1940s arm chair redo with slipcover ..

it has been awhile since i re-upholstered anything, well anything other than a footstool .. so i was nervous about starting this project .. we picked up the chair at a yard sale .. i knew when i saw it that i wanted to do a slipcover for it .. i also knew i would have to recover it before i could make the slipcover ..

and what a perfect time to join in on some worthy blog parties ..

make it for monday at cottage instincts .. thank you, cindy!

make it monday @ the persimmon perch .. thank you, jules!

making the world cuter monday @ making the world c.u.t.e.r .. thank you, tiffany!

just something i whipped up monday @ the girl creative .. thank you, girl creative!


surprisingly, the springs were still in very good condition and i would not have to rework them.. which i hate doing .. i would just need to redo the arms and then cover the whole chair .. but the fabric i wanted to use - a neutral off white .. i didn't have enough .. then i found the vintage striped mattress ticking and sherry suggested i use the two fabrics ..

now, honestly, recovering a chair is 1 part know-how and 5 parts patience (if 6 parts makes a whole) .. i just took my time removing the old and marking it in what order it was removed .. then once it was all removed, i reversed the order - pressed the pieces i had removed and used them as a pattern to cut the new .. i made some errors and while i am not 100% happy with the project .. i am pleased with the way it looks ..
now i was able to start the whole reason i purchased the chair .. the slipcover .. i already had the fabric .. a vintage cohama screen print from the mid 40s .. quilted stitching .. and i had the perfect matched fringe .. it was just a matter of fitting the fabric .. cutting it .. pinning it .. and sewing it together .. i did make myself a paper pattern first, but only because the fabric i wanted to use was limited and i didn't want to make any mistakes or chance making one ..

i started with the inside back, since that would be the area that would make the first impression .. i wanted the pattern centered in the back and seat .. i cut and trimmed the back then cut and trimmed the arms and sewed the arms to the back ..

i knew that i would be leaving the back outside of the chair for the very last ..

i also knew that i would want to have areas of the slipcover trimmed out in welting or cording .. this was the fashion with slipcovers in the golden age of slipcovers and i knew i wanted to repeat this look .. so i cut the fabric strips that would cover the cording .. i cut the strips on the bias .. i learned this will help the cording bend and curve with the lines of the slipcover more easily that cutting the strips in running lengths ..

i also decided the slipcover would be a shortie .. i liked the look and wanted to trim it with the fringe i had and didn't want the slipcover to the floor ..

i loved the way it was coming along .. if i still smoked i would have been standing back admiring the work and taking a cigarette break .. slow and easy .. i could actually see greer garson or even eve arden sitting in this chair ..

it is done .. the trim is in place and all it right .. there are some things i would have changed .. i wished i would have had more of the fabric .. i got out-voted on painting the legs to match the trim .. (democracy sucks) (kidding) ..

side view .. i noticed a slight dip on the corner right underneath the arm .. i didn't notice this when i was sewing it .. actually i worked on this lifting and lowering it from my work table .. ideally, have a work table at least the height of a childs desk or table .. it's easier to see that everything is even .. and measure .. measuring is good .. sherry is still horrified that i do NOT always pin pieces together before sewing ..

i love this chair .. so pleased with it .. new life .. kept from the landfill .. so charming .. someone will just have to have it .. if not i guess we can always use it for firewood ..

laters,
troy

(i'm kidding about the firewood - but come see us in Canton this coming weekend - we will be in ARBOR 2, space 203 & 204A - or the chair gets it! )