Over this past weekend my sister had the brilliant idea that we should do something (beyond endlessly bitching) about the miserable upholstery on these Heywood Wakefield chairs. I love the set itself, but it was covered in dreadful 80's plaid fabric that was starting to give me eyeball seizures. EYEBALL SEIZURES. Clearly, measures had to be taken immediately! We set upon this task with the determination of people avoiding other projects, even though it meant walking backwards through the Not Yet Two Weeks Old and Therefore Full of Crazy People Ikea to get to the fabric department. We had measurements, but no real zeal for figuring out exactly how much we needed. Educated/wild-ass guesses were made. ("why not six yards?" "why not!")
here are some photos to document the project. (which, astonishingly, is FINISHED.)
Here's the nasty old fabric with the original groovy 40's fabric underneath. Photos really don't do it justice. You might be thinking that's not so bad... but trust me. It was! There was no salvaging the original fabric. Only two of the eight cushions had it to start, and it was pretty well coming apart. We took off the hideous plaid husk and left the bark cloth, but wrapped it up in batting before putting the new fabric on.
I liked this fabric because I thought the black would look good and loved that it looked nothing like the previous fabric. (bonus: it sort of looks like poppies and giant squid having a decorative battle.)
Busby helped, as is his habit. This is his contribution to the whip stitch.
I'll move when I feel like it.
The gnome candle kept us on task under constant threat of a cudgel beating. (actually, the gnome is unrelated to this project, but was on my camera. I believe he is part of a musical set -- he's the conductor for the Gnome Orchestra from HELL.)
six yards was a good guess! this is how much fabric was left over.
ta-da! Not perfect, but so much better than before!
Dash demonstrated immediately how much better the new fabric is for showing orange cat hair. (What is up with his legs? doesn't he look like he's put together backwards, like some mad-scientist experiment gone awry?)
here are some photos to document the project. (which, astonishingly, is FINISHED.)
Here's the nasty old fabric with the original groovy 40's fabric underneath. Photos really don't do it justice. You might be thinking that's not so bad... but trust me. It was! There was no salvaging the original fabric. Only two of the eight cushions had it to start, and it was pretty well coming apart. We took off the hideous plaid husk and left the bark cloth, but wrapped it up in batting before putting the new fabric on.
I liked this fabric because I thought the black would look good and loved that it looked nothing like the previous fabric. (bonus: it sort of looks like poppies and giant squid having a decorative battle.)
Busby helped, as is his habit. This is his contribution to the whip stitch.
I'll move when I feel like it.
The gnome candle kept us on task under constant threat of a cudgel beating. (actually, the gnome is unrelated to this project, but was on my camera. I believe he is part of a musical set -- he's the conductor for the Gnome Orchestra from HELL.)
six yards was a good guess! this is how much fabric was left over.
ta-da! Not perfect, but so much better than before!
Dash demonstrated immediately how much better the new fabric is for showing orange cat hair. (What is up with his legs? doesn't he look like he's put together backwards, like some mad-scientist experiment gone awry?)
Wow! You girls are talented! I am wondering about the origin of the red arrow and F on the original fabric. Was it from when you "hid" the infant QOS in the playpen and left cryptic messages to her whereabouts in a game of wits with Dottie? Red Arrow + F = Four More Steps in this direction to the next clue????
ReplyDeleteGood guess Anonymous T!
ReplyDeletebut I think it was when they put that plaid stuff on -- the the arrow marks the FRONT. (the cushions are counterintuitively shaped.)
Although who can truly know what's running through the mind of someone who would purposely pick that plaid? Maybe it was F for forsythia or formaldehyde or frotteur. (but why would they write any of those things on furniture??? you have uncovered yet another MYSTERY!)
Heywood Wakefield? I will have to look that up.
ReplyDeleteLove your new fabric. Crisp and at the same time weirdly fantastic.
And love the boys, so helpful. That picture of Dash is just freaky. How'd'edodat?
Funny about IKEA--my daughter has been there lo these many times since it opened, also. I sampled her McVeeties (sp.?) But they are still not quite what we are looking for...
SO much nicer than the plaid! I like it! Loki does that freaky twisty maneuver too (he would go so well with your couch, by the way).
ReplyDeletePatty: Heywood-Wakefield -- they are best known for their mid-century furniture, although they've been making it for much longer than that! The set we covered is from the 40's. (Heywood-Wakefield is distinctive (once you know what it looks like) and shows up in a lot of old movies -- I love looking for it!)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that you were having foreign cookie issues! (is this what the mcveetie thing is about? it sounds like it should be cookies.) I hope you find what you're looking for soon.
Martina: Loki WOULD look good on the new fabric! I think the twisty thing is some weird cat yoga.
Thank you both for your kind words! It's been a few days and I still think it looks good. (good sign!)
IKEA...I went Friday night last and it was not as out of control as I thought it would be. I did not enjoy the people on the first level with shopping carts, though. They seemed to think that they did not need to look where they were going. I can say that as a person wearing flip-flops they needed to watch their wheels. Next time I won't accept apologies so easily while my toes throb.
ReplyDelete