It took all the restraint I had to NOT buy more than 3 Ikea sheepskins when I was redoing my house a few years ago. I didn't even know what I was going to use them for, I just knew I had to have them.
I thought about a Meandering Goat costume but couldn't find any really believable horns. Plus there's the whole fear of being milked thing.
Turns out even without the goat costume ... I have a lot of uses for my Ikea sheepskins.
Which can be annoying. I move them from here to there. Change things up, ya know? Which the fella complains about. The fella likes structure. And sameness. And the convertor always to be in the exact same place without moving a millimetre because apparently if it's moved a millimetre he can't see it anymore because he is ... at times ... an asshead. Wait no. That's not right. He's a blind asshead. Who complains about things being moved.
I endure the complaining though because ... I LOVE MY IKEA SHEEPSKINS EVERYWHERE.
And truth be told, even though I normally like you to follow my instructions *exactly* (see Sweet Potato Fry recipe and all the comments in it), in this case ... you don't have to use an actual "Ikea" Sheepskin. You can use a sheepskin you got from any number of places. I just titled this post "5 Ways to Use an Ikea Sheepskin" because I got mine at Ikea. Plus, I was kind of hoping that the God of Ikea would see my post and offer me all kinds of free furniture. A new kitchen maybe. Or even just a retweet. Whatever.
So grab your sheepskin and let's going get through the options!
Table of Contents
Yup! A table runner. 2 of them together for a large table, just 1 for a smaller.
Throw it over the back of any hard chair to soften it up.
Pile 1, 2, or 3 as a rug.
Drape over wood benches for bum comfort and good looks.
Throw over the arm of a couch for texture, warmth and interest in a room.
And yes Cleo ... we all see you.
Where they go depends on my mood and the season. In the winter I usually have 2 on the bench in my dining room and one over the arm of the couch. Springtime sees me moving the bench ones upstairs to beside the bed as a rug, with one leftover for the wire chair in my dining room. And sometimes, I just go nuts and start throwing them willy nilly wherever I want.
Put them in a kid's sled, or by the fireplace for the cats to curl up on, or on the foot of the bed. Oh! And outside! If you're having a party or people coming over, they look great on wicker furniture or a rocking chair on the front porch in the middle of winter. Wherever you want. They're good like that, Ikea sheepskins.
They - unlike blind assheads - hardly ever complain.
Heh. I'm just kidding. I don't really think the fella's a blind asshead. I'm just trying to get his goat.
Another use for sheepskin and one I would never have thought of had it not been for my very savvy neighbour. I broke my ankle on Dec. 28th in three places, got hardware in it to keep it in place (so to speak), and wore a boot for ages after the stitches came out, etc. 6 months later, an infection in my ankle and all the hardware was taken out and back into the boot I went (and am still). The boot was irritating my elderly sensitive skin, so my neighbour suggested we go to Soul Comfort, a store near us that does all kinds of wonderful things with sheepskin, and I now have sheepskin cushioning in my boot. Not only it it more comfortable, but the healing qualities of wool are bound to be doing some good. Peeking out of the top of the boot, it's kinda a fashion statement, too.lol
Five more great uses for IKEA sheepskins:
They look amazing under Christmas trees in place of traditional tree skirts.
Use a sheepskin in a Moses basket or other baby carrier for added softness under blankets.
Throw a sheepskin on your car seat in the winter to avoid the cold seat shock.
They are great on a stone or brick hearth to make sitting a bit more comfortable.
Use a sheepskin in your winter decor by wrapping it around a pillow. Just wrap/roll the sheepskin around a pillow and tie it with a long leather thong or beautiful ribbon.
I like that you said that there are a lot of uses. If I was going to get sheep skins I would want to make sure I kept them maintained. Keeping them in good condition might let you use them in a more different way for longer.
Ate? Eaten? *sigh*
Karena!
Amazon sells IKEA "RENS" sheepskin! I believe they sell the faux one as well.
No need for the store!
Yay!
But how would I get my hot dog? ~ karen!
FedEx overnight?
Holograms?
Teleportation exclusively for meats?
If a hot dog is eaten, and no one is around to see it, is it still eaten?
6am hurts my head....
Awesome! I love sheepskin! It's super warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I put a sheepsking bean bag in the living room for the kids to sit on and it's really the best seat in the house. I bought some from here http://fibrebyauskin.com/products/sheepskin-bean-bag
Before I figured out that sandy stuff coming off my cat was flea eggs, I used to have mine on the top of my couch. I'm afraid the eggs will reanimate if I take it out of storage!
I love how you decorated with the sheepskin! You inspired me and I just ordered some to use as my Christmas tree skirt and will later utilize them in other places in my home thank you!
Greetings,
I purchased a long hair sheepskin and was cut in strips which were sewn to my Santa suit coat. There is a slight yellow color to the fur now which I was told is a lanolin secretion. With the skin strips sewn in place and not removable on my velvet Santa coat, how do I proceed to clean the yellow out and make it white again?
Thanks,
Santa
Hi Santa. I've always had good luck with Oxiclean when it comes to cleaning any natural product (linen etc.) that has yellowed. If it were me, I would soak that small portion of the skin in a strong solution of Oxiclean (1 very large scoop in a basin of hot water). You have to be careful that the water doesn't seep up to the velvet though because the water and Oxiclean will discolour/mark the velvet. On the other hand, if the velvet is washable and can go in the washing machine, so can the sheepskin. I've washed all of my Ikea sheepskins in the washing machine and they came out great. ~ karen!
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Thank you and good luck.
Does anyone know how to whiten a yellowed sheepskin?? I bought this exact fleece at Ikea, and used it for several months draped over a chair. Loved that thing. But it started to get yellower, and now it's to the point where it's VERY yellow, almost an orange-yellow. I can't even use it anymore! I want it to be white again! I can't figure out why it yellowed either, I was very careful with, it didn't get used heavily or anything, it was only a decoration. PLEASE if anyone knows how to wash one to make it white again without damaging it, please tell me!! Thanks!
Thanks!! They look really good I figured they were, but the Ike's website photos don't do them as much justice... I think the IKEA gods do owe you props for making them look good ;)
Heh. Thanks. ~ k
Curious if you use the real sheepskin or the faux ones from IKEA?
Mike - I use the real ones. ~ karen
I love my Ikea sheepskin too. I have one real and 3 faux. I want them everywhere!
Hi Karen! The Bowers are awesome and the Homies are too because I found you through your nomination. I love your writing and look forward to digging in to "TADS" as you are labeled in my faves. :)
Sheepskin is the best to lay sleeping babies on! It is cozy, unlike cold sheets, and less likely to startle them awake.
Karen --
Found you through the homies and love the humor! Oh and the sheepskins. Everytime I make the 5 hour trek to our nearest Ikea, I bring home some sheepy friends to roam about the house. Cheers - CT
Thanks CT - I'm glad you found me! I won't win a Homie, but at least I gained a few. ~karen :)