Last year we were given a beautiful vintage Ercol chair and matching footstool. Since then it has been at the top of my diy upholstery list. We use the chair on a daily basis, quite simply because it is very comfortable.
Last year we were given a beautiful vintage Ercol chair and matching footstool. Since then it has been at the top of my diy upholstery list. We use the chair on a daily basis, quite simply because it is very comfortable.
Here is the chair in question, posing for it’s ‘before’ photos…I have to warn you, the green velour is not a pretty sight. The awful green ‘nylon velour’ is usually covered with a huge welsh blanket, therefore it is all so easy to forget what is underneath… out of sight out of mind!
So when Laura Ashley got in touch to ask if I had any diy projects, that they could help with. I knew exactly what I needed to do. I chose some of their beautiful Greenwich Steel floral fabric A large modern floral print in a perfect weight for covering our chair; a mix of 49% linen and 51% cotton. The grey and white colourway is so fresh and pretty too!
I set to work on my diy upholstery
My first task was to make a paper pattern from the old covers. I unpicked them, separated them and made some notes about the order they had been originally sewn in. Next I traced around the original covers and and cut out some brown paper pattern pieces. As an alternative you could just pin the original pieces to the new fabric, but then I always worry about getting the new fabric dirty.
It all came together very fast and according to plan…for a change!
Here is the obligatory ‘before and after’…
Then that moment: you know the one? When you set up the shot and its looking mighty fine…then he wanders in and settles down to observe the proceedings…!
We all love our newly revamped, updated vintage Ercol chair, so what do you think of my diy upholstery?
PS ..A huge thank you must go to Laura Ashley for supplying the fabric and enabling me to finally tick this one off my List!
PPS if you like sewing projects you may like to read about the pattern I designed for Simplicity Patterns?
Bestest wishes
