Please Be Seated

 

Earlier this week, while aimlessly browsing Instagram, I happened to come across a photo of an office chair, with a quilted seat cover.  This immediately struck a chord with me, I couldn't believe I had never thought to do that to my perfectly functional but plain sewing chair.   That afternoon, I pulled out my bag of Anna Maria Horner scraps ( I had a lot) and randomly started piecing strips, and squares together.  For a little bit of variety, I also added some Amy Butler and Tula Pink scraps.  All  the fabrics are bright vibrant colours with bold designs and meld together perfectly into what I call  a hot mess.

I ended up with two large scrappy quilt blocks, which I quilted with an organic (not perfectly even) diagonal cross hatch.  Batting and backing fabrics were all from my stash.

I rounded the corners on the seat cover, than added a casing for elastic to be pulled through. I was so pleased with how this cover turned out.  The chair back took a lot more work, a little cursing and a bit of unpicking, till I got the shape and fit right.  Again I added a casing for the elastic to pull the base of the back in.  Both seat cover and the back piece are fully removeable, though I don't think I ever want to take them off my chair now.

In a way it was mindless easy sewing, I certainly didn't need to be as precise with my sewing as I have needed to be with the clothes I've made lately, and I didn't really worry about what fabrics or colours were used where.

I am delighted with how it has turned out, and at how cheerful it looks, and am looking forward to more lockdown sewing in my sewing room.

Seat Yourself

Patchwork Chair

 

Rocking Chair

The other day, The Scout arrived home with a chair for me.  I have been saying for a while that I wanted an old chair in the style of the brown checked one on the left.  He found me one - on the roadside.  Apart from the grotty fabric - the rest of the chair is in good condition.  The blue rocking chair on the right, is one he found the same way - when I was expecting Mr J (10 years ago).  We recovered it in the blue fabric - but as you can see, it needs a lot of TLC too now.

So I am currently thinking of ways to revamp these two chairs - I like the idea of bright funky patchwork, perhaps with painted arms and legs, but also I think relatively plain chairs would be good, so I can change the cushions on them (a good excuse for making new covers.)

What do you think - patchwork , patterned or plain?