What to do when it's pouring outside? How about pulling out your trusty seam ripper and taking apart an Ikea chair cover? I have an 8 year old Poang Ikea armchair that had a plain ivory cover that had gotten a kind of grungy from all the spilled coffee and 8 years of use. I thought this home dec leaf print was kind of cute, so I took the old one apart and re did it with the print. I finished it, but it was a good reminder why I prefer to sew clothes and not home dec projects.
First unzipped it and took out the foam cushions, then ripped off the old binding around the outer edges. Next I ripped out the stitching where the back met the seat at the bend of the cushion. That separated the front of the cushion cover from the back. The front is a piece of fabric quilted to a layer of batting, which I wanted to re-use so I soaked the front cover in some oxyclean and washed it gently. While that was going on, I took apart the back which was in three pieces, joined by zippers. I kept the middle most tiny rectangle and used the other two pieces as pattern pieces to cut the new back. Then I stitched the zippers into the new cover. When the front was dry, I cut a new front using the old one as a pattern piece, and quilted the new fabric right over the old fabric. Then I basted the front and back together and put on a new binding, and voila- new chair cover! Putting the binding on was actually a beast. It was really stiff and kind of hard to maneuver... it's not perfect, but no one is going to be carefully inspecting the binding on it, so it will do.
Then I was feeling a bit jealous of my sister's comfy new flannel PJs so I made myself a pair -also from Farmer's Market flannel. This is the vintage cherries print. Sooooo soft!
BeeBee, your copy of the pattern is an envelope ready to go up to the mailbox! I actually thought some more about how to better organize my BWOF traced off patterns, since I end up with multiple traced copies of the good patterns when I lose the original tracing... I'm really resisting getting a filing cabinet but I might have to break down and go with that.
One last important item. cutest corgi puppies ever on cute overload this morning. Awwwwwwww.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
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5 comments:
I love the chair cover! It is always nice to spice up the interior.
I like the chair cover. We have an IKEA chair/ottoman in the white that's looking grungy. After we move, I may try this. (ha, or not, depending on how far IKEA is from the new digs, LOL)
Thanks for the pattern.
It's funny how technically, the craft/ home dec projects may not seem challenging but they can be less familiar and compelling than garment sewing. The chair looks great! And when I saw the PJ pants you made for your sister, I thought to myself how I should make some for me. Looks like we were on the same wavelength. :)
I found your blog a few weeks ago, just before your ruffle'o'matic post.
see what it mad me do !http://aufildujardin.blogspot.com/2009/06/emilies-ruffles.html
Seriously, I'm glad I read this post. I did not know of gathering foot (although it is listed in my machine doc.) It has been a pleasure to gather the ruffle for this dress. Thank you!
And you see, whatever their age, daughters make us make wonders :-)
That chair looks so good! And fits your interior - what I can see of it - very well. As for flannel pajamas - we can never have too many, can we!
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