Playing Crafty

I have always wanted a glider rocker, but never wanted to dish out the money to get one.  With my last pregnancy I nearly bought one, but the store didn't have it in stock and I never went back for it.  I guess the crafting gods were planning some things for me.  One of our good friends had purchased a glider and ottoman at a local thrift store for next to nothing.  She had grand plans to do something with it to get it back into working order, but just didn't have time for it in the end.  We had discussed how I wanted one before and so she offered it to me.  Now, this was last year that the offer was made and accepted, but we never made the trade until now!  So about two weeks ago after a double date with her and her hubby we loaded it into our car and brought it home.  I don't think I had any idea what I was in for.  I forgot all the things that needed work.  The wood on the chair and ottoman are completely different colors.  The back cushion on the chair was completely missing and the seat cushion and ottoman cover were stained and dirty.  So there it sat, crammed into our tiny nursery next to the rocking chair I have been using for three years.  Don't get me wrong, I love my rocking chair.  It was my Grandma's, it's a pretty shape and it's comfortable.  It's only downside is that it's a low-back rocker and so on those late nights of rocking a baby my head would drop to my chest as I fell asleep with them.  Not so good for my neck.  With both of my boys I spent most of their babyhood with a very sore neck.  I just wanted to lay my head back (and put my feet up).  Instead of being lazy and just staring at the project for months like I usually do  I hopped on it quick!  I've been using it since I got it with a large floor pillow as the back pillow and a balled up blanket for my head.  Will seems to really like being rocked to sleep in it and I like laying my head back.  He's been teething and therefore the two of us have spent a few late nights in that chair lately.  Now I know I'll be really comfortable in it!

What I had to work with

I'm not the best seamstress in the world, but lucky for me I have the best Mom in the world!  She came over today and helped me pull it together.

A few supplies to start the day

I went to purchase the items I needed the other day.  I was very surprised by the price of foam!  Man!  Lucky for me my Mom also happened to hook me up with a 50% off coupon for JoAnn Fabrics.  I was pretty happy to have it with me.  And to make the day even better the fabric was on sale for 40% off!  It was a good day to be fabric shopping.  I bought "home decor" fabric since it is heavier and would hold up to the wear and tear of use for years.  I also purchased 3" foam.  I really wanted 2.5" foam, but they didn't have it and the 2" foam seemed too thin.
Now, let me tell you a little story about that staple gun.  I have watched a million DIY shows and seen them recover things and BOOM BOOM BOOM they staple that fabric down one handed while pulling the fabric taut and it looks so easy.  Liars!  I first put a double layer of batting down to add to the worn ottoman.  First I stapled that down.  Well, apparently staple gun + particle board = ridiculously difficult.  It just kept bending the staples or they couldn't go through everything.  By the end of pulling and stapling and grumbling to myself I had a blister and couldn't actually squeeze the trigger anymore.  It took two hands people, TWO hands, not one.  Dirty liars.  But in the end it looked amazing and was well worth the hours I spent on it.  We both thought that would be the easy part, we were very very wrong.
We also realized that the seat cushion didn't come with the chair.  It had been put there by a previous owner and didn't fit well. So we tore it apart and cut it to fit the chair.  We were very busy ladies.  Add to all this a three year old, who just wanted to play with his MaMa, and a teething 8 month old to tend to.  And I finished dinner and my Mom got both boys baths.  So very busy and productive!  So, you want to see the finished product?  Well, the nearly finished product.  Of course you do!  Unless you've just scrolled to see the pictures....boo.

Close up of the fabric choice

My nearly finished chair

The fruit of my labors and cause of my blister

What's left to do?  We are going to try to figure out how to make padded arm rests next.  I need somewhere soft to put my arm while my babies sleep of course.  When the weather gets warmer I'll be tearing apart the ottoman, stripping off the finish, and then making it match the chair.  I have to wait for better weather since I don't have a garage and will have to do it on my back porch.  But I am excited to get it completed.

I am so excited that this project came together and looks so great!  I can't wait to rock Will to sleep tomorrow in it.  Hooray for productivity and crafting!