WHEN "MATCHY MATCHY" IS GOOD

 

If the design on this slipcover didn't line up perfectly it would be the first thing you noticed about the chair. With the entire repeating pattern flowing from the top to bottom and side to side your eye can take in the whole chair and even a super bold fabric is easy to look at. 

Not going to lie, this is tricky. Especially tricky since I pin fitted it in its home, not in my work space AND there was literally just enough fabric due to the 27" repeat. I rolled the fabric out over the chair with cushions in place to mark the pattern placement, then pin fitted the slipcover on half, right side out and took careful measurements to get a perfectly symmetrical result.  As tailored slipcovers go, this one is a beauty. 

Here's a photo of it before the slipcover- perfect condition but the fabric just didn't work in the new space. 

BEFORE

Parsons Chair Slipcovers - Planning Fabric Layout for a Large Repeat

 Fabric update for a pair of parsons chairs. These are such versatile seats and always look great slipcovered. This fabric has a huge repeat but I felt like it needed to have a motif centered on the back and the seat. After playing around with a few options I decided to roughly center the big blue flower on the inside (and outside) back, and also on the seat even though it didn't complete an entire repeat. Then I had the entire design continue down from the seat through the front skirt panel. All the skirt panels are cut from the same horizontal repeat so the designs at the skirt hems are the same all around the chair. That sounds super picky but it does make a difference. 

As usual, I pinned one chair on half right side out and used it as a pattern for the second chair. The skirt panels are lined and since this is decorator fabric and won't be washed, I inserted a piece of buckram (used for stiffening drapery headers) between the face fabric and lining at the hem to give it a nice crisp look. 

BEFORE

Hey!

 The lovely thing about this space is that it sits quietly and waits its turn. I found myself taking the very easy way out and posting projects on Instagram for the last several years, but honestly the introvert in me finds it to be a little too interactive- all the liking and commenting and then replying... And now with everything boomeranging and music blaring on every post-  I  do sound  awfully old and curmudgeonly!  I love Instagram and spend more time than I should on it but maybe it's time to circle back and share some thoughts and pictures here now and then. Let's see how it goes... 

To say much has happened since my last post would be a pretty significant understatement. Covid happened (duh), my mother died (in a nursing home at the beginning of covid so, extra horrible), our son and his family moved to the US from Europe, we welcomed twin grandsons, my father's health declined to the point where we had to move him to an Assisted Living facility, and our daughter got married. So, some pretty tough times and more than plenty of really good ones. 

For now, here's one of a pair of wing chairs that got a little slipcover refresh. Time and the family cat left them looking tired and scarred. The owner chose a graphic print in a similar color to the original upholstery for the new look. I love working on wing chairs. These turned out especially well. I pin fitted one on half, right side out, and then cut identical pieces for the second one. This is a huge time- and back-saver, and gives perfectly identical covers. 

AFTER

BEFORE

  

 

SLIPCOVERED CHAISE FOR A LITTLE PRINCESS

Here's a chaise that had been lingering in the owner's attic for years. The arrival of her best friend's new grand daughter prompted her to give the old chaise a new life and give an epic gift to a young family. With the new mommy's input on color we came up with a slipcover design that can last from babyhood to adulthood.

A quality piece of furniture, it's original upholstery is stained and tired. That's just as well because I was free to snip off the remaining buttons and remove the gathered skirt. After a pretty exhaustive search we settled on this lavender cotton duck from Carr Textiles, with white duck for the cording and skirt band. The best choice turned out to also be the most economical. I pre-washed all the fabric and serge-finished the edges so the slipcover can be washed. 

Because there is not a separate cushion I added velcro to the front corded edge from arm to arm to keep the fabric from shifting. This was such a fun and rewarding project and I know it's young owner will enjoy it  for many years to come. 

PINK VELVET WING CHAIrR

Happy New Year! My reponsibilities as a daughter have  grown over the past several months and I'm so grateful for understanding owners who were willing to wait for their projects.
Finding the time to sew is one thing, but finding the extra time to document them here turns out to be quite another. Thus, it's been awhile...

The owner of this wing chair chose blush pink velvet from the Suzanne Kasler collection at Ballard Designs. Let me just tell you, this stuff feels even better than it looks, and it looks amazing!

Velvet can be tricky but this one apparently really wanted to be a slipcover because it behaved perfectly. What is not to love?

                                                 

A RALPH LAUREN-ISH MAKEOVER

Thrift store and antique mall shopping success requires dedication. I admit to being a hit or miss thrifter but the happy owner of this little gem is a die-hard regular and knew he had struck gold when he spied a Hickory Chair piece hiding amongst the junk for a steal.

I'm calling it a wing/parsons chair hybrid. The bottom half looks and sits like a smaller scale wing chair but the back is straight and simple, Quite possibly there's an actual name for this style of chair but it's not in my vocabulary so please educate me if anyone knows it. Whatever it is, it's definitely lovely, high quality and perfectly scaled for his space. The upholstery however is dingy and tired.

And here we are with a Ralph Lauren-esque slipcover. So handsome and chic!

Those "telephone" arms and curved front are challenging with a solid fabric so this plaid, while gorgeous, was really a pain.  At first glance, you probably can't tell it isn't upholstered, which is really the way I like to make slipcovers when possible. The owner is over the moon with his "new" chair!

On a housekeeping note, I've been really terrible about keeping this blog updated with projects.  Rather than not share them, I've just added them to the pages that apply. There are mostly slipcovers so check out that tab if you're interested in seeing what's new. Now that I feel "caught up," I plan to try harder to share completed work here.

Thanks for reading!!

Pam

THE $2 CHAIR 2.0

This little chair was $2 at our Salvation Army. It weighs more than most full size club chairs and is made with the kind of construction that doesn't really exist any more. I guess you would call it a
"boudoir" chair due to the petite scale, probably originally intended to be used in a lady's bedroom.

It had been languishing in "inventory" in our garage when my daughter claimed it for her first apartment. She originally chose a navy/white stripe- a Premier Prints fabric from my sewing room stash.

It eventually moved from her living room to her bedroom where she "didn't really love the blue and white." Hmmm. Have I created a monster?  She sent me her idea...

Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon fabric, only $190.00 per yard. Uh, no. 

Fortunately, we found a great substitute that she loved almost as much.  Dwell Studio's Ming Dragon at a much more affordable price of $21.00 per yard. 

And that horrid little ottoman? It was a leftover from her freshman dorm. Ugly for sure, but it's free and offers some needed hidden storage. 

This little chair, like several other great pieces we have found, can stay with her forever. Rather than hitting Ikea or Target, we saw the potential in a gem that may otherwise have been destined for the landfill. I wonder what it will be next?!!