From Curtains to Cushion Covers

The Find

Some lovely people left a set of paisley curtains and linen sheer curtains out on the curb, with an even lovelier note that the curtains had been dry cleaned and were free for the taking.  Thank YOU considerate givers!

Ready to go!

Paisley close-up

The Re-Use

I wasn't quite sure what project would use up ALL the fabric, but it was clear that making new seat covers for some thrift store chairs would be a good use for some of the fabric.  We had purchased a set of 4 wooden chairs from the thrift store with lovely lines but less-than-comfortable seats.

Thrift store chair

The first step was the remove the seats from the frame, and then remove as many staples from the chair bottom as possible.  I discarded the old foam and batting.

Wooden seat disassembly

All the seats got new foam for cushioning, definitely NOT free, but worth it for a comfortable place to sit.

Foam in package

Due to the size of the chair seats, we needed 4 separate pieces of foam.  I laid the wooden seat onto each piece of foam in order to draw the outline.

Ready to trace the outline

After cutting and shaping the top of the foam with a slight curve I cut out the required amount of fabric for each seat cover. No photos from these steps, but there are lots of tutorials online. I used a medium-duty staple gun to staple the fabric to the bottom of the wooden seat, carefully checking for fabric wrinkles and pulling the fabric taut as I stapled along each side.

Conclusion

The chairs turned out great, much more comfortable with the new foam!  There was plenty of leftover fabric, so I had some special help in making a table runner out of the same fabric.  Now that's coordination!

Newly recovered chair seat

Happy freestyling! May the freestyling force be with you wherever the galaxy takes you.

NQF: Scrap fabric leftover into pillowcover

Ornate paisley prints tend to catch my eye, and this one was no exception when I first saw it...... 

two years ago. It was a remnant piece for sale at the MiniShop section of Bits of Thread (http://www.bitsofthread.com/supplies-and-services/shop/).

swirly paisley

There were grand visions of making giant floor box cushions, then reality struck.

So the paisley pattern waited patiently until I decided it was time to try to brighten up the dull beige couch that sits against a beige wall.

Paisley pillow cover

The couch and overall living room are a work in progress.

I've got enough fabric for a second pillow cover, hopefully it won't take two years to be inspired again.

Happy not-quite-free freestyling.

A Paisley Pink Mug Shot

Le dump is not a place you go expecting to find matched pairs of Chippendale chairs, or coordinating/ matching/ harmonizing anything. Don't expect it, but keep your eye out for it anyway, like cashmere sweaters at the thrift store without stains or holes, or purple giraffes speaking French, just because you've never seen it doesn't mean they don't exist!  Magic does happen in Cambridge, which is how I felt when I came across a set of matching mugs this fall.

A mug - pretty paisley, but pretty happens...

A pretty pair? well, now, this is something eh?

[[Digs deeper into box, through assorted kitchen supplies, mumbles to self....]]


Three!  Wow, what else is in this box?

Four! Hmm, maybe time to buy lottery tix?

Thank you to the lady who dropped off that big cardboard box of kitchen goods.  Maybe you were moving, or just cleaning out excess gadgetry, but your kitchen discards are my paisley-print treasure. Also, hot chocolate tastes good in them, I can attest to that as of last night.

Happy freestyling!