love a floaty chiffon thing- a sartorial hovercraft as it were. I think the gal on the envelope forgot to button it- but she’s trying top look cas about it.
But it’s a lot of flutteriness for a top on my delicate pork shoulders- but as a swingy jacket over whatnot- yes indeed. Enter the Varkage! No changes to the pattern other than some minor woodging to get it all on my 2 pieces. Ikea- I rarely complain about you- but could you make the Varkage a hair wider? Thanks, err- TAKK and stuff.
Most of the woodging sacrificed the sleeve length- I had to change the sleeves to a cuffed 3/4 length as I was really scheming to avoid a back seam and hopefully use the fringes edges to best advantage. By the by- the pups loved the Varkage- I had to rescue it several times from becoming a nest under one of them. Got to remember not to fling this across the back of the chair in the bedroom (Remsta in Djuparp blue-green velvet- Article number 203.447.61) I did a very primitive zigzag at the edges to let it have a little fringey business as it gets worn. Just like me! Worn out and fringey! Check out this little picnic area:
photo credits: little me, Mccalls.
I LOVE this jacket!
Life AND people are always a little more interesting w/some fringe 😊
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So true!!!
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Oooooh, great hack!! Love the jacket, looks FAB on you! Kudos! My hubs & I love IKEA too! It’s a 4 hr drive for us from Wilmington NC to Charlotte. We were SO sad when IKEA backed out of opening in Cary, would have been only 2hrs away, Last time we were in Charlotte I picked up a LEJONGAP curtain panel, 57″ x 98″ 100% linen in a dark pewter grey, for only $5!! That’s 2.75 yds! Still not sure what to make from it… was thinking of doing some kind of surface design stuff on it cause it’s just SO grey, it needs something. Maybe fabric paint and some big stamps? Put fusible onto some colorful fabrics – cut funky shapes and fuse them to the linen? Or just use the deco stitches on my sewing machine and do long crisscrossing rows across the panel before cutting out the pattern? Too many choices make me craycray!! 🙂 BTW, we’re retiring in 3 years and have decided to move to a smaller place and will be furnishing it entirely from IKEA – so ready to ditch all this stuff we’ve had forever!
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Oooh- you could do some of that Alabama Chanin slashy business!
So you get the ‘Atlanta or charlotte? Check the Malmdurf inventory at each first!’
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Charlotte. Had not thought of AC design style – thanks!! So many possibilities! 🙂 Will be making a run in late Nov, early Dec for Christmas = DANGER! DANGER! IKEA makes it all SO delightful you find yourself at checkout with multiple buggies and wondering how the heck are we going fit this in the SUV!!
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I never come back without some sort of silliness for my friends. Last time was the chair door hangers- so cute!
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I furnished my sewing room in all IKEA! Crazy to spend money on those setups advertised in sewing magazines and websites. (I’d show pictures but I’m not sure how to do that in a comment.)
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The husband ended up using a custom butcher block top and Kallax shelving supports.
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There’s an interesting IKEA documentary on BBC (UK) for those who have access to it.
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Oh- tell me they aren’t a cover for heroin trafficking or something! I can handle pony in my meatballs, but just barely…..
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Never been in an Ikea, don’t live near one even 2-4 hours away but that darling jacket is a wonder! Paying $4.99 is a bonus and you just rock that color and style!
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Thank you! It’s still 900 degrees here- maybe I can wear it in a few months!!
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Cute jacket and a great price! Have you started a new fashion trend? IKEA FALL 2018? At least the model is way nicer than the ones we usually see!
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You can’t get paid in meatballs and stay a size 00!
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😁👍 I’m with you on that!
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This really looks fabulous on you – both the style and the color.
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Thank you! I’m trying to embrace blue after years of thinking it made me look sallow.
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IKEA is a pilgrimage we make yearly or so. And we (OK I) also go kind of nuts with the pre-shopping and planning. Love your M7760! Never would’ve thought to use an IKEA blanket.
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You’ll need a bigger buggy next time!
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Me too, I love the jacket. Ikea is too far from me to get much of my plastic, probably just as well.
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Oh between the tiny little purchases, the cafeteria, the linens, the lamp shaped like a hedgehog- it can woo you into poverty!
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Isn’t that throw like $4.99 or something?! So awesome. I’ve lived 9 hours away from an IKEA for 5 years now (who’s counting?).
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Yup- $4.99! It’s in the online catalog….
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I did find ikea fascinating and necessary sometimes but the experience is exhausting even if you know the cut through to avoid the long walk of temptation and crazy plunder. My tip however is only to visit when there is a cup final football match on TV
I actually love this deep blue on you and, it’s different to your normal pallette but it is very flattering. And perfect for this pattern!
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Yes!!! We were there during a cup match too- those livingroom displays were packed with fans wTching and the aisles were smooth sailing!
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You look great in that blanket! Wonderful color, nice pattern, and kudos on fitting it all in! I’m a fellow IKEA fan and have just been contemplating which blanket of theirs I could make a poncho out of 😉 here in Germany, their stores are much closer together, but because I don’t own a car, it still takes me an hour and a half of public transport and no less than four different trains/buses!! My friends have to listen to epic journeys made with two heavy kitchen drawers, curtains plus curtain rail, all the random stuff and even a huge planting pot, all carried around somehow with my bare two hands and the fabulous blue bag…
Also, thanks for your snark,I needed that this morning!
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Oh the blue bags- be thankful I’m not wearing a jacket made fromthose!!
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Who doesn’t love a bit of Varkage?! That fringe in the picnic area is the best!
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Keeps the ants entertained!
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terrific jacket, and I love the storage behind you. never been to IKEA(shhhh). sounds like I would need to go, prepared to want to buy lots of stuff. love your humor.
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It took us weeks! Weeks! To select those cabinets- husband wasn’t sure about the red against the blue walls- but I won!!
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Love the top. It is floaty and flowy atvtge same time. And looks beautiful on you!
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Why thank you kind lady!
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