Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Am I Crazy?

I am not sure where it came from...have not decided if it is a good thing...do others think I have lost my mind? Hmmm, so many questions.
I have this "thing" that is just part of me.
I think I can do most anything...
Now, there are things I choose NOT to do...
like change the oil in my Jeep, or rotate my tires, or maintain the chlorine level in our septic system...
But, I FEEL that I could do that...so is that a problem, sickness, an ISSUE?
anyway, on to this
I bought this chair several years ago(at Round Top) for my sons room, for him to lounge in, kick his feet up, watch movies, do some gaming. Of course, with the FULL intention of re-upholstering it to his liking.
Now, 3, 4 or so years later it is back in my possession. It was fine for about 6 months or so, then, it started happening...He started growing and his big ole 6' 5 1/2" body was not kind to my little vintage chair. It  was being held together with a bungee cord and when you sat in it your butt would slide to the right...so it is now time to do something with it.
 The little ottoman has been stripped of its fabric and painted with ASCP Old Ochre. The frame of the chair is in this state below. ALL of the joints needed to be glued and clamped...
oh...see the clamp on the arm of the chair? Yep, my manly man, always ready to help and I really don't deserve someone as wonderful as him, really I don't...
anyway, he had the rubber mallet beating around on the joints and actually just broke the arm of the chair in two...uh-huh....oh well.
It has been repaired...glued and screwed...after a little wood filler and paint...who will know...
except you? :)

 So, here is the chair, today....This weekend I stripped it of everything it has ever known to start a new life as some cutie, patootie chair that will grace the corner of my living room when it is all said and done.
I have ordered all the necessities...jute webbing, burlap, dacron cushion wrap, twine....
 So, back to the beginning of this post...
I have NEVER done ANYTHING like this before.
I sew...curtains, slip covers, bedding...
I paint...furniture, signs, anything I can get a paint brush on...
I bake....love baking sweets
But, I have never re-upholstered ANYTHING!
And...I believe that I can....we shall see...

I will admit...one of the most tedious things I have ever done is remove every staple, tack, nail, brad and nasty little things that get caught in the middle of a chair after years of use.


Oh yeah...I did a little research on this chair...It is a Streit Slumber Chair...found the name on the frame of the chair. They were produced from the late 19th century until the 1950's by the Streit Manufacturing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. It has a wood piece on the back of the chair that allows you to recline the chair back to different "slumber" positions. The first recliner of sorts. The footstool top lifts off and has a "slipper compartment".  How cute is that? I also read somewhere that the top of the footstool would be flipped over to offer a tray for a drink...

I think I will love this chair...need a name for the chair...hmmm

get back with you on that one...any suggestions?

Mandy

Linking up to
From My Front Porch to Yours

4 comments:

  1. I know it will be awesome!! I wish I could sew slip covers and what not.

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  2. Mandy,
    Good luck with this re-do!You are brave! But I am sure it will turn out great!!! It is a great chair with a good bit of history!!!
    Hugs
    Mandy(!)

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  3. Did you finish reupholstering this chair? Would love to see any how tos or finished images.

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  4. I just saw you post. I have purchased a 1948 slumber chair it's in really bad condition, but I do want to restore it to it's beautiful self. So if you could give me some pointers and where to purchase the things on line I would greatly appreciate it thanks

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