Another One!

Ok, I think I may have found a new obsession with chairs. I revamped one of my classroom chairs a week ago (see that post here) and while I was at the Goodwill yesterday I couldn't help but purchase this aaaamazing bar stool for $9.97! And even better...it has wheels! 

I can envision myself right now with aching feet & a sore back, resting on my bar stool, while still able to access my Smart Board. 

It's. Gonna. Be. Awesome!

Anyway, like my first chair project, this one is also very simple. 

Tools needed:

3/4 yd. of fabric

Scissors

Phillips/Flat head screwdriver (depends on the screws)

Wrench (size depends on size of bolts on the chair bottom)

Staple gun and staples

Spray paint (I used Rustoleum's Oil Rubbed Bronze)

After leaving Goodwill I headed to Hobby Lobby the Hobster Lobster to grab some fabric. They were having a 30% off sale on duct cotton fabric, which is very thick and durable...great for an everyday chair. The colors go perfectly with my classroom theme (bright colors). After the sale and taxes, it ended up costing $4.71 for 3/4 yd!

(Side note: when working with fabric, I always try to get the exact amount I need, so measure your furniture first. It's sad to have leftover fabric that's too small to even use).

First thing to do: remove any screws from the back cushion with your screwdriver. Put these aside where you won't lose them. 

Once the screws have been removed, the back cushion will fall off. With your fabric "pretty side down", lay your cushion on top like this. 

BEFORE cutting, fold the fabric on top of the cushion to make sure it will snag onto those little prong-looking things. It needs to go about an inch past the prongs (see where my finger is). Once you know you have enough fabric for the back cushion, cut what you need and snag it on each of the prongs. It takes a lot of pulling and funky maneuvering, especially on the corners. The tighter you pull, the better the result. If the fabric isn't pulled tight enough, it will be loose and baggy. Make sense? 

It should resemble something like this:

Now onto the seat cushion. 

Flip your chair on its side and remove any screws/bolts that are securing it in place. I used a small wrench to loosen them up and was able to use my fingers to spin them off the rest of the way.

Like you did with the back cushion, lay your remaining fabric "pretty side down" and your seat cushion on top. Make sure it's centered with enough fabric to stretch all the way around. Starting at the top, fold the fabric over the seat cushion and staple it in place. On the opposite side, pull the fabric tight and staple it in place, too. Do the same thing on the other two sides, making sure it's pulled tightly. (If I say "tight" one more time...haha) 

Once you have the fabric secured, staple around the rest of the cushion, like I did in the picture below. It's going to be a lot of "pull, staple, pull, staple, pull staple," but you want to make sure it stays. The corners are tricky because you don't want the folds/creases to be visibly noticeable, but don't stress! I had to remove a few staples to fix this issue. Just pull in a different direction and re-staple. 

Alright, so my cushions are lookin' good, but I wasn't quite diggin' the 1992 beige metal vibe. 

It had to go. 

By the way, I just placed the cushion on the chair for this picture. That's my wonderful husband's arm holding the back in place :) Don't reattach the cushions if you're planning on painting the metal base!! 

I had some leftover spray paint from another project, so it didn't cost me a thing. Yay! 

Reassemble the chair and here's the finished product!!

I'm so excited to take this to my classroom!! I'm tempted to go RIGHT NOW, but who wants to go to school on a Sunday? I guess I'll have to stay at home and keep busy with another project ;)