Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Yellow Chair Slipcover Part 2


So I finally had a few minutes to get back
to my chair slipcover project.

I am struggling with how these
photos are showing up, 
but I suppose that is what happens with
an orange chair and a yellow tape measure.


I thought long and hard
about how I wanted to make this slipcover.

With an upholstered chair,
you often use a lot of pieces in order
to really mold and fit around the frame.

But with a slipcover, 
you can simplify the lines
and do larger pieces that just
smooth over the frame.

I decided to skip the front band piece
between the seat and skirt.



I like to start my slipcovers by making 
a "muslin". 

I know some people are brave
and can make the slipcover with the 
actual fabric and do a great job.

However, I prefer a fitted slipcover
 and I don't want to run the risk 
of wasting my fabric if I make a big mistake.


So I start with big rectangles of a muslin 
fabric that I can write on and cut to fit.

I use drapery lining fabric
because I have a lot left over from 
old window treatment projects.

But you can use regular muslin
or an old sheet,
or just some fabric you don't love.

I would use a fabric with the same 
amount of give that your slipcover fabric has
because you want to know how it will lay 
on the chair.


I center the rectangle on the seat and then start
tucking it in, all around.

Then I cut away the excess,
so that I can start to get the shape
of the seat to use as a pattern piece.

But I am careful to leave enough
to have a seam allowance.



This is the corner of the seat 
and covers that front band.

I will cut off that excess at the corner
so that it is fitted.


Once I got the seat piece cut the way I wanted it,
I put the rectangle of fabric on the back and
did the same thing.


So I start tucking and cutting
into the corners to get the shape.



Don't cut too deeply into the corners
because you are going to need 
seam allowances to sew.

Next, I pinned all along the curve
of the chair back.

This is important for this chair,
because if I cut it straight,
it would not fit properly.

I trimmed off the extra,
leaving a seam allowance of about 5/8".


I put my clear quilting ruler on the top
of the back of the chair,
so you can see how curved it is.

When I cut the piece that goes
on the top and sides
of the back, I will need to take this into account.


Next I pinned the next rectangle
over the arm and started
pinning the front curve.

The clear quilting ruler
is useful here too,
for showing the angle of the arm front.


Then I pinned the outside arm panel
to the inside arm panel,
which wrapped around the arm.

I left enough seam allowance to pin
the arm pieces together.


Then I pinned another piece
to the front of the arm,
pinning all along the curve.


Following the curve of the arm,
I trimmed off the excess ,
leaving a seam allowance.


I used a soft pencil to trace
the line of the piping underneath.

This is just a good way to mark the
shape of the chair on the pieces.


Ok, that is all I have for today.

More photos coming.

Happy Sewing!

Sivje

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW I am the very first to post on this today. Babe, you are TOTALLY AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU. Your mother!

Bunny said...

This is so impressive, Sivje. You make it seem sew easy but I know it isn't. I will be starting mine soon and am soaking up every word here. Thanks so much for sharing such a detailed process. And tell your Mom we all think you are Totally Amazing as well!

sewfunbymonique said...

A belated thank you for stopping by my blog!:) I love that you are slipcovering furniture~ I love doing that, too!

Cynthia Gilbreth said...

This will come out great! And I have this old pink chair that's looking pretty tired...

Sandy Koch said...

Your talent AMAZES me, my friend! I always THINK I want to learn to sew, and then I end up frustrated with my machine, or something doesn't work the way I think it should...and then I quite trying for several more years, LOL. You make it all sound so easy!