Just like new!

I saw this chair on the side of the road one morning when taking the kiddies to school. Well actually there was two of them, but by the time I came back the best one had been snatched already so I decided I couldn't possibly leave this one lonely, all by itself, abandoned to the element! I am kind like that you know... Anyway, I brought it home despite a suspicious smell rising from it - it must have been left somewhere damp or something dampened it... (does not bear to think about what that could have been ...). I fully intended to deal with it there and then, but then time is not something I have in abundance so it just got left in the lounge covered up in a blanket to hide its sad condition. I have been looking for a nice material to recover it but since it was my first armchair recover of this type I didn't want to pay a lot and find that I messed it up. So I went for a simple stripey canvas bought at the Birmingham market for the bargain price of £16! "That will do for my first attempt" I thought... and if it came out rubbish, I wouldn't be crying in the leftovers..."

As you can see it was in desperate need of a makeover!

After 3 (long) hours taking all the staples off the upholstery I finally got to this ....

My daughter primed the frame ( not a very good job but she has to learn right?) and I finished it in Laura Ashley "truffle". It give it a kind of beach wood look which goes well with the fabric. Lucky, as I already had the paint so I didn't have to buy anymore!

It was also my first time at making and using piping. I had a few tribulations - my machine started to sew backwards just to p... me off  and wasted a good hour of my time whilst I was trying to work out why the sudden whim. Just as I was resigned to have to sew the whole thing in reverse gear, it started going forward again!! I hate my sewing machine, it was expensive and yet it is the most unpredictable and unreliable piece of crap I have ever owned. My previous one cost me £90 and lasted me years without an itch (until my son dropped it on its head, that is!). This one cost me over £250 and I have never been able to just set it up and start. It hates fine fabrics and don't even ask it to do a button hole!!! Anyway I diverge....

See my excellent piping, sorry I have to boast as I have always shy ed away from piping before!

And here is the result of the finished product. It doesn't go with my bedroom wallpaper but its not meant to stay in this room, so it doesn't matter.

and here is what it looks like with a bum on it!

I am not sure the material I used would last long with heavy use, but it is to go in my youngest daughter's room when it's done up (eventually, maybe before she's 18... she is 12 at the moment!) so it will last at least until she gets bored of it!