The Chair.

Forward: I am often far too optimistic.  I think I can do things I can not.  I put unrealistic time frames on everything... but it's just because I am ignorant and never learn my lesson.

After moving in to our house and needing more furniture than we had, I thought it would be a perfect time to take on a reupholstery project, because now I had a garage that was all mine (and my husbands, but who said it had to be his?!) that I could take over if need be. So I did.

I began this project about a month and a week ago... on a trip home for a quick lunch break, I happened to take a back way and stumbled upon a garage sale. It was furniture galore. Apparently a Mother-in-law sale.  At any rate I saw 2 wingbacks and an ottoman... for $10. Altogether.  Yes. They were horrendous, and already had a slipcover attempt go awry, but I don't shudder at the nasty 90's decor.  I think, stupidly, that reupholstery has got to be easy.  As long as I've got my staple gun and fabric, I am good!  I was wrong.

The most I had ever done with upholstered furniture was sit on it, sleep on it, or move it.  I didn't know what hid underneath that fabric!  But my bravery withstood my stupidity, and the journey began. I took it apart just how all the blogs told me to, like an onion, working my way from the outside in.  Ok.  I also read that it was smart to take pictures, of everything.  I mean Everything.  I took probably about 100 pictures, but I wish I had taken more, of the little things, like the sizes of the staples in certain areas or WHERE they stapled each piece... Ah well. Just had to figure that out on my own.

 

So I stared at it.  A lot.  I would remove one staple and look.  My husband would come in and ask, "how's it going?" and my response, "Great!"  I had no idea what I was doing, but my blind confidence got me through somehow!

This picture is of me trying to figure out just how they put this thing together, AND that this chair requires much more sewing than I was expecting. Sewing is not a great attribute of mine... but so be it.  I dug myself this deep so far, might as well give it a go.


             

  Here is the fabric we chose.  You wouldn't think it, but this was a huge time consuming, heart grueling process. It's really the first time I had ever made any type of fabric decision that actually had an effect on me. Everything else I've ever chosen has always been fun fabrics for a blanket or something goofy... never FURNITURE! Ack.

 So I recruited Dave's help to be my EYE, because my brain was in distress and it couldn't make one more decision.  If you know me, you know I don't like decisions.


    So here you have it.  The fabric. The wall. The curtain.  I still don't know. I put it on the chair to find out.  Looks decent enough. I cut it up to pieces that somewhat match the original fabric and keep going. And going.


and going.


and going.

And finally, I get here:  The CHAIR IS DONE!

well,

except for the cushion.


ugh.


I think, "It can't be THAT bad, I just did that whole chair.

I watched a video or two and started putting the cushion together like the confident girl I thought I was.  It was not working very well, but I pushed on, but these thoughts were running through my head...

I've never sewn a ZIPPER before!  I've never had more than 2 pieces of fabric to piece together.  Cording?! What's that?!

At any rate.  I put it together, and all of about 6 inches was sewn.  So I finally put it the pillow in to just see how my great work was looking.


and I was mortified.


It was supposed to look like a big fat blocky letter T...  It was, but Italisized.  No one wants their cushion to look like it was sewn in Italics!


I couldn't even bring myself to take a picture.  THAT bad.  I even tried to recruit the help on Facebook.  No takers.  I started looking up upholstery companies.  For as cheap and as determined as I am, that's big.

I mulled over it for a few days, bummed at my lack of this ability... my future dreams of yet another personally owned business, shot!

But!  I am the same woman, so I finally decide to watch some more instructional videos and try again.  More careful and patient this time...




...

and

SUCCESS!

I don't know if I have ever been more proud of myself for such a silly thing as a CUSHION.

SO here she is in all her glory:

 I still have to find good throw pillows to go with the green walls.  Side note:The fabric is not as shiny in person.  The thread in the stripes is a bit metallic, but certainly not THAT shiny in person.

Moral of the story:
I encourage whomever sees this to try things you're afraid of. Ya never know, it just might turn out to be a brand new skill you can add to your list!

Now I just have one more chair and an ottoman to go!