diy oversized chart - part 3

My 2018 New Years resolution this year has a theme of "finish what you start." I'm going back through things I've started in the past year, both home and work with the intent of finishing.

This blog series I started last November, 2016 - the DIY Oversized Chair.

We rearranged some things in the house today, and we pulled the slipcover off the chair and washed it. I do love this canvas material, it washes up fabulously. 

Good time as any to take some finishing pictures and put this one to bed. I rifled through my camera and found some photos.

The biggest mistake I made with this chair was going expensive on the foam. Form for the seat and back cushion ran me a good $500. Don't do it - start with inexpensive stuff.

I thought the back cushion would be like a wedge, an angular cushion for the back. I bought this form way too thick for that I needed. In hindsight, I would have gone with really big pillows for the cushions.

The frame was done and I began stapling down some foam over the arms. Cotton went down over the seat and I used last years curtains for the under upholstery. The polka dots were really bright, so I just turned the fabric to the wrong size.

Cotton over the arms making them nice and soft.

Cutting and draping the upholstery fabric over the frame.

Until it was done.

If you done any upholstery before, it's the same. Drape, cut, and staple down. Here's an article I did on upholstery if you're having trouble visualizing.

Stapled down the spider guard. Keeps those little critters from rooting inside the furniture.

Little peak from the back.

I then started making the slipcover, and looking through my pictures I couldn't find any of my progress. But .... I did a blog of slipcovers here - the same techniques apply. Another mistake ... getting white canvas fabric, but thank goodness it's washable.

It only took me a year to post the end result, but here it is.

I think by the time I was done buying all the materials and putting in the labor, I probably should have just bought a chair. The pro to this is that I know the frame is solid - poplar is not going to break anytime soon. The cotton under lament is the best you can get - and the foam is guaranteed for 15 years. So, yea, I could buy one, but the life expectancy of this one is far longer.

Burke has been using the chair for over a year now, and it's big enough for him plus an occasional visit of the dog and daughter.

Would I do it all over again? 

Yep, probably. With one under my belt and the lessons I learned, the next one should be a cinch!

chair project

Holly and I went shopping for William's room makeover a year ago and found this chair at the local salvation army. She really wanted it sooooo I got it. It was in decent shape when we bought it.

Of course, it did not look like this when I bought it. :) This is the new and improved version. I believe I paid $15 for it.

It looked like this when I removed it from her room. She used it for about a year when it began to fall apart. I bought her a nice chair for Christmas, and she didn't need it anymore. I liked the chair and needed one for our guest bedroom, so Burke and I set out to recreate it.

I purchased some new fabric from fabric.com. I got some heavy duty duck canvas listed for $8.98/yard. I ordered 2 yards, but I only needed 1. I love the duck canvas and I'll find another use for the extra yard.

Burke and I began to strip down the old fabric - taking out all the staples making sure to keep the fabric in tact so I could use it as my pattern. He used my seam ripper to disassemble the fabric.

We bought some new foam from JoAnn Fabrics and Burke cut it down to size. I can't remember how much in particular we paid for the new foam - maybe $10. The difference is quality from what was on there is amazing.

Burke reinforced the underside with some heavy duty stuff he bought from Ace hardware. He just strip tied it to what was already there.

Using the old fabric as my pattern - I cut out and sew'd together the top and bottom covers. The duck canvas is super tough fabric and perfect for a chair. I double stitched everything to make it nice and sturdy.

Burke got some smaller pieces of foam to put on the seat around the wood to make it comfy for your legs. He cut it to size and used the glue gun to glue it in place.

He put the new cover on it and used the staple gun to put everything back together. I love the way it turned out! It much better quality and will last forever. It now sits proudly in our newly remodeled guest room.