Drab 2 FABulous! The Couch!

It was a Sunday afternoon, I hadn't left the house in a week, and I needed a little outing. I left Khloe with her Daddy and headed to the Goodwill.

Before we get started, I'm going to give you a little insight on how my Goodwill trips go. I walk in the door and head straight to the furniture section. If it's crowded, I hustle (I don't want someone to grab something before I do HA). After rounding the last aisle, I head to the knick-knack section (picture frames, lamps, candles, etc). Then, I turn around and go back to the furniture section for a second sweep to make sure I didn't miss anything. Depending on my mood and how much time I have, I'll browse through the rest of the store and just before leaving I check out the furniture section ONE last time. The thing about Goodwill/Thrift stores is that they are constantly putting out "new" stuff.  {I hate when they leave the door open to the "employees only" section where stuff is just piled up and waiting to be sorted. It's like telling a kid they can't have the candy in front of them. WHAT IF something perfect for me is behind those doors? Why tease me? LOL} And, did I mention how I have a habit of browsing passing customers buggys? OBSESSION.

I stood in front of this couch imagining all the possibilities. When I flipped the price tag over, and saw $14.00 my heart skipped a few beats.

 

The cushions for the seat and the backing were missing, but I knew that wouldn't be the hard part. The only thing I was worried about was the front of the arms. That would take some sewing (at the time, my sewing machine was still in the unopened box in the top of my closet). This gave me a great reason to get it down!

I sent a few pictures to my Grandma (who is the QUEEN of reupholstering) and I think she was a little more excited than me. She said the best way to go about recovering the couch, would be to make a slip cover. She was planning on coming down in a couple weeks and said she would help me make it.

During a random trip to Hancock's, I checked out a "Clean Sweep Sale" and nearly died when I found a huge roll of fabric for THREE dollars a yard. While I was there, I thought I would go ahead and pick up a cushion foam. I had my second stroke of the day when I realized they were $44.99. YAH right!

When the hubby told me he was planning on having a dinner party at our house, the wait was over. You know me. There was no way I was having people over with this piece of junk undone in my dining room.  I didn't know how I was gonna do it, but I was determined to make it work. Strep throat or not, I had to get it done by Saturday night. {I know, right!?}

I knew before I even began that my biggest challenge would be the front of the arms.

I pulled out my {handy dandy} ELECTRIC STAPLER (too many Blue's Clues cartoons for this momma). This time, I loaded some brad nails into the stapler and got to work.

I'm starting to get excited...

I know the guy unloading furniture at the Goodwill thought I was crazy when I asked, "Hey, yall wouldn't happen to have any random cushions to couches in the back would you?" After a little persuasion, I convinced him to lower the price of $25.99 to $10 on a {hideous} couch he had just taken off the floor. He thought I was even CRAZIER when I told him I wanted him to ONLY load the cushions into my car.

(I guarantee every single one of you know someone that used to have that exact print on their couch! ICK!)

This is where things get interesting in this story. The Goodwill worker loaded the cushions in my car and I started to drive away. Instead of backing out and turning around, I thought I would just drive along the back of all the buildings and get out on the other side. Not TEN feet in front of me was TWO couches a store put out by their dumpster. "O-EM-GEE!!!" What a waste of my TEN dollars! I jumped out of the car and stole another two cushions and threw them in my trunk.. just in case I needed them for a future project. HA.

Can you imagine my excitement/disbelief when I got home and realized the two Goodwill cushions were not going to be long enough for the couch??! HOLLA!

Once the fabric was removed from the cushions, they were SOAKED with Anti-Bacterial Spray & Allergen Reducer. The next day I hosed them down and sprayed the anti-bacterial AGAIN. You never know where this stuff comes from. Gross.

Once the cushions were all dry (and smelt MUCH better), I cut the rounded ends off and measured for an extra third cushion. (Thanks to my hunny for the knife I stole from his shop :)

Finally starting to feel like I'm making a little progress.

The original plan was I would have one solid cushion. When I couldn't afford the solid foam piece, I thought I would have to settle for having two. After talking to my Grams about it, we decided I could make a tight slip cover and squeeze the three into one.

I used some fabric that I recently stole when I raided my MIL's awesome fabric cabinet! Thanks Teresa!!

Time to sew.

 

After I finished sewing, I started working on the second slip cover (the one you would sit on). In hindsight, I should have saved the tan fabric for the bottom of the cushion, instead I had to use a red fabric which was the only color I had that was long enough.

I made three smaller pillows for the backing, and squeeeeealed when I saw the finished project!

remember the BEFORE!?

 

AFTER:

 

Of course, I had to make some accent pillows! These cost 50 cents a piece. (I'm telling you, I hit the fabric JACKPOT at Hancock's that day!)

 

.....and here is a glimpse of what this dining room looked like once everything was done. OH MY!

 

I have never been more happy to finish a project!

But... I have a confession to make. If you look really close on the ends, you will see push pins holding the fabric to the front of the arms (where the floral print used to be). This is what happens when you take on a project of this size ONE day after learning to use a sewing machine. After five failed attempts, I decided Grams would have to show me how to sew the ends to the sides. It will work for now! :) 

Do you love it or what!? I love comments! :)