reupholstery::the before

here is the chair i've been reupholstering this weekend.  it's been the perfect chair for this beginner for several reasons...

1.  i could take the existing upholstery off and use it as a template for the new fabric i'm using.   

2.  it has a plywood bottom which bypasses the need for springs and real upholstery know-how.  i know this may not make it the cushiest chair but i used a healthy amount of stuffing to pad the chair bottom and it feels pretty good on the butt, i.m.o. 

3.  there is no separate cushion to mess with. 

4.  i didn't have to buy anything to complete the project....of course because of my line of work this wasn't too hard but i think most people could complete this with just a little money and effort.  and junky old chairs can be had for free if you scout around. 

you can see from the second image that this chair was stuffed with some kind of cotton batting and some hay!  awesome.  i recommend working outdoors if possible and wearing a dust mask when you take the old upholstery off.  you will be working in a dust cloud during the first part of the project.  also,  pay attention to how the upholstery was put on as you strip the old off.  i have a reupholstery book but this project was really simple enough to just use my instincts.  plus i'm allergic to technical directions.  last, realize before hand that the deconstruction takes as much time as the reconstruction.  i had to remove a lot of upholstery tacks and wash the frame well before starting over. 

the third image shows bits of old fabric i found mixed in with the batting and the hay. 

tomorrow i'll post pictures of the finished chair.  i kept it real simple and i'm so glad i did.  i'm also planning to start working on a small vintage sofa i've had in the barn.  it's got a great simple sexy shape to it.  and it came from the same 90+ yo woman who once owned this chair.  her name was bernice.