A Simple Slipcover

I had found a really nice footstool at a local Goodwill store - nice size and height to sit on for big tushes like mine, plus the casters worked perfectly and even the fabric was in perfect condition.
But unfortunately it was a burnt orange velvet from the 70's palette!  ECH

Luckily, footstools are a snap to recover or sew a quick slip cover for.
Since I have kitty cats who sleep on everything, I always slip cover my furniture for ease of laundering.
A slip cover for this was a no brainer.

I wanted something simple but with some feminine gathering, even though I was using one of my more masculine stripe designs, SIGNE STRIPE in pale blueberry and white.
I had it printed on the linen cotton canvas, which sews well and launders well too!

It turned a nicely made, but very ugly footstool into something I can proudly place in any room in my home for use.
Did I mention my entire house is this shade of blue so anything I slip cover will fit in, in any room, as needed!
Saves money and also allows you to have functional, pretty furniture without cluttering up a small cottage with too many pieces.

Laundered and ready to cut!  Signe Stripe in blueberry, on linen cotton canvas from my Spoonflower shop, LilyOake.

Adding readymade piping.  I know color is a bit off but they also somehow worked well together and it saved me time, which is precious to me nowadays.

Piping in place, all I had to do is hem the gathered skirt.

Simple readymade piping and a gently gathered skirt did the trick.

The complete footstool slip cover, awaiting its first use.

Summery Stripes in Blue and White

With the in-home art studio tour over with and a small craft fair this weekend, I have had little time for home projects, other then cleaning and getting art ready!
But Memorial Day afternoon I took some time for myself to sew the slipcover for an ottoman I had found at Goodwill in Edmonds for $5!
It was in like-new condition but was an awful color (that 1970's burnt orange velveteen look).

That had to change!
Luckily I have been teaching myself how to sew slipcovers so that ended up being an easier solution then reupholstering it.

So after considering my many designs in my Spoonflower shop, LilyOake, I decided to go with blue and white stripes.
There's a strong possibility this ottoman (and the chair I'm pairing it with) will be floaters in the house and it needed to fit in each room.
I use the same light blue and white in each room but in different floral patterns so stripes seemed to be the perfect fabric.

I designed Signe Stripe in blueberry and white, to use as wallpaper, originally.  But it also makes a fabulous linen cotton canvas slipcover.

After studying various designs of slipcovers online, I decided I wanted something airy, summery and easy.
So I chose a simple, slightly gathered skirt that dropped to the floor.  I did add light blue piping which picks up one of the blues in the stripes (there are 3 subtly different shades).

As soon as my yardage arrives for the chair, I will sew a cover from the same stripe to make a matching set! (even though that fabulous wide-seat chair was found on Craigslist for $35).

I provided a "before" photo so you could see what I am starting with, both chair and ottoman.

Here's a link to Signe Stripe in blueberry, in my Spoonflower shop, LilyOake Signe Stripe

Slipcover is made with a linen cotton canvas

A simply gathered skirt and piping - perfect summery look!

On the sewing machine. Piping and skirt is on, now for the hem!

Sewing on piping is not my favorite thing to do but I love the look. My new Bernina's piping foot is difficult to use. I sure miss my old Singer's piping foot, but not the machine!

BEFORE - the ottoman and chair I am trying to match up!  The unifier will be Signe Stripe slipcovers.

Dining Chair Linen Cotton Slipcovers

Blue Roses Wreath linen cotton canvas slipcover

       I finally completed the fourth and final slipcover for a set of 4 French-style chairs I bought for a song from a store closing down.  The chairs had a great shape and very cushiony-comfy supportive seats but were painted a hideous grey-peach with cream accents.

   They were the perfect vehicle to show off my fabric designs on and so I got to work sewing slipcovers for them, identical in style but different in prints.
The one thing that really tied them all together was the same color of pale blueberry blue, a staple in my fabric design.

   This fourth slipcover fabric is in "Blue Roses Wreath", available HERE in my Spoonflower shop.
All the slips are on the 55% linen-45% cotton canvas which is marvelous to sew with!

   Baby Stewart was only too happy to test them out AND photobomb them!

Blue Rose Wreath linen cotton slipcover

Slip Covering Some Dining Chairs

Hi!

   I acquired these four dining room chairs through a small shop in Seattle for a killer price (on clearance for around $20/each) and I have to say they are very comfortable to sit on!

   BUT, they are peach and cream, friends, and anyone who knows me, knows my entire cottage is blue & white!

    So the stage was/is set for a transformation to fit them into the decor at Elinor Cottage.

I decided to start with a slip cover for each.  I will use my own fabric designs I have for sale on Spoonflower under my designer name, "Lilyoake", and each chair will be different as far as fabric.  But the same as far as design.

Spoonflower

I ordered my design on 2 yards of Spoonflowers linen-cotton blend.  Its BEAUTIFUL.  Honestly - what a soft but tight weave. Its the perfect weight for slip covers and I might even have some printed up for curtains!

I chose my Jane's Rose Bouquet in blueberry blue for my first chair.  Its a big bouquet of roses in blueberry blues, on a lighter baby blue background.  The blues tend towards the red side as that is what I decorate Elinor Cottage with.

First step was to make a paper pattern I can than use on all four chairs as I go along.  Easy enough.  I taped together printer paper and traced the chair top and back. Trim it out and tweak from there.

Once that was done, I cut out my fabric pieces (I was nervous now too - cutting into this precious two yards!!  Were my measurements right? Was this going to work!?)

Once I managed to get it cut out and started sewing, it just came together.  I decided to add a small drop around the seat and then attach white piping and a more tailored, pleated ruffle (more to my taste).

The back was more of a challenge as I had not planned it as well and I wanted to make sure I was able to remove it easily enough for washing.  Since the chair frames will also get a make over with white and light blue chalk paint with details in gold leaf, I wanted parts of the frame to show through the slip cover so I planned accordingly.  (stay tuned for another posting of how I paint & gild the frame)

The result at the end of my weekend was a very pretty slip covered chair that now fits into my blue & white color scheme - and best of all, I got to use my own fabric design and the slip cover is machine washable!  (I pre-washed the fabric already too, to avoid excess shrinkage later.)

Now I will decide which of my other fabric designs to use next and order the next few yards.  (left over fabrics are becoming napkins and tea pot cozies or pillows!!)

I am very happy with the results!

Beach House Dreaming

With our cold and rainy start to the new year here in Seattle, a room open to the sunshine and crashing waves onto a warm beach is a far-fetched dream!  (not to mention, finding a sandy white beach in the NW!)

Love the feel of this room with the slip covered denim/ticking over-stuffed sofas and the indoor-outdoor deck space.  What an ideal way to live!  Everything says 'casual' and 'laid back, with no fuss'.

Living like this would be like being on vacation 24/7.

New Sofa

 I have been waiting all year to get this new sofa for the family room and am so glad I finally bought it.

It's not that it was too expensive (because it's from IKEA, and its NOT), but it just wasn't the right time to go get it.

But now, with spring coming and spring cleaning going on around the house, we are ready to take the old broken sofa to the dump and replace it with something clean, comfy and big enough for at least two people and a few cats to lounge on at the same time.

It's from IKEA's Ektorp collection.  Slip-covered and washable - that's what I am all about!  This cotton twill cover is very durable and washes well.  I keep the love seat I already have in the living room white as white can be with Mrs Stewart's bluing agent.

If someday the white becomes too soiled or I tire of it, I can simply dip it into some RIT dye and make it baby blue, so it still matches my blue and white home.

http://www.ritdye.com/ 

Although for $99 I can have an extra slip cover...might be well worth investing in.

I have three covers for the love seat.

Comfortable Country

Although I like a little glam in my home (glass chandeliers, toile curtains and golf leaf on frames) I love the Swedish look by mixing it all with down to earth fabrics and simple pieces of furniture too. In other words, comfortable things. I'm more country than anything else.

Growing up in the beautiful state of Wisconsin (village of Manchester, Green Lake Co), I spent my childhood running wild through the countryside. Very fond memories.
Climbing trees, making forts in the neighbor's hay barn, hunting for wild asparagus in ditches, fishing under bridges for bullheads, living on kool-aid popsicles and PB&J sandwiches and riding bike "all over kingdom come" - these "wonderfully country things" one could do growing up in the 1970's - with little or no supervision, I might add!

As an adult, I view countryside living more from a lifestyle/decorating angle.
That is what interests me now. I love the idea of opening my cottage up to the open air and having slipcovers on everything. I like the idea of a simple home with old things.
I like white painted furniture and clean fresh fabrics like toiles on white cotton backgrounds, ginghams, checks, faded florals and tickings.

I live in the city now but my country roots run deep. I even keep chickens now! (outside) heehee
How do you keep a comfortable country feel about your own home?