My director chairs were looking sad, very sad. What is it about Spring that makes me look at things in a different way, with a different eye?
Well, whatever it is, "it" was making me want to do something drastic to my sad and neglected director chairs. I didn't want to throw them out. Realistically, they can easily give me another 20 years of service. Yes, I've had them THAT long.
I like director chairs. Always have. They're comfortable and convenient.
These four have already had a couple of different transformations in their long life and now some black and white striped Ikea fabric seems to be irresistible.
It's heavy enough and strong enough to do the job. So, it was time to get started.
From a distance, they didn't look all that bad.
But, on closer inspection,
the signs of age were all too evident.
They did not pass the test ... that face says it all ... chipped paint, discolouration, stains. Not good enough.
So, firstly, they needed to be deconstructed.
Frames ... and, yes, of course, it was raining, so I had to delay the painting of the frames.
Seat. Well, seats, four of them.
A little unpicking, just the pocket for the back support. (The remainder of the seam widths I judged by eye.) I now had a pattern to use.
I cut out one side then folded and cut the other so that the curves were the same.
I turned up a small hem at the top and the bottom and stitched with a slightly longer stitch than normal.
Then clipped the curve so it would sit flat.
Ironed it over once.
Then again.
And stitched.
Those little wrinkles ironed out easily.
Oops, forgot to mention that I had overlocked all the side edges.
On the seat base edge, I turned over 2.5cm (1"), ironed, then stitched 1.25cm (½") from the turned edge.
On two of my chairs, this tiny pocket takes a piece of dowel which slides into a channel on the frame to secure the seat in place.
The pocket for the back support was next.
I turned over .5cm (¼") , then another 6cm (2½") to form the pocket.
I did a double row of stitching for strength, then tidied up with my new thread snips which I love.
Finally, I stitched across the top of the pocket.
So, the fancy new stripy seats for my chairs were finished.
At points during this process, in between rain showers, I had been painting the frames.
With a little help, of course.
Boy, was that a fun job! So many surfaces to paint. So easy to miss one.
I think it would have been easier if I had had a spot where I could spray paint them rather than use a brush. Regardless, eventually, they were done. Two coats and looking much better.
Now to put the frames and the seats back together.
For the two older chairs without the channel for the seat base, I used black upholstery tacks and some gentle hammering to secure the seat in place.
Soon all chairs were done. It was time for coffee and beetroot and chocolate muffins (recipe here) with a smidgen of cream. Just a smidgen. Yummo.
Spring has come to my back patio. Spring in all its black-and-white-striped-tropical-Bahamas glory.
While I had the paint handy, I also did a tiny hack on my K Mart salt and pepper grinders for the new caravan.
Now we will know which one is the pepper.
A couple of years ago, I did a similar transformation on my favourite cane couch. You can read about that here. Poor cane couch is ready for another update very soon.
Do you have some director chairs which need a Spring update?
Or some salt and pepper grinders that need a tiny hack?
What has Spring inspired you to do at your place?
Catch up again soon.
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