During Spring Break we took off for Northern California for a week of relaxation at the home of my high school friends. While there, my friend Connie talked me into helping her recover an old chair with quilts that she was saving for such a time as this. Neither of us had done reupholstering before, but hey, we can watch youtube instructional videos like the best of ’em. And we looked at pictures in a book at JoAnn’s. Anyway, we succeeded and now I’m addicted to recovering old furniture. I would love to find a little girl’s plush chair to make over for Zaza’s room. However, our dear friends also sent us home with several more additions to Zaza’s room…. so a newly recovered chair would be a squeeze for sure.
Here is your photos essay on recovering a chair with old quilts…. something you always wanted to know, I’m quite sure.
Gather as many of your people as possible for tack removal. This is not a fun job, but most necessary. BUY the little hoof shaped tool for $7 at JoAnn’s and you won’t be sorry! We even used most of the old tacks again.
We saved all the batting as it was in decent shape.
We used the old cover as a pattern for the new pieces.
The bottom was really easy…. compared to the top and back!
Connie made miles of welt cord piping cut on the bias for ease of turning corners.
We fluked out and unknowingly used a chair that had these nice wooden pieces on the bottom to hide all our tacks. Sweet!
The wedding knot on the back looked adorable!
Two different quilts with Grandmother’s Flower Garden pattern were used on the front. The green piping tied all the quilts together and it is adorable! Can’t you see why I want to do another one?!?
Tags: bedroom chair, chair, cottage furniture, garage sale, garage sale find!, Grandmother's Flower Garden, high school, mom, quilting, quilts, recovering old chair, reupholster, shabby chic, upholstery, vintage quilt, Wedding Knot, youtube
My Sister's Jar 
March 26, 2010 at 7:50 pm |
That chair looks just great. Did you refinish the wooden parts also? We had an old swing-rocker of my folks reupholstered, I did the wooden parts, and it cost us an arm and a leg. I commented on FB that you should start a “Chairs For Za-Za” operation. Did you see it? Not sure what happened to it but there is much about FB that I don’t understand. Don’t you think that would be a good idea?
March 26, 2010 at 10:56 pm |
Yes, I loved the Chairs for Zaza idea! I could use a lot of the fabric I have! We got so much from an upholstery shop owner! I was thinking of waking up early tomorrow and going garage saling for a chair!
We didn’t re-do the wood. It was in decent shape… with a few new hammer marks added for character. :o)
November 6, 2011 at 6:27 am |
I so love the chair that I want to do one also….but I don’t have a chair. Will keep this in mind for the future. Thanks for sharing I love it!!!