My latest slipcover project: dining room chairs-a bit involved and a larger bit time consuming. But the result I think is lovely. Bleached white medium weight linen, pre-laundered (washed and dried)...this is what gives the linen that wonderful crumply look...and, after you wash and dry it once-you can do it again with no fear :) I admit it is somewhat scary to put that new wrinkle free linen into the washer and dryer, but it is worth it! Just make sure to cut large pieces, maybe 5-7 yards, for washing. Let me know if you have questions about this process. Again, it is "so" worth it!
The texture after washing lends a sort of rustic effect to the fabric...which works beautifully with the sophisticated elegant look in a dining room. The plan was to make the slipcovers follow the curves of the backs of the chairs...ok, so we will use cording...and, then the armchairs-armchairs? Armchairs always throw a kink into the plan...so much more difficult...and the decision of how to "treat" the arms. Kay, my newest client-and someone who has great ideas-, at first thought, wanted to cover the arms completely. Gasp....could I do that?...never done that on dining chairs...so we left it at "let me get it going and think about it". So, think, think, think....I did.
I made the slipcovers for the armless side chairs first. Really, I want to tell all of you...your seamstress is not making a million dollars-it takes time...and lots of it :) I always worry about charging too much $, but you know, it is custom work....and did I not tell you in an earlier post...I do not have elves that come out at night to do this work (oh how I love that story "The Shoemaker and the Elves")...I stay up late, late, late at night to do this work a lot of the time-hey, maybe if I did not stay up so late, the elves would appear!! Oh, well, I don't know how I got onto that tangent-I just think about it sometimes. No one has mentioned that my prices are too high as of late...only that one time someone on the telephone about a fancy smancy window treatment and a big window, too-well-I guess she was not used to custom sewing :)
Back to the slipcovers now. I completed the side chairs using the lovely crumpled linen for the fronts, backs, cording, and skirts-and an ivory matelasse leaf design for the seats. Kay wanted a back pleat detail...with a tab and buttons-so I chose to use beautiful shell buttons instead of traditional covered buttons. It gives a little "glitz and glam"...pretty shiny buttons-they almost look like little antique mirrors. Kay designed the skirts to be tailored, with pleated corner detail...and tea length, showing just a little of the dark stained chair legs. All in all, very, very pretty and tasteful.
While waiting for the last bit of fabric to wash and dry, I played around with the arm chairs. I kept going back to the covered arm idea. And this is not my first parade...I mean, I have made slipcovers for awhile now-but how to cover that arm???? I decided to treat it like there was a full arm there (like a club chair)...so I corded the top shape of the arm...and sewed fabric to the top shape, creating a totally covered arm. A few of the same details as the side chairs...and a sort of crown effect using smaller shell buttons and a couple of pleats on the fronts. The result is a dining room full of lovely crumpled linen slipcovers-sophisticated and refined, yet rustic and casual...
Oh, and by the way, call or email me to help with your slipcover or window projects-I LOVE THEM!!!
And, I have now added PayPal invoicing as an option for you clients who like to pay online :)
Ask me for details.
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