5 creative uses of fabric to make you stop and stare … including the world’s most luxurious dog basket

Coronavirus and the lockdowns it has caused seems to have made people more crafty … quite literally.

Being stuck at home means they’ve had the time to try things they’ve always wanted to do but never really got round to it. That includes skills ranging from reupholstering furniture to dress-making and trying their hand at making soft furnishings such as curtains and cushions.

So the Yorkshire Fabric Shop has shared some of their customers’ more outlandish creations that will make you stop, stare and, perhaps, even think ‘yes, I could have a go at that.’ Or possibly not.

The Yorkshire Fabric Shop’s unique online Fabric Finder (https://www.yorkshirefabricshop.com/fabric-finder) means people can search for the colour and pattern they want with just 2 or 3 clicks. The fabrics include velvet, velour, chenille, corduroy, cotton, leather, suede and wool. They will send samples out which mean people can see and touch it for themselves before deciding it’s just what they need.

So here goes, 5 stand-out creations from Yorkshire Fabric Shop customers.

Now, is this the world’s most luxurious dog basket? The UK is known as a nation of pet lovers and we pamper our pooches by giving them treats and a nice comfy dog basket. But if you want your pet to live the high life why not copy this pink crushed velvet chaise longue for the ultimate in pet luxury. Safe to say that making one for a Yorkshire Terrier will be a lot cheaper than doing one for a St Bernard.

Now if you like retro, newspapers, ships and Marilyn Monroe then this is the fabric for you and it’s been made into one of the world’s most unusual skirts with matching backpack. And if you don’t like its look, well, it’s still well worth reading.

We reckon this cocktail chair is so relieved to be reupholstered it even looks to be smiling – so can you see what we’re seeing or are we going slightly covid stir crazy? The red piping is so striking it looks like a mouth with the 2 buttons resembling eyes. It certainly made the creative person who reupholstered it smile as it quickly sold for a healthy profit.

Now the fourth has to be one of the most unusual uses of Yorkshire Fabric Shop material ever. Customer Rob must be a history enthusiast as he’s used the fabric to cover his shield and axe to give it a positively regal theme. If he’s into battle re-enactments Rob will certainly stand out from the crowd on the battlefield – although, come to think of it, the Paris navy blue leatherette material he’s chosen may actually make him more of a target.

Freddie Mercury was one of the most iconic and flamboyant rock stars of all-time and here he is as a puppet for a university project thanks to the Yorkshire Fabric Shop’s yellow faux leather. Not sure what his moustache was made out of though.

So there you have it … 5 very different ways to use fabric. The question is, can you match their uniqueness or eccentricity? If you can, please email your photos and a few words to help@yorkshirefabricshop.com