Greeting crafters! Hope you’ve been making the most of your weekends so far. I’ve literally just finished a project and I just had to write it up because it’s one of those projects that makes me bloody proud to be crafty (and cheap).
So I was looking for a chair that would be ideal for nursing in, and I found a beautiful Ercol rocking chair on eBay going for a song. I eventually won it for £41 and it was delivered last week. It’s a gorgeous chair and the cushions are so comfortable… but they were a bit… eighties shall we say?
The original cushions – grim!
Pretty grim huh? It was time for a makeover.
I had this lovely vintage cotton I picked up at a market in Crouch End a few months ago. I’d been saving it for cushions but when I realised how beautifully it went with the dark wood of the chair I was committed.
I just traced around the original cushions directly onto the fabric, noting where the zips were. I used some ready-made piping I had in my stash and hey presto, three hours later, we have a transformation!
I’m so so chuffed with this! It’s weird that a little project like this can make you so happy isn’t it? I can’t wait to get crocheting in this later tonight!
Do you find little projects can have a completely out of proportion impact on your sewing mojo? What’s been your proudest crafty moment recently?
Thats just so much more warm and inviting- great save!
Awh thanks Anne!
What a save, those cushions now match the awesomeness of the chair’s wooden frame! Excellent work, I especially love the piping detail!
Cheers Marie!
Great job Jo!! I love those old Ercol rockers. So caressable!! I don’t think I’d be able to sit in one without rubbing my hands up and down the arms, lol!
What ya crocheting?
Px
I do that too Portia! I have to say I always think of your fabulous ‘Ooh she’s cheap’ series when I do something like this now! I am crocheting yet another baby blanket! What else?!
A lovely improvement!
I refurbed a footstool recently- just cost me £5 from a charity shop, but that included having to contend with 70s tan/brown velour! Well, that had to go…
Changing furniture feels like quite the achievement, doesn’t it?
Ah excellent crafting skills Tania!
Lovely! It’s so nice to have a great nursing chair and this is soooo pretty.
I recently made a fishing vest for my daughter (which I trimmed to excess!!) and I absolutely loved the process and the result. Her excitement probably greatly contributed to my enjoyment too!
Yes definitely another great crafty bonus is having someone else enjoy what you’ve done. Puts the selfish into selfless sewing
What a lovely chair, so much better now you have covered it.
it looks gorgeous
Three hours ? Three hours?! That is amazing and very inspiring. Someone has been trying to convince me to help re-upholster something. Hmmm…
It was SO much easier and quicker than I thought it would be Karen – give it a go!
Great job, looks amazing Joanne. I think there is a real difference in occasionally sewing home things when you normally sew clothing because they are in your face, reminding you to feel proud all day every day from then on ( instead of in the wash, in the ironing pile, in the wardrobe or occasionally being worn!) my jumper into a cushion is something that i wish I’d done sooner and love looking at now. Sadly the bedroom blinds are constantly niggling me shouting at me to remake them, but I keep employing delaying tactics…..I should remember the end result will make me continually happy, shouldn’t I?!? But when there’s lovelies to sew………it’s so hard to get motivated!
Absolutely agree and I love your jumper cushion Winnie – it’s the perfect upcycling jobby. I think taking a break from clothes sewing helps sometimes. For example today I cut out and sewed most of my winter coat muslin and I think that’s mostly down to a sewing high caused by a quick win!
It’s gorgeous! And three hours?! WOW!
Joanne, this is too fabulous. I love ercol and you’ve matched the fabric to the project just beautifully! x
Ahh – such a breath of fresh air! The chair looks so lovely and comfy! I’m starting to give the eye to the living room furniture now…
Ooh, this looks so much better! For some reason home dec projects scare me– this doesn’t seem like a little project at all!
But it was – who knew!
That fabric reminds me of some stuff called “Daisy Chain” designed by Pat Albeck (ma-in -law of Emma Bridgewater) which I bought in the -ahem- 60s when I was at college. It was sold as curtain fabric in John Lewis but I loved it and made a long dress for a party – sailed confidently into the party only to realise that the owners of the house loved it as well but had used it for – yes- curtains!
LOL – a Von Trapp themed embarrassing moment! That’s hilarious Deidre bless you!
You really are talented. The chair looks amazing and you did it!!
That is very very kind but seriously it was dead easy!
Then that’s a great result for you.
Nice work, those cushions look great with the colour of the wood. That chair looks so comfy and inviting.
Holy awesome chair refashion, batman!! Nice work!!
This is amazing! That fabric couldn’t be perfecter…! I seem to accumulate so much stuff from ebay and especially crap I find on the street, and I have such good intentions to reupholster, sand and paint etc etc etc… not enough hours in the day I say.