Is this decadence?

When Mr Robot and I went to India last year we bought some incredible handloomed silk. We got it in Kolkata, though the shop was, as far as I could tell, one run by the Maharashtran regional government to promote their region's crafts. The silk was an absolute bargain compared to what we'd pay here in the UK. And what have I done with it? Well, today I turned some of it into cushion covers.


The cushions were originally the back pads for our previous sofa, bought when we first left university. It was the cheapest sofa Kays catalogue did, though it lasted nearly two decades. When we replaced it we figured the sofa we were buying would be the last we'd ever buy, so splashed out on a really good dark red leather one. We kept the back pads from the rickety old sofa. Its covers were dark red, so it went – but look how much nicer they look covered in silk. One side is dark red, and the other a gorgeous gold. In keeping with the recycling theme, I carefully took the zips out of the old covers and used them in these ones. When I made the cushion covers I realised that the fabric had a tendency to fray, so oversewed all the edges on my machine, which I'd never tried before. That'll be a useful technique when making clothes with delicate fabric too.


I'm not sure if this isn't a bit decadent. However, if it is... just wait till I've got round to turning two ornate (but inexpensive) shawls into bolsters to sit alongside them.

I've got a fair bit of silk left over. The red was woven slightly narrower, so I have less of that, but I think I've got a good two and a bit metres of the gold, and am wondering whether that's enough to make a jacket out of. The red could well become a dress bodice and/or matching bag. What do you think the fabric would be good for? I'm reluctant to do a skirt as I think it will wrinkle very easily and look a bit scruffy.