Story Donated By Sarah Howells

A few years ago, to the delight of my son, I bought all new matching bed linen, a first for me in my whole life. However, my inner junk junkie was never far away and it just didn’t feel right. The knitters of Armley Helping Hands have eased my discomfort with their gorgeous squares blankets, picked up for £5 at I Heart West Leeds or Charming Armley Cake Competition.

The flowery pillow slips are from St Vincent de Paul (20p the pair, that’s 10p each!), the disgust/incomprehension of work colleagues when I return to the office with them makes it doubly worth it. The iron bedstead was found in the overgrown back garden of a house in France, brought to London and given to my sister, after 10 years she gave it to me to make way for Ikea bunk beds for the kids, her loss my definite gain. One piece was badly bent, but I happen to have a friend who is a blacksmith so problem solved. The rage/disappointment of my puritanical 16 year old bounces off me, I’m shielded by a forcefield created by my version of shabby chic.
Sarah Howells