I know I love you because of this toilet paper…

I can’t say that I came from an outragously wealthy family or anything, but growing up, we always had really nice toilet paper. I never realized this until I started dating my husband (well, now he’s my husband, then he was just a guy that used bad TP). Anyway, when people first start dating–I can generalize here because I know everyone does it–we adopt certain things that our partners like. Sometimes it’s music, sometimes clothing…but for some reason, for me, it was toilet paper. It was a gradual adoption. After we moved in together, I resisted. I still bought good paper for the bathrooms that I used and his less reliable brand for him. At some point though, I lost all hope for him. In his head, he had put this thin, falling apart toilet paper on a pedestal (probably one shaped like a golden toilet). It was the best, and no amount of brainwashing would change his mind. I gave in. I’ve now been using that brand for nearly 10 years. I’m not proud of this. And don’t worry, this post is going somewhere crafty. Soooo, as I restocked the paper the other day, I looked on the back of our toilet where there was a stack of magazines piled up. I thought to myself, “I will use this paper, but gosh darnnit, I am going to have a magazine rack!”

A few years ago, I bought this little “ball holder” from Target’s dollar spot (love that part of the store!) and we used it for a long time in my old house. Eventually it made its way out to the back porch, the fabric got moldy, and then when we moved this past fall, it found a permanent home in our new garage…until yesterday.

Before. Just a plain old ball holder.

I cut off the old fabric. Not neatly, but neatly enough to use this as a rough pattern.

I used the old fabric as a “pattern” and cut 2 coordinating pieces of some extra duck cloth that I had from another project.

Next, I covered the table (warning: don’t do this when you’re hungry or you will be craving Hardee’s ice cream sandwiches during the whole rest of the project) and cleaned off the old rack with a clorox wipe.

I used some paint that my neighbor gave to me to try out and painted the old frame a “bluish” white. Thanks Christina!

My little squirrel helpers.

I pinned the 2 pieces of duck cloth together (right sides facing) and sewed about 1/4″ around 3 of the sides leaving one short side open so that I can turn it inside out.

I folded the ends in, ironed them flat, and pinned them. I then sewed that end together.

I, being a crazy smart person who doesn’t fully think out projects ahead of time, sewed one side on to the rack itself then got stuck with the other side. I ended up making 2 button holes and attaching buttons to the other side. Save yourself the trouble. Do buttons on both sides!

AND…THE FINAL PROJECT IN IT’S NEW HOME!!!! It almost makes the toilet paper tolerable 🙂

New rack in the bathroom. It’s also reversible (and yes, I’ve already switched sides so that the buttons show on the outside).