I use that method as a means to get out some of my bad mood ........ LOL! :)

Actually I really don't worry about it .... as long as the pillows stay on the sofa or bed .....

..... and not too many at either location ..... years ago my DH threatened to duct-tape them together so he could lift them off the bed in one fell swoop ....... heeheehee!! :) Just teasing! :)

I'll add this photo from the other thread to perhaps stimulate conversation.

This post was edited by bbstx on Wed, Jul 30, 14 at 12:21

Yes, I see the face. They all look like they have bunny ears. I like pillows to be a little squooshy, but not like that.

Perhaps there are those who want to show off that they have a black belt in decorating.

I'm not going to sway you. I've never liked the look either and agree that it is a "silly affectation."

It annoys the heck out of me. It does seem like an affectation.

If the plastic is thick enough, you can't get the karate chop crease to stay:

Pal!!!! LOL!!!! :)

I do remember that exact style of sofa (which I do still like) BUT I have always hated those plastic covers that NEVER seemed to be removed -- and sticking to them in the summer months! LOL!!! :)

I will go out on a limb and say it's incredibly stupid looking.

I never heard of or saw such a thing until I read it in a thread yesterday about the size of sofa pillows. Is "karate chop" seriously the term used in the design world? People who do that to pillows need to be spanked.

If I see any pillows like that I will take out my black Sharpie and draw cat faces on them.

Double post removed

This post was edited by kswl on Wed, Jul 30, 14 at 13:59

I would say that maybe 15 years ago or so on TLC or HGTV the designers would give a fluff up to a bed or sofa and plump up the pillows and then the would say "just give it a quick karate chop" to make them not look so perfectly plumped and a little slouchy and casual.

But this kind of got turned into a very formalized gesture where each pillow had to have a perfect break. I don't think there is anything wrong with it in general, but anything done to excess is....excessive.

kswl, I guess I lost control there for a minute. Smacking someone would land me in hot water. But I think everyone will love the cat faces. ;-)

I was reacting to the photo bbstx posted. That is heinous karate chopping.

That's weird, I had a double post and removed one, then there were none.

I don't know if that term is used by anyone --- I've never used it but think its a perfectly wonderful description. I do it, although not to the extent in the photos because my pillows are stuffed too full for the cat face effect, to plump out the sides. Never dreamed it would elicit a desire for corporal punishment, lol!

Time for a musical interlude:

Here is a link that might be useful: Doris Day (1959)

No worries Linelle, I always assume good intent and good fun, and GW rarely disappoints in that respect. Love " heinous karate chopping" and plan to remember that one!

Pal--- agree 100%

Wow, haven't seen that in the last 50 years. But, yes, as a kid, it was my job to "fluff and chop." LOVED it. The job. I had no opinion on the look.

This is a story in the latest issue of Traditional Home magazine. Note that the first picture has a karate chopped pillow.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tradtional Home Magazine

Lucy, the two pictures below are also from Traditional Home. The design is attributed to Tobi Fairley

The design in the photo you linked is by Mary Douglas Drysdale.

I've given a cursory look at Tobi Fairley's website and at MDD's. While Tobi seems to have quite a few lightly karate-chopped pillows in her portfolio, MDD doesn't. At most hers may have received a light tap on the head.

I'm wondering if there is a stylist at Traditional Home who aspires to be a black belt in decorating (love that, lucille!).

My dog does it for free.

I always suspected it was to show it's stuffed with something plush like down as the ever resilient polyester fiber fill won't hold a "chop".

Pal, I found just the lamp to go with your plastic wrapped sofa.

Spanish your dog is absolutely adorable--- and has the pillow chop down pat!

deleted

This post was edited by LucyStar1 on Thu, Jul 31, 14 at 15:52

Thanks kswl. She usually sleeps on the long side of those pillows, but I kicked this one out of the way like that to take a nap, hence the people-sized blanket!

I actually prefer them on the fuller scale and I chop mine. I actually even try to chop and puff up some of my poly filled ones that aren't meant to chop. If not, I think a lot of pillows can look skimpy/thin, and flat - like they were sat on too much. I suppose I like pillow to at least look full.

I love a full, down/feather insert. i don't "chop", but when you sit a full pillow down and "plump" it, many times the middle will kind of "swoop". There will be a curve or an indention. No chopping here but I don't make my pillows (bunnies or kitties!) "sit up straight". Hard to explain but a relaxed look.

Pal, you reminded me of a lady I knew as a child. When I was a child, I should say. She kept all of her living room furniture covered in plastic (unless company was there and the room was actually used). Children were not allowed in the room, nor was eating.

Although it's disappearing, you can still see LRs where all the furniture including the throw pillows are covered with custom made clear plastic covers, the lampshades are covered and there are clear plastic runners fixed over the carpet in the traffic pattern.

A friend of mine had carpeted baseboards, and the main traffic path from the front door to the kitchen door was cut in with a darker color of the same carpet and then this had a plastic runner fixed on top of it. These houses are so small that no room can go without being used, though.
I knew another, larger, house that had an ornamental iron fence with a gate into the LR.

The karate chopped pillow are a bit much for me, but then at my house a favorite past-time of the dogs is pushing pillows off sofas, so while we like our pillows,we do not put any great effort into pillow placement.

A long-term close friend's mom who is 96 still has a sofa covered in plastic, similar to the one above. My friend recently mentioned that her mom is thinking of removing the plastic, guess all the kid's have grown up enough now. My friend 54, is her youngest. This reminded us of the Raymond show where the entire family had been bugging Raymond's mom to remove the plastic, she finally did and everyone was so worried about spilling, they asked her to put the plastic back on the sofa.

Her house is a 1970's time capsule, love to visit it is exactly the same as when I was a kid.

I remember sitting on those plastic wrapped sofas as a kid. I can't remember where. My mom didn't do that. I just remember the pain when you were wearing shorts in the summer and the perspiration glued you to the plastic. You had to slowly peel the back of your thighs from the plastic. Ow. You were left with red streaks down the back of your legs.

My grandmother didn't use plastic but she must've had 4 bedspread covering her LR sofa. After she passed, my Mom went to look under the covers and there was this very nice, pristine fabric.....covering a sofa with broken springs and squished cushions and sagging frame!

Have never karate chopped a pillow or anything/anyone since I don't believe in abuse on anything. ;) Can anyone recall who made the first 'assault' on a pillow?

uh oh, I pledge to stop attacking my pillows. Actually, I find a light bend necessary to direct the droop on lighter fabrics. (Add this to the things I learn to obsess over on GW)

I had never seen plastic covered furniture until I moved to Chicago as a 20-something. I saw a newspaper ad for them. I remember thinking it was the oddest thing I'd ever seen. I still have never encountered them in person.

When I searched Google for "karate chopped pillows," I found articles as early as 2009 decrying karate chopping.

I love this explanation of how to karate-chop a pillow:
It is when you extend your arm and in your best Miss Piggy impression you scream âÂÂHiiiiiiiiyyyyyaaaaaaaaahhhhh!â while chopping downward at the center of your pillows.

I will never again see a karate chopped pillow without hearing Miss PIggy in my head.