Reupholstering Tips and Tricks - AKA First big nursery project!!

Yeah...check that shit out^^  Coolest Dr. Seuss nursery chair everrrrr, right?!?

So, I wish I could give you a step by step guide detailing exactly how to reupholster a chair - but I can't.  The fact of the matter is every chair is different and that makes the process of stripping it down and reupholstering it different.  The general idea of it is simple - carefully pull off all the fabric, use that fabric as a template to cut out the new fabric, then put the new fabric on just like you took the old fabric off.  Easy peasy, right?

Well here are a few tips and tricks for you...

• Give yourself plenty of time.  I spent hours just pulling out staples.  This is not a process that is going to be completed in a day.  Maybe if you have a few people and a lot of patience you could finish it in a weekend, but I recommend spreading it out over a bunch of days so you don't give yourself carpal tunnel.
• I used a flat head screw driver and needle-nose pliers to pull out all the staples, it worked quite well.
• Save everything you pull off!!  Seriously!  Every scrap of cardboard, random spikey thing, and piece of fabric.  Saving everything will make it a million times easier to reassemble it.
• Label everything.  Where it goes on the chair, what order you pulled it off in, which part of it pulled up first, etc.  I just used a sharpie and wrote right on the panels where they went and all the details that would help me successfully replace it with new fabric.
• Don't expect perfection.  Seriously, this is true of all my projects.  If I wanted or needed it to be perfect there's probably someone out there I can pay hundreds of dollars to do it for me and there's a reason why they charge so much - this shit is time consuming!  There are some snags in my fabric from me stapling wrong and the back of it is a little wonky (I didn't have quite enough fabric but whatever...who's going to be looking at the back??)

So here's what you need - 

• A cheap piece of old furniture that hopefully was built well but just needs a facelift (you don't want the frame of the chair to be falling apart, just the fabric!)
• Flat head screwdriver and needle-nose pliers (to remove staples)
• Upholstery fabric - no not waste your time and get fabric that isn't heavy enough to be considered upholstery fabric...it will fall apart and then you will have wasted hours of your life for nothing.  I did, however, decide I could use a non-upholstery fabric on the parts that won't get much wear and tear and I think it was a safe decision (the blue Lorax tree print is just normal cotton, not upholstery weight fabric).  I calculated how much I would need after I ripped off all the fabric.
• A staple gun.  I have a fancy one my Dad got me for my birthday (after I reupholstered my kitchen chairs with just a hammer and upholstery tacks he decided I needed a staple gun) but you could use one of those old school plain ones (like this) - it would just take longer.
• A seam ripper to disassemble the cushions 
• And if you're like me...a hot glue gun.  Yes, I hot glued some parts, but I'll never tell you which ones (muahahahahaha) <--not sure why I'm evil laughing about that

I got the chair used from someone on base and it actually reclined (the foot part doesn't pop out, it just reclines) but not very well.  The Sailor actually re-did all the mechanical bits so now it reclines smoothly.  It cost $20.  Then I spent about $50 on fabrics (from onlinefabricstore.net and fabric.com).  

There is some sewing involved to make the covers for the cushions (just like the rest of the chair you pull the cushion apart - with a seam ripper - and use the pieces as a pattern for the new cover).  For this chair I was able to save the zipper on the bottom cushion but the back cushion was originally attached to the chair itself.  I decided it would be easiest for me to make it another cover so I had to get a long zipper for that which also cost me a few bucks. 

I would say I spent between 25 and 30 hours on the chair in all spread out over a bunch of days over two weeks.  But, I'm absolutely in love with it and it cost us less than $75 in all!

After I finished reupholstering it instead of putting back on the feet The Sailor turned it into a rocking chair!  He used scrap wood and the screws that were originally holding on the feet so again, no cost to us.  It took two tries to get the curve right for a rocking chair but still didn't take him much time at all.

So now it reclines and rocks and is gorgeous.  It will be the perfect visual centerpiece for BabyDeux's Dr. Seuss nursery and it will be mighty comfy for all those middle of the night nursing sessions in my future!

Semi DIY Cloth Training Pants TUTORIAL

We have done a form of "early potty learning" with W that for the most part has been really relaxed.  Essentially we just put him on a potty whenever we feel like it/have the time to/he expresses interest in it.  It has recently gotten to the point where if I remember to ask him if he would like to use the potty at regular intervals (and since I'm pregnant and pee all the time anyway it has been easier to remember to also offer it to him) he can go a whole day with only dirtying a diaper during naps.  So, I plan on trying out the three day potty training method (more on that after we actually do it) starting tomorrow!  Hopefully at the end of three days the only time he'll be in a diaper is for naps and overnight!

The potty is so FUN!

Since he is only 17 months old and can't actually ask (verbally, he does have physical cues) to use the bathroom I wanted to get him cloth training pants which are essentially reinforced undies.  Some have a waterproof layer, others do not.  A friend of mine recommended Hannah Andersson training unders, but oh-my-effing-golly-gosh, I'm not spending $26 (before tax and shipping) on only 3 pairs of freaking underwear.  I looked into some other, less expensive options (like Kawaii baby) but seriously dude - they're just underwear with extra layers in the crotch, I'm not spending a small fortune on them!

So obviously I decided to make my own.

There are tutorials all over Pinterest for using a pair of undies to make a pattern and adding extra layers to the crotch section, but all I could think while reading them is, "why don't you just keep the underwear you buy intact {as opposed to deconstructing it to make a pattern} and just sew extra stuff in the crotch??"  So that's exactly what I did.

Supplies

• Underwear - I got these from KMart.  They're still a little big on W, but they don't really make underwear in infant sizes so we'll deal. They're $13 for 7 pairs, or $1.86 each 
• Some sort of absorbent material.  You could even use old t-shirts (you'd probably need like 4 layers if you go that route) but I chose to use pre-fold diapers that I had originally used as burp cloths for W.  These are the ones I have and with a pack of four you could make eight training pants.  Those are $6, but you could make 8 training pants with the whole pack so $.75 per training pant but this part could actually be free if you just used old t-shirts you had on hand. 
• Waterproof material (optional).  I had left over from an old project, but this is what I used.  Be sure to use a coupon and you'll only need about a 1/4 yard (so you'd spend $1.95 to make a bunch of training pants).  I can't say exactly how much it'll cost per training pant, but it isn't much.
• Parchment paper to make a pattern
• Permanent marker
• Pins
• Sewing machine and thread

First you'll want to make your pattern for your insert.  To do this I turned a pair of the underwear inside out (after washing and drying them in case they shrink) and pinned a piece of parchment paper to them.

 Then I outlined the crotch area.

 And unpinned it from the undies

 It was a little wonky and not symmetrical, so I picked the side I liked more and used that to make a more symmetrical pattern (I folded a piece of parchment paper in half, lined up the good side of the original pattern, and cut out the new pattern).  The original is on the left and the one I actually used is on the right...

 With the pre-fold diapers the center section has more layers of fabric.  So I figured I could use the middle section for one, and double up the outer sections for another (making two pairs of training pants with each pre-fold).  So you have to cut the pre-fold into thirds.

 I used the pattern I made to cute out the waterproof PUL but the pre-fold sections weren't quite wide enough.  So I just sewed the pre-fold material down to the PUL...

 ...Then I trimmed the extra pre-fold material off.  I'm not concerned that it doesn't quite reach the edges of where I initially wanted it to be.

You'll notice I doubled up the pre-fold in the front section.  The pre-fold is more than long enough and since boys need extra absorbency in the very front (since they have penises) I just went with it.  It isn't completely necessary, but why waist the extra absorbent layers, right?

 Then you pin your insert into your undies (obviously with the waterproof PUL against the actual underwear)

 And you sew it down.  This step can be a little awkward, but it's totally possible!  Just take your time.

And you're done!!!

Like I said before, these undies are a little big on W (they're size 2T/3T - the smallest size I could find) but they work just fine.  They obviously won't save his outfit if he has a full on accident, but they'll definitely minimize the damage.

Wear Your Baby Wednesday - Another Technique To Dye a Woven Wrap!

Sorry I've been a little MIA lately - W and I have been crazy busy (next week he has two different classes at the local Family Resource Center, I have BabyDeux's anatomy scan, and we plan on going camping next weekend) plus I've started projects for BabyDeux's nursery already (you should seriously be excited about that)!  But today I'm going to put together a tutorial for a different dye technique that you could use to customize your own woven wrap or ring sling!

In case you missed the first dye tutorial post you can find it here or if you missed my ring sling sewing tutorial that can be found here.

Like the photo says, this is a Low Water Immersion (or LWI) dye technique.  This is a great technique if you want the different colors to "dance" together but don't love the look of a traditional tie dye (which I, personally, do not).  A little back story...a friend of mine had gotten a Kokadi Diorite Stars woven wrap but never got the hang of wrapping.  At first she asked me to help her sell it, instead I encouraged her to have half of it turned into a ring sling and even offered to slingify it myself as partial payment towards buying the other half of the wrap.  Best decision ever.  She loves the simple black and white star pattern and is getting the hang of the ring sling, but I wanted to spice my half up a bit before slingifying it so obviously I dyed it!

Supplies

• Textile Detergent
• Dye - I like Dharma Dyes (I used a little turquoise, a little Carribbean blue, jade green (which really has a blue look to it), and Imperial purple)
• Soda Ash Fixer
• Squeeze bottles
• Gloves
• Mask
• A plastic bucket or bin just big enough for your fabric to be compactly squished into
• Woven wrap or a fabric appropriate for babywearing (I would only recommend Osnaburg or 100% linen)

Always wear gloves and a mask when handling dye or soda ash

As always, wash your fabric with textile detergent before starting a dye project.

Then take your dry fabric and squish it into whatever container you have available that it will fit in compactly.  My sling piece fit nicely in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket.  You can twist and turn it as much or as little as you like.  The more twisting and turning you do, the more dynamic the colors will be in the end.

Next mix your dyes in the squirt bottles, I actually made my dye highly concentrated because I wanted intense color.  This is something you'll have to test out to figure out what you prefer.  

Then you want to saturate your fabric with dye, but not add so much that your fabric begins to float at all.

If you want there to be white or blank spots left you don't have to do this...I didn't want any actual white spots left, so I actually filled a squirt bottle with warm water and slowly poured it over all of the fabric while kind of nudging at it to make sure that the dye penetrated all of the folds and overlaps.

Let your fabric sit as is for 30 minutes

Then mix up your soda ash solution and add enough that it completely covers the fabric.  

Wait 12 to 24 hours.  The longer you wait, the more intense the colors will be.

Rinse and wash your fabric until the water runs clear.  I actually just tossed the whole bucket in the washing machine did two cycles without detergent, a cycle with textile detergent, then an additional cycle without detergent and my wrap was good to go.

Common sense made me believe that this technique would be a big hot mess.  That letting the colors run together like that would just muddle them all up and it would either look brown or just purple from the mix of dyes I used.  But I trusted the many tutorials I referenced and lucky for me, it turned out glorious!

I had originally planned to have the primarily black side be out, but I actually fell in love with the mixing of colors on the white side...

So much cooler looking, right?

Then I slingified it using the same method I linked to at the beginning of this post and it was love at first carry!  (Sorry W looks like such a turd, he did not want to model, he wanted to play on the ground)

I love everything about it.  For one, Kokadi wraps are heavenly soft.  I'm obsessed with how the dye job turned out.  And I'm obsessed with how the shoulder of the sling turned out!  I chose to use one blue and one turquoise ring and the blending of colors and placement of stars is just flipping awesome.

Now I have to be slightly sentimental for a second.  I happen to notice that one of the pictures of use modeling the sling was really similar to a picture taken last August (so they're a year apart almost exactly) - where did my precious bald baby go...?

DIY Cinch Sack (For Legos, Blocks, Etc.)

Eek...it's been a while...but no need to fear - I haven't disappeared!  We're just having a super busy month and on top of that I've started my first DIY project for BabyDeux's nursery!!!  (But more on that later.)  Today I have a quick tutorial for you to sew your own cinch sack for toys!!

I've seen advertisements for a Lay n Go playmat/storage bag a few times and always thought it was really cool...but not for $65!!!!!!!! And let's be serious, it's just a cinch sack you throw toys in, so I decided to make my own!

Super easy project - all you need is fabric for the outside, fabric for the inside, and some ribbon!  I decided to use PUL for the outside in case I ever wanted to use it outdoors (PUL is waterproof - this is the fabric I got), fleece for the inside so it was comfortable to sit on, and ribbon I just happen to have on hand!  I got a yard of each of my fabrics and have plenty to use on other projects!

First lay your fabric out, one on top of the other, and cut as big of a circle as you want/can fit.  Exact measurements don't really matter.

Next you'll need to sew 2 buttonholes large enough for your ribbon to fit through about an inch or an inch and a half from the edge of the outer fabric.  Most sewing machines have "automatic buttonholes" or if yours doesn't you'll just need to sew a rectangle with a tight zig zag stitch to prevent the fabric from tearing or fraying (then use a seem ripper to cut the actual hole).

I also chose to embroider "Blocks" beneath the buttonholes just because I can.  Obviously it isn't necessary and completely cosmetic!

Now, lay the two circles on top of one another with the wrong side facing out and pin them together.  Then sew as close to the edge as possible and leave a little section open so you can turn the whole thing right side out. (The yellow line is the seem you're sewing)

Turn it right side out and hand stitch the hole you left closed.

Then you'll sew another seem a few inches in that is right beneath the buttonholes.  The blue lines are the buttonholes then the green line is the seem you're sewing now.

Finally, thread a piece of ribbon that is long enough that you can lay the whole thing flat through the buttonholes and around the edge.  Voila!  Your very own Lay n Go toy sack!

W is still trying to remove the blocks and put them back in the bin where we used to keep them, haha.  I'm hoping he'll get over that eventually...

Mine isn't quite as big as the $65 one I linked to earlier, but it works just fine for us!

It makes clean up a breeze!  I just tell W to put all the blocks on the blanket and he's happy to help!

Convert Regular Pants to Maternity Pants - TUTORIAL!!

I hate maternity pants.

Okay, I don't totally hate them, but when I was pregnant with W they NEVER fit me right and they're way more expensive than they're worth!!  They were always loose in the butt but tight in the thighs and the crotch sagged in the most unflattering way.  So this time, I decided to make my own!

These pants I found at Old Navy on clearance for $9 and I used scrap jersey knit from another project for the panel (you don't need much; it should be tight around your belly so it helps hold the pants up and you want it to be twice as tall as you want the panel to be).

The pants should fit the width of your hips but not your actual belly...you don't want them to be huge especially since you'll be cutting down the front anyway.

First thing, you put them on and mark where the bottom of your belly bump is...

Then you cut out the front ending on either side at the seam.

After you cut it down remove the rest of the zipper and sew down the front flap and if you cut the tops of the pockets make sure they are sewn shut as well or else they'll be useless.

Like I said before, you want the panel to be tight enough to hold your pants up, but not so tight that it's uncomfortable.  Your best bet is to find a jersey knit that can stretch in any direction, but as long as it has width-wise stretch it'll work.  I actually got this bamboo blend fabric for a pair of jeans I also converted and it's amazing.  Bamboo is like the softest fabric ever, and the stretch with this particular fabric is perfect.

You'll want to sew up the side of the fabric with a zig zag stitch (so it can still stretch a bit when you're pulling your pants up) and then fold it in half to "hide" the seam.

Now you're going to sew the panel to the front of the pants.  Keeping your pants right side out, place the panel down on the pants with the front of the panel touching the front of the pants so it can be pinned down.  You'll want to make sure to stretch the panel out while you pin it so the far left edge is pinned to the far left edge of the pants, the far right edge to the far right of the pants, and the center point is pinned to where the zipper is on the pants...

I don't know why Blogger keeps rotating my picture

Sewing at this point is the most difficult part.  You have to make sure to be stretching out the panel fabric as you sew, so keeping the pins in as long as possible is important.  I just pulled the fabric back so that the pants and the panel were lining up flush together and let my sewing machine do the "work" of pulling the fabric through.

Now the front of the panel is on!!

The back of the panel will be sewn on the inside of the pants, so it actually looks like it's tucked into them.  So now you have to turn your pants right side out and pin the panel to the pants just like you did in the front...

Again, I don't know why Blogger is rotating this picture

And again, sew it down being sure to stretch the panel as you go...

The very edges where you go from sewing the panel to the outside of the pants to sewing them to the inside of the pants is a little wonky, but you really don't notice when they're on...

And you're finished!!  Now you get to enjoy having maternity pants that actually fit!!!

I think I'm going to try and find some thrift-store pants to convert to make the project even less expensive (the jeans I converted are amazingly comfortable "boyfriend style" jeans that I got at Marshall's for $20).

I might come back and add pictures of me "modeling" the jeans I converted so be sure to check back if you're interested in seeing them "in action."