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.
Would you like to save this stuff?
We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
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.
Leslie
This is truly innovative. I never would of thought of this. I especially like the table decor. Quite imaginative. I also love the one on the chair. Heading to Ikea today to get a few!!
Karen
Leslie - Pick me up a couple extra. Thx. ~ karen!
Marilyn
I use a 5 inch round of sheepskin (sheared to an even level) as a ever so soft powder puff. Washable and fluffs right back up after combing.
Karen
That's a good idea! Actually taking the time to use a powder puff I mean. I really need to indulge in things like that. Sometimes just having the time to bathe seems like an indulgence. ~ karen!
Janey
Sooo wish I would have bought one of those wire chairs when I had the chance. There aren't too many items that I pass by that I truly regret later. This is one of them. You are a lucky wire-chair-haver.
dana
My batty mother-in-law (may she rest in peace) called it a wand but thought in order to change channels you used it like a calculator. If she was on channel 2 and wanted to watch channel 11, she would press "+9", cause you know there are + and - buttons on the thing.
When my daughter was about 15mos old, she called it a 'mote. My husband said she became very useful when he could loll on the couch and ask Anna to fetch the 'mote for him.
The Belvedere-Alyssa
Karen,
How do your cats like them? My cats attack anything fur, like chew it, lick it, bathe it- kind of a problem when you want to keep them nice! Did you cats end up ignoring the sheepskin?
thanks!
Karen
Alyssa - When the skins are on the floor, no matter where they fall asleep on them. They don't chew or bathe or bother them otherwise. ~ k!
Sharm's Outlet
Hi Karen, Where did you get the wire chair... I love it...
Karen
HI - It's a copy of a "Bertoia" chair. If you google it, you should find all kinds of places that carry the copies. ~ karen!
Anna-Karin Hallström
Coming from the country of Ikea I can say sheepskins are da bomb during long, cold Swedish winters and we often use the Ikea sheepskins in the children's toboggans to warm their bums.
I'm fortunate enough to have PILs with sheep - dark grey curly-curly sheep - so we have a truckload of those sheepskins all over the house. We have them on chairs and stools and the floors and what not... but I've never had them as a table-runner!! *doh* How clever is that? As my resident asshead don't like things to move 1 millimetre either (as things apparently becomes invisible then) a sheepskin on the dinner table would totally mess him up. *evil grin*
Heheheh...gotta go try that now.
/anna-karin
Tricia Rose
I am lust-lust-lusting after Mongolian lamb fleece, but not only is it expensive but there seem to be some odd cheats out there ("genuine Mongolian fleece on a knitted base!") as well as sites which also offer whole yaks...
Karen
I'd go with the yak. At least you'll get some milk and entertainment out of it first. ~ karen
Tricia Rose
If it's a yakity-yak.
Karen
HAHAHAH! ~ k
Lynne Knowlton
I tried to vote for you again and again, and clearly the vote police are waaaay ahead of me. Do you know any hackers so I can sneak my way back in again?
P>S> looks like you are #1 in the list today. What do you win? A trip to Barbados or something funky? If so, I travel light.
Lynne
Karen
Lynne - NO! No cheating. :) And here's the funny part ... this is only the preliminaries to get the top 10. NEXT week is the actual voting AND ... win nothing. I win $50 if I win. BUT ... the real reason I'm doing this is to get more people introduced to my blog. It's great exposure to the kind of people who would probably enjoy The Art of Doing Stuff. :) ~ karen
Bobbie
#558
thanks for the laughs.... and DIY stuff ;-)
Karen
Thank you Bobbie! ~ karen
Karin
I've voted for you, Karen, what else!!!
Greetings from the german kitchen drawer queen!
Nancy
I would so much love at least one of these sheepskin..I am afraid though that it would be taken over by "The Wild Bunch"..which is a term of endearment for my kitties..Sure looks like that's what Cleo has in mind there..I really like the way it looks on your awesome table Karen..Also all men are "Assheads" when it comes to the remote..or converter..or whatever you call it..
kris
love all the pictures of your sheepskin uses, your house is beautiful. One that I am curious about is the picture from your house in Style at Home magazine, where your chair is covered in sheepskin. Is that one big one, or a couple sewn together, it looks so luxurious! By the way, I voted, please remind us next week to vote again!
Karen
Hi Kris. It's mongolian lamb. You can see all about the furry chair here ...
Barbie
We don't have a Ikea here in Spokane :( I really miss that place.
I also am keeping track of the voting.....so we can vote "again" next week?
Sorry....at the risk of sounding "mean" I don't see the big hoopla about Bower Power......a bit boring if you ask me....can't imagine how it is second to you....
Karen
Hi Barbie. Yes. Once this week is over, the top 10 nominees will officially be announced. Votes will be reset to 0 and the voting will take place on the top 10 blogs again next week, with the voting ending Thursday night and the winner announced Friday I believe. ~ karen
Magpiebird
My favourite use for mine is on an ottoman. I also love them draped on a chair, as you have done. I use one as a bathmat in the bathroom!
So obviously, I wash that one regularly. Castile soap on gentle in the washer hang to dry. Not out in the sun with the back up--that WILL make it crispy! OK otherwise though. I know a lady that used one as a diaper changing pad for years--she's the one who convinced me they were ok to wash.
Roxanne Lucchesi
In my home we call it "The Knob" -- which cames from my daughter's father's family. If you follow ...
kelliblue
Cleo had the right idea: kitty comforter. I have a friend who bought a gorgeous large sheepskin to drape luxuriously throughout her home...NOPE. Kitty confiscated it, 'owned' it, and turned it into her own bed/boudoir/bordello...anything but what it was intended for originally. Of course she loooves to 'make biscuits' on it too. :)
Maybe I'll get a couple to wrap around my 'man pillow' to make him extra snuggly.... :)
Kat
Our first was was super-tiny with no room for a changing table for our newborn. I used an Ikea sheepskin covered with a little flannel blankie or two as a changing table. I'd also put my daughter straight on the fleece--totally nudie-patootie--to air her bum out. She loved the fleece, and she never had a diaper rash. It would also calm her down at times when nothing else would.
Christine
I love the Bowers, but I love the Art of Doing Stuff more. Voted and will continue to vote for you Karen.
Anyone know where to get a good faux sheepskin? Or 3. Or 5?
In our house the device to change channels is known as the following: changer, clicker, clickie, remote, commander tom and of course the doohickey.
Gayla T
I'd given up that anyone besides me had freaked over the wide board flooring and then Deanna spoke up! That floor is awesome. Is the whole upstairs like that? Are they original to the house? That would even make them better. Did you refinish them? Wow! Now on to the rest. I'm so glad this is the prelim part as I was going to have to log in under all my screen names and maybe create a few more. Yahoo lets you have several but I mostly use my dog's name. I'll do that if the heat is on next round. You put up with a lot from us and deserve to win. Speaking of putting up with a lot.......channel changer and you better not have kids with a guy who can't stand for things to move. Raising mine I sometimes wondered what they had done with the sofa. But really it's never knowing where a comb or the nail clippers have disappeared to that kills you. Back in the 1970's when sheep skins were last "in" I had one but the hair was longer. I sent it to be cleaned like you do with a good leather coat and it came back stiff as a board and with a cleaning bill that would have bought several leather coats. I had a hissy fit and they bought me a new one. When it got too groudy I sold it at a garage sale and ended my adventures with skins. I'm all about velvet throws right now so maybe I won't have to buy one this go round. But I do love the look. I kept mine over the loft rail which was groovy then. LOL Now, to ass head. My mother's line carries a gene that comes out only in the men in the family as a chin dimple. For generations it has been a highly prized item on a baby boy. Just recently I heard that same chin called an ass chin! As horrified as I was I asked them if they didn't think Robert Mitchum was the hottest man in history and this person didn't know who he was. Obviously that would be the reason they could use such a term. There are some very strange people in your generation but thankfully they are balanced out with people like you and my gorgeous grandchildren. Did I miss any of the conversation? I hope not!
Karen
Gayla - The pine floors are original to the house, they are in the entire upstairs, and yes I had them refinished. When I moved in, they were the subfloor under the carpeting. They had never been finished in 160 years. They run about 18" wide. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go hide the couch on the fella. ~ karen