Starting My 2nd Re-upholstery Project

Even though I purchased the fabric for this project last spring, I’ve procrastinated. There were other projects that needed my attention over the summer such as spreading mulch, painting the interior of the house and pulling up ceramic tiles in the laundry room and kitchen.  And, I found out just how much work it takes to remove move than 1000 staples, keep track of fabric pieces and then re-assemble a wing chair.

I discovered why it costs so much to have a wing chair recovered. The instructions that I’d found online and You Tube videos provided some guidance. However, my chairs were custom made 25 years ago and I knew I would be dissatisfied with the results if I took short cuts. I also knew that if the job did not look professionally done my husband would not allow the chair in our living space. Better a cat defaced heirloom quality chair than an obvious DYI that screams “good enough for government work”!

My first project turned out great for a first effort. But that chair sits in my office, the darkest room in the house where nobody is likely to see the flaws. This chair, however, accents our family room where it will be on display to all who come calling. So there is a bit more pressure to kick it up a notch.

At least I’ve learned some valuable lessons from round one. Buy extra fabric.  Mark each piece of fabric as it is removed – the order and location. Use the pieces carefully removed from the chair as pattern pieces and cut the fabric generously.  Be cognizant of the fabric design and measure, measure, measure to ensure the design is centered and all pieces are laid out in the same direction! Do not rely on a staple gun, staples and glue alone.  To get the fabric pulled tight it is necessary to use upholstery thread and needle and hand sew the pieces together on the chair. Trim can hide minor mistakes. A nice throw can also disguise minor flaws.

So I started this evening during Jeopardy and managed to remove the bottom back pieces in about 2 hours. That’s why I’ve put this off. I now know just how much time and effort this project will require. But I know now that I can do this and that I will be pleased with the result at a fraction of the price of a new chair with cotton/linen fabric.  So tallyho!