I just love it. DH is calling it the Throne. But it wasn't easy getting to this point. Come on along for the ride.....
This is what I woke up to yesterday morning. I had been using my great Sunset slipcover book but very quickly I figured out not much in there applied to making a slipcover for an office chair with these arms. Yes, I could have taken the arms off easily and reuphonstered the back and seat but that's not what I wanted. I wanted the slipcover "look" and I wanted to be able to remove it for cleaning. I was now totally in the dark. I just went bit by bit and figured it out as I went along. I decided to make the back section and the seat section separately and then worry about putting them together after. I was almost at wadder stage but you all know that if nothing else I am persistent.
I added the skirt to the sides and made it long enough to go all the way to center back. But it is only stitched to the seat up to the green dot you see. From there it is connectd with velcro around the back and ties in a sash. I used up every border of the bedspread to get out all the scalloped edges for the box pleated skirt. From the green dot and right to the center back nothing is connecting the skirt to the slipcover other than velcro. This posed a major issue. This fabric is VERY thick and the box pleats gave me three layers of the matelasse as well as the two layers of cotton covering the welting. How on earth would I ever get that to turn in neatly? It definitely did not want to cooperate. This was bulk nearly a half inch thick. I know my old Kenmore is a workhorse but lets not tempt fate here. Then the light went on.
I used the old "blue jean trick". This is where you pound the blue jeans with hammer until the bulky seams are flat and stitchable. I did the same here, I first put down a clean cloth on the concrete basement floor. Then I laid down the skirt/piping, covered it with another clean cloth and started hammering down the welting and box pleats along the top of the skirt. It worked wonderfully. The welt stayed turned in and was easy to sew through. In the pic with the green dot you can see how it was then topstitched with a zigzag next to the welting for a bit more insurance. It was now nice and crisp and time to put on the velcro.
This slipcover consists of two separate pieces, both of which tuck into the join of the back and seat very tightly. So each piece needed securing. The top of the cover connects under the arm and you can see the velcro application here along the binding. The seat cover is very securely tucked into the join and rests on top of the seat with long pleated extensions that meet in the back and tie with a black satin ribbon.
With this construction I now had a slipcover I could remove and throw into the wash.
Here's a few details more:
Credit for this glorious monogram goes to my cyber sewing friend , Jerry "Niener". She suggested it and offered to help with the design and stitch it out. It makes the chair in my opinion and I am really thankful for good friends like Jerry. You are special, Jerry.
Here is a shot of the boxing around the tops of the chair. It doesn't follow the chair's boxing as that had a weird shape. I just used a four inch strip.
In case you missed it the fabric used is a 100% cotton matelasse bedspread, queen size, and I used nearly every bit. Didn't tell you I cut the back twice because my original idea wouldn't work. At the suggestion of another cyber sewing friend,
Sivje, of Goosegirl Sews, I underlined the fabric. This will help keep it from stretching out and prevent the dark original chair showing through.
The welting is a simple quilting cotton from Joanns, heavier than regular gingham.
I am not sure when I will do this again. It actually only took three full days of sewing, a lot of it spent on the floor with a pin in my mouth as I tried to figure it all out. I do know that this is one of those projects that really has me beaming and proud, I guess because I persisted and figured it all out on my own. Special thanks to Jerry and Sivje for their valuable contributions.
The decorating project is nearly done. I need to do a wee bit more organizing and hang some shelving tomorrow. DD also has some shelves for me as well. This project has really got me excited about starting on the great room. That will happen as soon as the studio is finished. In the meantime, its time for some garment sewing. Its been a while.....Bunny
