Quick, Easy and Cheap Chair Makeover

(AKA How to Turn an Accident into an Asset!)

If I were a bettin' woman, I'd bet you have a chair something like mine...stuck somewhere. 

Maybe you found it in a thrift store for $5 like I did.

Maybe you inherited it, and it doesn't quite work with your environment, but you would not want to get rid of it...

Maybe it is a great chair, but it has a spot that won't come out, or a hole or two, like my chair did.

Let me back up a bit and help you and your chair out by telling you that before the holes, I had painted this chair in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint...dirty upholstery and everything. 

It kept the fabric soft an pliable, unlike my attempts with watered down latex paints. It covered well. 

I used the paint full strength on the wood, and watered down by more than half for the fabric. 

Then, after a tiring, hot garage sale day (having one, not going to them), I sat in it. I heard a distinct pop and felt an uncomfortable hard place at about the same time. We had pulled a couple of clothing items from the sale and put them in the chair, along with a piece of ornamental iron...I didn't see the iron and didn't consider moving the clothing from the chair before plopping into it. 

If you don't know this about me yet, I procrastinate fiber projects like sewing pillows, curtains, and upholstery. I will occasionally cover a square seat cushion, but this one was a bit more complicated, so I kept putting it off. 

Then I began to see patchwork upholstery things in Pinterest...usually in industrial or bohemian type rooms. 

So when I began my heavy industrial living room revision, I decided to stop putting a pillow over it and try something semi-permanent. I had nothing to lose! (Details on this vignette HERE.)

Here is what the finished chair seat looks like:

It was quick and easy, and free, since I had some basic materials on hand already. I bet one more time that you probably have them around as well...if not, you can find them at Walmart or Hobby Lobby. 

Supplies needed for a patchwork chair fix:

• Fabric - however much you think you need...I used remnants of a drop cloth I had on hand from recovering square chair cushions. If you're not a fan of industrial shabby, you could use upholstery pieces, denim, anything you might find to coordinate with your room. A heavier weight fabric will be better than a light weight.

If you're a seamstress, you could finish the edges. I just ripped my drop cloth into random rectangular shapes and called it good. 

• Aleene's Tacky Glue (click here for the web site.)

This glue is made for fabric, and it is the perfect consistency - not too drippy, not too dry. It dries soft and pliable, not hard and stiff. You can find it at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, or order it online through Amazon.

• Stencil or fabric transfer materials of your choice

If you use drop cloth and want to do a faux lettered piece like I did, you'll need a stencil of your choice. I didn't put a lot of thought into mine, just picked a few letters, I think M, Q and W, for no reason other than they were on the top of the stack.

For those of you who have mastered fabric transfers, they would be fabulous!

• Sharpie marker 

I used a regular black, but you could use any permanent marker you like - thin, fat, colored, etc.

• Brown acrylic paint mixed with water 

I used this to age my drop cloth. It looked a bit too "raw" before. 

Note: Don't do this like I did it...I'm giving you the proper order below - which I will use when I do this again! 

I had planned to use raw drop cloth, but did not like the contrast. So I stenciled and painted after gluing...

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Draw your letters on your canvas drop cloth with a sharpie, outlining carefully inside the stencil. Fill in lightly, trying to avoid obvious texture or directional marks.

2. Water down your brown acrylic paint so it is like intensely muddy water. Paint it on your fabric to get a mottled aged effect. (I dipped the tip of a 1 inch flat brush into  a dollop of paint, then swirled it in  water I had dribbled into the lid of a yogurt container.)

3. Go look at Pinterest or put dinner in the crock pot while it dries. If you are impatient like me, use a hair dryer to dry your fabric.

4. Make a tiny cut in the canvas where you want the rip to begin. Then, rip a straight line. Make another tiny cut and rip again. Rip random sized patches to cover your spots, holes, etc. Fray the edges a bit. (I prefer the look of more than one patch. Go for 3 or 5...)

5. Spread a thin layer of glue all over the back side of your patch, covering even the frayed edges. 

6. Position one patch at a time, pressing from the center toward the outside in all directions to ensure it is adhered with no wrinkles. Keep going with your patches until you think it looks good. 

7. Let it dry - I let mine dry overnight to ensure no glue would leak out of the edges or patches would not move around when sat on.

That's it. Simple, and I think, it will be durable, too. 

Word for the Day:

Matthew 9:16

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.

Possibly Linking With:
Sunday
http://thoughtsfromalice.blogspot.com/	Sundays at Home
http://my1929charmerblog.com/	Sunday’s Best
http://www.niftythriftythings.com/	Nifty Thrifty Sunday
Monday
http://modvintagelife.blogspot.com	Mod Mix Monday
http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com	Make it Pretty Monday
http://www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com/	Amaze Me Monday
http://distresseddonnadownhome.blogspot.com	Make it Monday
Tuesday
http://knickoftime.net/	Vintage Inspiration Party
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/	Vintage Inspiration Party
http://mysalvagedtreasures.blogspot.com/	Vintage Inspiration Party
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/	Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
http://www.cedarhill-ranch.com/	The Scoop
Wednesday
http://savvysouthernstyle.net/	Wow Us Wednesday
http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/	What’s it Wednesday
http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com	Cottage Style Party
http://tarnishedroyalty.com/	Drop it or Swap it Party
Thursday
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/	Under $100 Link Party
http://frommyfrontporchtoyours.blogspot.com/	Treasure Hunt Thursday
http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com	Home and Garden Thursday
http://www.jannolson.blogspot.com/	Share Your Cup Thursday
Friday
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/	Feathered Nest Friday
http://www.missmustardseed.blogspot.com/	Furniture Feature Friday
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/	Frugal Friday
http://www.thecottagemarket.com/	Junkin’ Joe
http://melissasantiques.blogspot.com/	Thrifty Things Friday
Saturday
http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/	Party Junk

http://www.pneumaticaddict.com/ - Outside the Box Link Party