Slipcovers by Shelley

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Red and White Buffalo Check Slipcovers

November 26, 2014 by Shelley

First off I know it’s BLACK FRIDAY this week! Use Promo code “BLACKFRIDAY” to receive 25% off any or all of my products! This includes the following

1. How to Slipcover DVD

2. Get it Covered Advanced Slipcover guide

3. Whole 9 yards–Starting and Running a Successful Slipcover Business

4. Pillow Talk–sew pillows with piping and a zipper!

5. Styling Cents–Reuse, Repurpose, and Revive your space!

 

I know I haven’t been blogging as much as I used to. If you want to see updates every few days..follow me on instagram (search slipcovershelley) or follow me on my Facebook Page !

 

Onto my slipcover post….My designer client gave me 12 yards to make 8 red and white buffalo check slipcovers for a set of dining chairs that were out of state. Luckily the clients sister lives in town and has the same chairs! She kindly let me borrow one to make a pattern.

IMG_3730Chair–BEFORE

 

IMG_3732

Chair–AFTER

IMG_3734I am not going to lie–these were a bit challenging! The back posts stuck out quite a bit, so I couldn’t get the seat plus button extender section all in one piece. I ended up facing the back notched out parts and topstitched them–so they’d look nicer when they got washed. Then I had to time it so the white button ended up on a red square! No point in doing a cute button if no one can see it.

IMG_3741White button on red square–I know not many people think about these things. I dissect furniture with my eyes everywhere I go…doctors office, friends houses, church, etc. I even stare at peoples shirts when I am sitting behind them and notice how the fabric is cut on the bias or how it is matched it up.

IMG_3742Here you can see the extender piece I had to add–of course I had to match up the pattern. On the pleat ruffle I wanted the white to be hidden so it looks more grounded and kind of like a ribbon band.

IMG_3751These were quite labor  intensive–but I am very pleased with how they turned out. Just enough of a challenge to feel accomplished when they were done without making myself crazy.

 

Side Notes

1. Taking Dec. 15-Jan 3rd off! Please email me to get on my list for January.

2. Excited for Thanksgiving this week! 3 of my siblings and I rented a large cabin in Park City and are spending Thanksgiving there! Hot tub, tubing, food, and 14 kid cousins, it’s going to be a PARTY! Too bad Heber has to work!

3. Use PROMO code “BLACKFRIDAY” for 25% off any or all of my products!

4. Funny memory that’s been playing in my memory lately…Back in the day when I was attending college, I had decided to major in Business. As a business major I had to choose an emphasis–Organizational Behavior, Marketing, Entrepreneur, etc.

I used to always talk about opening a shop of some sorts that would sell old jeans, white t-shirts, and chapstick (my 3 favorite things at the time hahaha!). My dad would always talk about it with me. When we drove by abandoned rundown buildings, we would dream together about how I could buy the building and open my shop. I grew up in Southern California and in the early 90’s old 501 levis were pretty cool paired with a white men’s v neck T-shirt. My friends and I would regularly head down to Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles and peruse all the cool shops selling old 501’s.

So going off of this dream, I made my emphasis Entrepreneur. Then after a semester, I kind of freaked out! Ummm, I want a JOB when I graduate! Holy Crap, what am I thinking?!! I need to make $ when I am done with school…I need someone to hire me! I immediately looked at my options and switched my emphasis to Organizational Behavior (Human Resources). Then I graduated and interviewed a ton and couldn’t get a job. I ended up taking a job at Eddie Bauer as a Sales Associate for $7.25/hr until they had a management position open up…after 6 months of promises, I was still making $7.25/hr and waiting tables on the side at a nice restaurant. When I ran into people I knew while working, I let them assume I was still going to school. I was too embarrassed to correct them and tell them that I graduated and was still waiting tables. Eventually I ended up managing a Sandwich/smoothie shop and a Bath and Body Works until I had my first baby–which is when I started sewing slipcovers professionally.

Crazy how after all that, I came back full circle  to being an Entrepreneur and running my own slipcover business (14 yrs)–funny how life works out! Maybe we should listen to our guts more and realize what we are meant to do and be.

 

Filed Under: dining chair, matching, plaid, pleat ruffle

Heavyweight White Linen Slipcovers

May 8, 2014 by Shelley

My client had lots of items! 2 wing backs, 1 couch, 1 loveseat and 6 dining room chairs! We ordered some heavyweight white linen from Ulster Linen Company for about $28/yd….this stuff is BEAUTIFUL and heavy weight!!!

 Wingbacks–BEFORE–worn teal velvet. All of this furniture was from her childhood growing up!

 LOVESEAT–BEFORE–The linen was really heavy, but it still had a hard time covering up those dark flowers. I made a separate undergarment (like a slip) out of muslin for more coverage. Just a quick slipcover out of muslin with no piping and a  simple hem–super fast.

 DINING CHAIRS—BEFORE–Cruel covered seats that were getting worn. We actually just used a basic white twill cotton on these and self lined them. I thought the linen would be too heavy and the skirts wouldn’t hang right.

 AFTER–love the white contrast with all the dark wood!

 AFTER–lots of velcro openings on these chairs to make them work with the wood coming down the center back.

 AFTER–used same cotton twill for the knife pleat edge instead of the heavy linen.

LOVESEAT–AFTER

COUCH–AFTER–apparently I got too excited to put the new slipcover on I forgot to take a before pic!

 Tie opening on back and knife pleat edge.

 Finials came off–so I slipcovered like normal and sewed a button hole, so the finial could screw in after the slipcover was installed.

Photobucket Photobucket get it covered photo coveredbutton.jpg the whole 9 yards photo whole9yards.jpg

Filed Under: camelback, couch, dining chair, pleat ruffle, white linen, wingback

Chairs, Ottomans, and Dining Chairs

March 14, 2014 by Shelley

My client picked up these two chairs and ottomans for $25/pair. They were from a Marriott Hotel that was replacing their furniture. WHAT A DEAL!!! She chose a white duck cloth to freshen them up.

 Chair/ottoman—BEFORE

AFTER– 

Close up of arm

I loved her antique round table and chandelier! I love rustic wood pieces. The white contrasted nicely!

We also did 2 arm chairs and 4 side dining chairs. These required some thought… she sent me an inspiration pic, so I knew it was possible, I just had to figure out how to get a skirt on the back with the wood piece down the center of the chair.

INSPIRATION PIC–


AFTER–SIDE CHAIR–my solution was to run the piping on the outside of the posts, attach skirt to piping. Then use velcro to attach the sections to either side of the vertical wood piece.

AFTER–Arm chair–same idea–velcro around the outside edge, but I had to do velcro along the sides as well between the back post and where the arm attaches to the seat. This way once the velcro is detached, the whole cover lifts up and over the wood back.

SIDE NOTE– Brainstorming some new ideas. I am located in Utah.

1) 2 day workshop— day1- slipcover main body of a chair
                                  day2- skirt, cushion, and pillow. 4-6 students/session

2) Job shadowing- come to work with me at my studio for 3 days (slipcovering, appts out, photography, blog, quickbooks, etc) 2-3 students/ session. This would be geared towards someone that has already started or wants to start a slipcover business.

3) Skype mentoring–sign up for the day you have a similar item and follow along in real time.

Tell me your thoughts! What interests you the most, and what would you seriously consider signing up for?

Photobucket Photobucket get it covered photo coveredbutton.jpg the whole 9 yards photo whole9yards.jpg

Filed Under: box pleat skirt, chair, dining chair, ottoman, white duck cloth

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