Life Does Not Unfold In A Straight Line

Birthday parties here and afar put progress on the craft at hand on "Pause" temporarily.  We've been buying, wrapping, traveling, and partying our little hearts out for a week! 


Today, the sun is rising earlier and we are waking up with the daylight for our biking and walking.  All is back to quasi-normal.  There is no plan for any party today or in the upcoming week and it will probably take me the better part of the morning to drink my juice and take my vitamins--I keep getting distracted with ideas.  But that's the normal I like.  So--Hooray!   Back to it.


New projects are backing up--so excited about so many things to do.   


Since the sewing machine works so well, I want to make new seats and backs for director's chairs that I've been dying to use for years.  Going to look at my Pinterest ideas for patio furniture to look at colors.   I can use the old canvas as the pattern for their replacements. The real thing that's holding me back today is money for new fabric.  In a few days, there will be a fabric shopping spree!  


Also want to get the fabric for the slip cover that I've already begun.  It's pictured below.  That's going to be so satisfying when it is completed. There is no new progress on that project.  Also awaiting fabric funding.  And when company came to visit I made the error of moving the sewing machine into the bedroom.  I truly believed I would sew there, but alas, it's out of sight and out of mind.  So it's going back into the sunroom.  Today.  


I want to use some scrap fabric to made more large pillow cases for our king-sized pillows that we were lucky enough to get from the Borgata during a pillow give-away last year.  I saw some adorable fabric cases (See the link here) that gave me the inspiration to try some colorful cases on my own. 

And I've gotten pizza boxes to cover hopefully in a fabric that I've already used in the room.  Do have to see if that's possible.  The pizza boxes will be mounted on the wall at the back of a very high alcove that's in our dining area of the great room.  The idea came from Pinterest.  Here's the link if you want to check out how easy this is to do.  Aren't they awesome in the picture above?  Pizza boxes!  Who will ever know that?

Day 2 - Slipcover Project

Unexpected company today delays my trip to get the fabric and supplies a day, but I did sign up for the mailing list for Jo-Ann's on the internet.

The best news of all is that the sewing machine works beautifully! It's out of its case and behaving like a pro on the sewing test on a cloth napkin (It's pitiful that I don't even have a single scrap of fabric to practice on yet!)--so that's a wonderful--and unexpectedly happy development! TA DA! I ripped the test stitches out of the napkin and returned it to the laundry. No harm done. Frugal, baby! That's me.



The initial Shopping List looks something like this:

1) cheap muslin for stapling onto the chair covering the print that may show through (Online Fabrics has this for $2.15/yd for 59-inch material)

2) staple gun and staples (may have this in garage--I know I saw one when looking for something else)

3) permanent press muslin, natural color, 45-inch wide fabric. Roclon has it for $3.30/yd online for the 45". I wanted 60" but 45 might work just fine. Going to pick up a coupon for it and compare local price to this. Get enough for slipcover, ruffle, and piping

4) pins--$3.30 online, Dritz--have some in old pin cushion in garage, too.

5) paper for pattern (butcher paper? craft paper?), $20-$30 for a large roll of 30-in online.

6) poly/cotton thread in white.

7) cord for piping--Simplicity piping cord $5 online, 12 yds, 3/16" diameter. Will need more than one.

8) do-it-yourself buttons for back--though I may wait to see the best size after I am further along - Etsy lists some beautiful natural cotton/linen covered buttons for $15 for 18 buttons. They are in a couple of different sizes, but enough of the same size for the back of the chair and some to make some coordinating pillows with smaller matchers. Sounds good and at least I know something like this is available.

9) extra sewing machine needles (you never know--I can be a wild woman at the machine)

I had forgotten the basic Singer sewing machine has the arm piece that makes sewing inside sleeves, etc., much easier. Nice!

Loving it,

Sue

We'll See. But I Think I Can Do This!

Source: lamaisonreid.blogspot.com via Sue on Pinterest

I've had this small wing-back chair (pictured below) for a long time. It doesn't look so bad from a distance, or in a very dark room, but it's been here in our attic taking up valuable storage space too long. It either needs a purpose or to leave the premises right away! Meanwhile, I really would love a slipcovered chair like the one in the photo above to use in my sunroom and also as an extra in the dining room. And I think I can do this. The tutorial is very clear, so I'm hopeful that magic can occur.

To turn this poor sad chair with frayed and filthy dirty arms into a beauty that can earn her keep around the house I'll need to buy some permanent press muslin from my local fabric shop, JoAnn's, or from a discount fabric department at our local Michael's or Walmart.

Screeching to a halt already!

No fabric in the house, yet. I disposed of everything when we moved. Plus, I haven't used the sewing machine since we moved to this house either, nearly 5 years ago now, and have no idea if it even works or needs an overhaul before I can begin my project.

And, well, we do have dinner plans with friends and first I'll need to whip up a fancy dancy dessert to take along. See, this is why the chair has been in the attic all this while. It's the getting started part!

Well, TOMORROW, the first day of the rest of my life, I pledge to take a shopping list and "go-get" it all!

Now that's better. I will not let inclination to procrastinate get in the way of progress. Today, I will (1) make up my shopping list and (2) test the sewing machine and (3) clean the fabric already on the chair. I will report back. But, isn't this white slipcover absolutely DARLING? And don't you love the little table with tablecloth next to it? Me too!

Wish me luck!

Sue

It's a marshmallow world!

Last night it was rainy and a bit snowy as we returned from getting a bite to eat. We watched a little television and worked on our computers until we were ready to call it a night. It looked like the precip had stopped outside but when we awoke this morning, were we ever surprised to find this out our sunroom doors! It's been such a warm winter, we really didn't expect snow this year! So pretty!