Seasonal Slipcovers

Do you have a worn out/dirty chair but really don't want to have it re-upholstered? I know everyone out there is saying yes I have one of those. You can have a very simple slipcover made, wait you can have several made that can be quickly pulled off and replaced with a new one. Wait, I did not say that this will be cheap but it is a great solution to that great sitting chair that you would love to change from time to time. I took a class with Angie at the SlipCover Summit and she taught us how to cut a pattern just for that quick fix. The first pattern was really funny, I had to pin fabric in places I had taken to much away, but the whole time I was thinking of a great idea. Making a simple slipcover that would fit a chair style everyone had.

First I cut the original pattern it was rough but it worked. I then took the pattern back to my workroom to hammer out a pattern I could reproduce. I cut the finial pattern from canvas so it would take abuse and reuse. Now I had to decide on the perfect fabric, I used a silk gold with red dots.



In the back of my mind I am thinking I want to paint this chair red and put it in my bedroom. Then I pulled the fabric and started making the cover. I wanted a tiny welt and decided to use 1/2 a zipper as welt cord around the seat bottom and the backs. I really did not want a fitted slip cover I wanted something fun. The chair is now red, not really loving the red, what to do next.

I am thinking now it needs a walnut wash over the chair to tone down the red and show the carving on the chair. All projects seem to take on a life of their own. Oh what a difference it made to put a stain on top of that red, don't you just love it.

11th Annual Slipcover Summit

Local Contact: Anna Davis of Anna's Custom Design

What do people do with their furniture, when it is worn, torn or just needing a face lift. Why not cover it with a slipcover! In today’s economy one simply can't afford to just throw furniture away. Is there really an "away"? So why not learn how to sew "your own slipcover".

June 23-25, 2010 the Slipcover Summit, the only event of its kind, will be held at Madison, Tennessee from 8am-5pm daily. It is the first time the Slipcover Summit has ever been in the Tennessee, as it travels regionally each year to various areas of the country. This year is the Tennessee next year possible PA, or WI.

Learn how to make Slipcovers from instructors who are actively involved slipcovering furniture for their own businesses. Class size is limited so each participant has the opportunity to experience hands on. In many workshops participants will make or take home samples.

Instructors are working professionals who have volunteered to teach what they have learned over the years. They have worked hard to put together packets of information and samples for a memorable learning experience. They are giving of their time and experience in the field they know best. Sharing knowledge they most likely have acquired the hard way, through actual experience.

To find out more go to http://www.slipcoversummit.com/, print a schedule of classes to be held, and register as class size is limited.

Click the link below to listen to various instructors teaching at the Slipcover Summit. http://community.icontact.com/p/homefashionsu/newsletters/homefashionsu/posts/slipcover-summit-2010

Donating your time.

I don't have the opportunity to donate my time often for a good cause so, when someone ask me to donate my time and I can, I love to help. As you know I am a sub-contractor for Minutes Matter the drawing program I use to create my window designs. We had a customer email us and ask if anyone would be interested in giving some time on a project she was working on. After reading her story, I knew I could help.

It was really simple they were doing a fund raiser for a sick child and part of the job was to create a rendering of the donated room in different colors so everyone could see what the room choices were and how it would look finished.

Carol sent me links of what she had in her mind along with the color suggestions, headboard design, and the fabric description. No I really did not have the actual fabric to pull from just jpegs of what she was thinking. I thought I would share with you the jpegs of her ideas and then the final renderings.




She needed the bed to have the feel of the bed on the left. They wanted the dust skirt to have the same feel as the purple skirt to the right.




They needed the fabric on the comforter to be white with a Greek Key Embroidery on the pillow shams, no I did not have a JPEG of the fabric just a description of what she needed. I was able to draw the Greek Key in my program and incorporate it into the design.





They needed a simple headboard with a diamond design fabric that would go with anything. I had the information now it was time to use the program to create the design.







Here is the room with a blue wall, loved it. Isn't it amazing what a difference the color of the wall makes in a room and using the same fabrics and colors on the bedding and the draperies remain the same in each sitting.

On the second story board Carol wanted a soft green, green is one of my favorite colors.




The Next colors Carol choice were a deep Terra Cotta and a Melon /Cantaloupe color, I just










loved those, what a difference the color made. Being able to see the difference without even opening up one can of paint, what a money saver.

DSL or Comcast Internet

Which Internet service are you using? I have had DSL for years, I am one of those loyal customers, I admit it I don't like to change things that are working (I find changing Internet service to be a hassle). It has worked great for years. Last year I discovered you could purchase a Network Extender and boost your cell phone reception, it worked great. My business is on the Lower Level so cell phone reception was an issue so I was on board. January 2010 I started receiving complaints that others could not hear me, so we started the investigation, they were right it was terrible. We called Verizon and asked if they had any idea of what the problem could be. "We have DSL". Verizon "let's check your speed"! http://www.speedtest.net/ No wonder you can hear everyone and no one can hear you, your outgoing speed is to slow 3kb for outgoing it needs to be 1mb. We called AT&T, they checked the line, no problems, they checked the speed, no that is all they promise. You are kidding right, "no" they are never faster. Now we are Comcast Internet users. Check out my new outgoing speed is 3.53 MB can you say huge difference. Before my incoming speed was 5 MB that was ok, now it is 20.64 MB another huge difference.

What a difference, had I been told Comcast was faster, of course, me being a loyal customer (and not wanting to unhook, rehook and change everything) stayed with AT&T even though they were not the best. I am still a loyal customer, LOL I am still using the AT&T telephone service, they offer a few things that Comcast does not so I need to stay. Check your speed on your Internet Service; make sure you are getting what you are paying for. I really do like change in many ways anything that can help my business I am all for it, I just truly did not realize that this change was really for the better, I thought ok speed was ok.