The sectional is covered!!

Well…if you ever feel like you just have WAY too much freetime on your hands…have I got a project for you!

On September 8th I commenced sewing this slipcover. And today on September 27 I got it fully covered. I’m not going to say it’s done, because I need to go back over a few areas and reinforce the stitching. And I plan to sew arm covers (I know those are for gandmas, but seriously -- blood sweat and tears are in this white slipcover…Ima protect these arms!)

But it’s to a place that feels done.

I’m seriously too tired to give you good photos. So bare with these. Everything needs straightening. But we just got back from our Wednesday night bible study and I’m spent from all the sewing today and learning tonight. So just imagine good lightning, and cleaned and straightened spaces.

So here she is!

Yes there is stuff on it, including a protective extra bit of drop cloth over the back three cushions. I’ll probably keep that on there a lot…especially during any eating on the couch.

Here she was Sept 8.

Tonight

Sept 8

I believe this couch was a $350(?) craigslist buy a few years ago. It’s nice and comfy. It’s a perfect size for our room. It’s been great having something cheap and used for kids (It’s been abused by us for sure.) But I wanted to breath new life into it. So I bought drop cloths to cover it…oh something like a year ago! I knew it was going to take a lot of work to do, so I pushed it back until just now. (I was right -- it was very time consuming! It wasn’t hard -- it was just hard to find the time inside motherhood. I’m severely sleep deprived this month.)
I’m not terribly concerned about ruining it, despite it being so light, because I can run it through the wash machine, and I have a LOT of faith in oxiclean. Plus, even if we totally ruin it, as far as couches go -- it was inexpensive. I lost track but I think I spent around $100ish on fabric (a bunch of drop cloths.) So even if I’m at $500…. for a sectional…I’m not going to freak out if it gets ruined.
I mean -- I am babying it this week (maybe the next few months) because I mean I JUST sewed the thing. But anyway -- my point is, if I was ever going to have a white couch with kids -- this is how I would do it.
I’ve read a lot of people’s blogs on their white ikea slipcovered couches and how well they work with kids and pets BECAUSE you can wash them. So I’m feeling brave.
And Yes -- when taking the couch apart in making this cover-- I started really seeing the benefits to being able to wash your couch….it get’s dirty!

Anyway…to start this project I had to unstitch the back cushions from the couch back. They were attached. That’s unique to this couch, and it added a couple nights to my project. Because I decided to sew the couch openings closed before moving on to creating the actual cover…it just felt wrong not to close it back up.

Then I mostly used this tutorial as a guide, but then kinda did my own thing as well.
I’m really happy with how it turned out. And the couch is actually more comfortable now! I wasn’t excpecting that. But the cushions sit softer. And with the back cushions being moveable now, you can tilt them to perfection and support your back anyway you like. It’s really nice.
I was nervous to make these pillow moveable -- thinking the kids would just demolish the room into pillow fort heaven….and maybe they will sometimes. But so far it hasn’t been too tempting for them. And the comfort shift was worth it.

You can see my arm covers on the armchair.

In other family room news, I made this banner to update our gallery wall.

More drop cloth, a dowel, some o rings, rope and fabric paint. And a lot of drawing and erasing in pencil first.


In other house news…way back when I was sick and pregnant with Bronny, I planned out this idea.
A butler’s pantry kinda cabinet to fill in this empty space in our dining room.
Close to a year ago we did the prep work for this space when we made our tiny mud room space. When the wall was taken apart we added an outlet to this wall. It was a PAIN in the butt…poor Blake. But he got it done!

We made the lower cabinet a long while ago, and have been keeping the kids’ art supplies in there.

But, over the past couple weeks we’ve been stealing spare moments to get the uppers up. It’s still not done. It needs (lots) of caulk, and paint and hardware. But it’s coming together.

Now that it’s in the space, I’m going back and forth on if I need to get a deeper cabinet for the lower. At first I was certain of that. Now I’m kinda like “wait maybe it’s ok.” But then I doubt again.

What do you guys think? Is it akward that shallow? Or is it kinda antique built in looking?

Either way I’m loving the top. Once it’s painted it’s going to be so pretty.

I may still want to add a sorta box of trim around the edges of the sides, Paint will aid in my thoughts.

The end game is to paint the kitchen cabinets all white. So these will make sense. And seeing them is making my hunger for the white kitchen all the more. So fresh and sweet and pretty.

And in one more random update….these pants are THE BEST!
These….
are….
leggings!
Leggings that look very much like real pants…like cool real pants.
They are from Target. They are not expensive. And I believe everyone who ever enjoyed comfy pants, should own them.
Target did not take a good photo of them for the website. (And my photo is kinda shadowy, so that might sorta hide their amazingness.) Don’t be fooled by it. Try them on…fall in love. Feel comfy, look edgy. Win life.

That is all for now.

I’ll talk to you more later.