What I Wish I Didn't Know About Reupholstering

Well, it happened. Finally. I finished those chairs. I started them in August 2010, and sloooowly worked on them over the years. I know: YEARS. This was a much bigger project than I anticipated (when is it not?!?). Just so you have the complete picture, here's the before:

And the after:

In retrospect, probably not worth it. I spent about $150 in materials, including the chairs. Then I spent a bazillion hours. I think I'd rather pay for the chairs. Although, you never know when I might change my mind.

To help me retain sanity (and never reupholster a full chair/sofa again), I have compiled The List of What I Wish I Didn't Know About Reupholstering:

• Nap is not something restful when it comes to fabric. This pattern has a very definite direction and sequence. Even though I bought enough fabric, the "nap" (or repeating pattern, in fabric-speak) reduced it dramatically. Meaning: the throw pillow had to be made out of different fabric. Unfortunately, the fabric was on clearance, so there was no going back for more. I have actually thought about getting some green or orange fabric for the pillow. However, since my children have "tagged" these chairs (see below), what's the point? Really.
• Tapestry is not an easy fabric to work with, even when sewing straight lines. So why did I choose it for a project like this? Because I'm a masochist. If you decide to do something like this, take my advice: use a medium- or light-weight fabric. Tapestry is a bad choice for beginners like me.
• Piping is a pain. But it makes the chair. So, what do you do? You do the piping and swear and prick your fingers and then wish you had chosen a chair without so many details.
• An electric staple gun is great, but not really enough for a chair like this. There are staples exploding out the chair on a regular basis.
• Reupholstering is a relationship, not a project. It takes time and dedication. Even the cushions were not as simple as I thought (see "Piping" above) and took many hours.

Funny story: My mother-in-law came over while I was holed up resting my broken leg. She said, "Why don't you just finish those cushions? It would only take a couple of hours - that would just drive me crazy to not have them done when I know it wouldn't take so long to get them done!" With this running through my mind over the next few months, I finished the throw cushion. Easy. Then I did the bottom cushion. Not so easy - 12 hours later, I finally finished both of them. A couple of hours, my foot. Morale of this story: Don't Listen to Well-Wishers on a Project They Are Not Doing.

Now for the sad news. The kids have gotten to these chairs, and not in a good way. There are already holes in the fabric (sob!) and Jack decided to color the pattern in for me. He really is a spectacular color-er. Sadly, this just goes on the list "Top Two Reasons Not to Give Children Sharpies":

Chair 1: Fluorescent Green

Chair 2: Fluorescent Orange

See, not even colored out of the lines. Makes me want to toss the whole project, though, let me tell you. Whatever, at least the chairs match and are DONE. Anyone else finish a project that went south in the doing, especially if it wasn't your fault? I'm hoping not, but at the same time...at least it wouldn't be me!

Have a great week, and may your projects be more successful than mine!

The Writing on the Wall

Well, there's no writing on the wall yet. The paint still has to cure a little. But! We have two enormous chalkboards!

Doug suggested I use the laser level to put up the lines...it was a good suggestion. See how straight they are?

Sophie and Jack helped me tape the hallway. Surprisingly, they were a lot of help. Sophie kept pushing down the tape that popped up - mostly on the baseboard - and Jack industriously covered the heating register. Then they posed for pictures to show how proud they were of their work.

They were a little disappointed that they couldn't help paint. The paint had numerous warnings though: no contact with skin. No contact with eyes (as if I am going to use this stuff as eye drops, right?). Don't inhale the fumes.

Yikes! So I opened the windows - thankfully, it wasn't too cold this weekend - and painted with the smaller kids upstairs. The first coat didn't look too great, to be honest. There were "holidays" (places where the paint didn't cover completely) all over the place. If I tried to go over it, the paint would smear even worse. So, I left it, hoping that the second coat would go much better.

And it DID! No, I'm not excited at all. The second coat really smoothed things out.

If you look close, it looks like someone has scratched the surface...
it's just fingerprints. Beware, they show up really well.

Since I had so much help with the tape, my lines even turned out really well. Usually I have some bleeding underneath the tape, but apparently three-year-olds are the solution to that problem.

Tomorrow, we can get out the chalk. I can hardly wait.

Two Gi-normous Chalk Boards. Woot!

Give the Man a Crown

Since we aren't spending any money in February, Doug and I have been reduced to finishing projects.

I know, tragic. At least in my case. In Doug's case, it means that my kitchen is one step closer to being complete!

Doug spent an entire day measuring, cutting, and assembling the crown molding for the cabinets. First he added a support for a topper...

Then the topper itself (where the molding would be nailed on)...then the molding.

The ceiling isn't level...so the molding isn't flush to the ceiling.
Well, we have to redo the ceiling anyway...

 He also took it upon himself to make sure the cabinets were screwed in correctly. This one, apparently, was hanging on by one screw.

Then he decided to add an extra shelf, because he hates having stuff around the computer. S'okay with me, let me tell you.

He promises that he has all the materials to finish this. And there are still a few days left in February, so it might get done! I can't wait to start organizing...

P.S.: In case you're wondering, the missing cupboard door was a casualty of a date night. We came home and found an apologetic child...and a broken cupboard door. We're still undecided as to whether it can be fixed. Bummer, huh?