OUR HOME-MADE DAY BED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17346, 10 May 1924, Page 18

OUR HOME-MADE DAY BED.

We have a one-bedroom flat, my friend and I. and very proud we are of our little home. But it has one disadvantage. in that we cannot sleep a guest if she turns up unexpectedly from the country, or even arrange to accommodate one by invitation. I have written “cannot.” but after this week it will be “could not.” for we have improvised a dav-bed that, is an ornament to our sitting-room, and at very short notice can be turned into a proper bed to accommodate a visitor. We had put away in the communal box-room an ordinary single size wooden bedstead complete with wire mattress. We also possessed the over lay and bedding belonging to it. Ltlooked rather dilapidated when we got it down, but a few hours’ work with a paraffin rag for the wires and some furniture polish on the frame worked a groat improvement. The top and bottom rails of the bedstead we sawed awav altogether, leaving just the square ! wooden legs and frame. The wire mattress needed a cover. 1 and this we made of some calico, cutting it so it exactly fits the spring. Then to the two long and one of the short sides of this cover we fixed a val 1 mice of pretty chintz, gathering it on so that it falls in attractive folds. In this, way the valance is secure so that it- cannot come off the bed. and neither do we have the bother of pinning it or otherwise fixing. COVERING THE OVERLAY. Next came the business of camouflaging the overlay. We folded the. blankets smoothly, and placed them on top of the wool mattress, and then measured them together and cut out a cover of chintz to go over both mattress and blankets. This forms a fine padded seat for the day-bed. and also serves to ' keep the blankets that belong to that bed clean and well aired so that they are ready for use at a moment’s notice. Of course, wo used chintz only for the top and the depth; the under part we made of linen, a* it. cost less than the figured material. THE EIDERDOWN CUSHION. The eiderdown we have transformed into a glorious soit bolster cushion to

repose at the head of the bed by the \ =i/fipi<> expedient of rolling it up the I tfiorfc way and enclosing it in a round ' base made of black furnishing satin. The. case was quite easily cut out by measuring the rolled ends of the eiderdown and cutting two circular pieces of material to fit. Then we cut another straight piece of material as broad as the rolled eiderdown and as long as the roll was in circumference. In joining up to make the case, instead of sewing up the final seam going from end to end of the bolster cushion, we made it overlap and fitted it. with press-stud fastenings, so that "the eiderdown can be easily removed when needed for its legitimate purpose. The pillows and bolster belonging to the bed were also encased in pretty covers and used as cushions. conversion has resulted in a charming piece of furniture. For use in the day it is extremely comfortable, ami a test we made proved that mattress. pillows, bolster and eiderdown can be denuded of their coverings and ready to be made up as an ordinary bed in five minutes. M.D. UPSIDE DOWN. If the butterfly courted the bee, And the owl the porcupine ; If churches were built in the sea, And three times one were nine; If the pony rode his master, If the butereups ate the cows, If the cat had the. dire disaster To be worried, sir. by the mouse; If mamma, sir, sold the baby To a gypsy for half a. crown If a geintieman. sir, was a lady, The world would be Upside Down! ]f any of all these wonders Should ever come about. I should not consider them blunders, For I should be Inside Out!