This is another project that, due to my lack of sewing skills, should have NEVER worked.
A few years ago I "reupholstered" a footstool I found at Home Goods. I never warmed up to that scary clown monkey fabric and finally decided to give it a new look. Click here if you want to see the creepy monkey fabric.
So, here we go with the slipcover. I cut and pinned a piece of fabric to fit the top. So far, so good.
Next, I cut a bunch of strips to make the pleats. My friend Pink (I can call her a friend, right? After all, I met and sewed with her once) gave a great tutorial on making knife pleats. She said measure twice around and add about a foot. Well, you should really do that. I only added about 6 inches and I came up short and had to add another section. Grrrr.
I sewed the strips together and hemmed the edges. I eyeballed it because I am too lazy to pin.
Then I had a piece of coconut cake and caught up on a sweet mom from our church that is fighting pancreatic cancer. Please pray for Leigh.
There is no getting around pinning and ironing on this part. Again, I eyeballed it because I am lazy and I enjoy "good enough" sewing. A real seamstress would probably measure each pleat for precision.
Chloe woke up from her nap at this point, so I got a little help.
I pinned the pleats (right side, to right side) on the footstool.
Next, I attached the pleats. I was amazed all this fabric fit through my sewing machine. I was also shocked I didn't break a needle with all those pins. I removed the ones I could see as I went but I ran right over a few.
And here she is, my little beauty.
...and the rest of the room.
I am linking this to YOU:Create and Works for Me Wednesday, go check 'em out. And don't forget to go to Pink and Polka Dot's Slipcover party! She taught me everything I ever needed to know about making slipcovers.
Tracy that is so cute - you did a wonderful job on the slipcover! And, you church mom is in my prayers.
ReplyDeletep.s. thanks for sharing "the rest of the room" it's important to keep it real.
xoxo
It's very cute! Thanks for sharing the steps you took. I am an "eyeballer" too. LOL It keeps things interesting!
ReplyDeleteShe is very pretty! And you're just being transparent with the rest of the room! Good for you! :D
ReplyDeleteWhen I made a pillow out of some vintage mattress fabric from my grandparents' house, I just KNEW I was going to wreck my sewing machine. I was using thick fringe and pins all over the place and had forgotten everything I learned as a Home Economics Major in college. But I didn't...it lives to tell the story. : )
Wow! You did a great job-at explaining it, too! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI think it looks great! And your rest of the room looks just like my whole main floor does right now. :)
ReplyDeleteThat looks great. Matches the couch so well.
ReplyDeletewow!! so cute and much better than the other one.... :) praying...
ReplyDeleteWow, you did an AMAZING job!!! Want to come over and give me some lessons? :)
ReplyDeletewhat a cute helper you have! I love the fabric you chose and the pleats and the finished product!
ReplyDeleteNeat tutorial Tracey!
ReplyDeleteI follow you on Twitter and I believe we're both attending the Relevant Conference next month in PA! I also live here in Northern VA, and after reading your blog (and this post in particular), I realized we might know some of the same folks. My friend Terry is the one who is updating Leigh's CaringBridge page, and I remember Leigh's family from years back when my husband and I used to attend RBC. I've been lifting her up in prayer!
So glad to have *met* another local sister-in-Christ like you, whom I'm already connected with on Twitter. It's a small world!
Laura, Frugal Friends in Northern Virginia