I thought "NOT".The wee girl and I made a Thursday evening trip to the Ikea fabric department. It took so long for me to choose and cut fabrics that the poor out-past-bedtime child requested the trolley to sit in as she played the touch-screen computer games (Spotlight could learn a thing or two there, I think...). I just kept stacking up the fabric cushion she was sitting on.
Last weekend we did a trial run on the wee one's mini armchair (which was beyond embarrassing with its toddler grub and god-only-knows-what stains....and it was mauve - not really our girl at all!). I sewed, he stapled. Team-work.It fits right in with her colourful corner of the studio.... and all the other Ikea furniture, tents and toy-boxes...
Lessons were learned on this project........particularly about taking care with directional prints.
And a start was made on the big chair.
While the man of the house watched the big football game on Saturday, the girl and I went to the studio and made the covers. Today we stapled (the man of house is usually chief staple-gunner but did something to his back which meant that I had to take over).
43 comments:
I'm overwhelmed just reading about the family project. Me...I woulda' gone and bought a new chair...
It looks divine!
It looks awesome!
I am intersted - because i am hoping to takle a project like this some time in the near future (tub chair). Did you cut apart the old covers to use them as a pattern, or did you pin a test fabric over the top of the armchair, a cut it as you went, to form a pattern? Or perhaps neither?
I love the fabric you went with.
Lady, you are an Ikea genius! (eying up my Ikea stash in a whole new light now!)...
Wow! That looks fantastic! I considered changing the fabric on our furniture once, worked out how much the fabric would cost and went and bought new furniture instead....
Claire - I can't find you remail address to respond.
I unpicked and took patterns directly from the covers that were on the chair (which were the original couch covers - cut down where necessary).
And on the subject of new furniture instead of recycled.... well , it's cheap entertainment really. The whole weekend - and the chair - cost us about $60.... if you don't count other Ikea purchases made while "fabric shopping".
WOW that is fantastic Nikki. Feel like popping over and recovering some of my furniture!
Wow! So cool! Wanna do my two couches for me? Please tell me I'd be insane to take on the job?!
Oh WoW! I want an orange ikea chair too. Is that black piping as well?
Both chairs are absolutely gorgeous. I love your passionate love affair with bold design and colour.
Oh I wish I knew how to do this! I fell in love with this fabric last time I was at Ikea and could only imagine what a beautiful piece of furniture it could make! Instead I thought about kitchen curtains. I obviously can sew those, but definitely not a chair! You did a beautiful job! Go to painting those walls. Make them a beautiful new shade!
LOVE IT!! You've inspired me to replace the cover on our little couch now. Thanks ox
You
are
amazing!
It's brilliant you clever chicken!
100% loving it!
That is magnificent! How talented you are! Just found your blog and its great! Pop and visit me some time! Suzie. x
Both of these covers are FABULOUS! I've don't probably 10 or so similar projects since being married 17 years ago (OMG - how did THAT happen?) and not until last year did I get a pneumatic staple gun - SUCH an AWESOME tool, read more about my love for this thing here:
http://candiedfabrics.wordpress.com/2009/03/11/tutorial-recovering-an-office-chair/
Seriously, look into getting one, then neither your hubby or your self will have to hurt your hands with those horrible manual ones!
Looks brilliant. Love it. I'm inspired except my couch doesn't need covering....it would be wrong to hurt it just so I had an excuse. Wouldn't it?
Abbe :)
I can see no wonky bits! This is just so great, you should be very happy with yourself!
OMG!! Piping and everything.
It looks amazing.
that is seriously cool and very impressive! Well done!
That is wonderful!
I think it looks brilliant! Great job.
I love it!
Yay! I was buying fabric in Ikea on Friday for the second overhaul of an ugly but very comfy couch. I'm not sure I'm up to the piping though, it looks great!
Well done. You're a braver woman than I am. You do realize though, you have now started something. You want to paint the walls, then the other furniture won't look as good aganist the new walls and the light fittings will need to be updated etc, etc. Ah the joys of redecorating. ;-)
BTW have you thought of upholstering the walls? With Ikea fabric of course!
I've got to say the man of the house is pretty clever to cut the chair down in the first place. I would never have considered doing that. The little one's chair has my favourite small print from IKEA but I also love the cheery orange for the man's chair. Excellent work and if you don't point out the wrinkles no one will ever have to know that it was all 'handmade' ! Cherrie
They both look fabulous Nikki.
I looked at that orange print yesterday at Ikea and wondered what project I could dream up as an excuse to buy some!
Love it.
You are such a smartypants - the chair looks fab. And the piping is VERY impressive. I can see some hip and shouldering going on to get to the small chair if you ever have a kid friendly morning tea again too.......
Nikki, fantastic job - Love it !!!
Upholstery is so hard and i think you are making up the wonkiness - it looks perfect!
Looks great Nikki - I feel inspired!
Hi Nikki, I love the couch cover. Your "go" at it looks fantastic - trust me when I tried it was much worse. At least I can laugh about it now. Love your blog.
Pure total genius awesome!!!
Whoa, that's brilliant!!
Makes my current efforts look rather dull. :)
What a fantastic job , Nikki. I would have thrown the chairs away as the thought of recovering them would have landed in the "too hard basket".
Heather
LOVE IT! And it's a perfectly wonderful job-I couldn't see a single pucker.
WOW! Both chairs turned out great! I love the fabrics!
Hooly-dooly - you did that on a weekend? It really does look stunning, Nikki. You're so clever with whatever you make.
I have a vey sad (formerly) cream coloured couch that I would love to re-cover, but it looks pretty tricky. I suspect we will put up with its many shades of grey for a bit longer!
Wow Nikki, this is amazing and so is the mini chair. I have never been to Ikea to check out their fabric (criminal I know). How good is your little assistant shopper to. So does the man like it now too?
Nikki, both chairs look sensational! I hear all these good things about Ikea - wish we had one out our way, but it could be dangerous! (By the way, hat patterns selling very well)
Wow... and the piping is amazing.
I'm staying up far too late AGAIN reading blogs. tonight, this one.
Seriously, is there any end to your talents?! Beautiful job on both chairs.
Wow! They look fabulous... I'm just about to embark upon my first attempt at re-upholstering a bit old armchair, and this post is both inspiring and daunting! I don't think I'll come close to this level of gorgeousness, but I feel encouraged to give it a red hot go....
You're a star Nikki!
Post a Comment