Hello friends, and Happy Monday! Would you believe I intended to share this post last week?? Needless to say, time got away from me and it just didn't happen. I readily admit that since the holidays, I have had the hardest time getting back into a routine and finding my normal rhythm. Anyone else experiencing this difficulty? I'm not sure if it has been the weather, fatigue, boredom or what, but I have been on the "struggle bus", so to speak. But today is a new day and a new week, and while it is cold outside, the sun is shining, which elevates my mood and my motivation to check some things off the list, like this post. So let's get to a makeover on this Monday.
I have inherited many quilts and quilt tops over the years. Some are fabulous, and some, not so much. A couple of weeks ago, my mother handed me a stack of pink and green quilt squares and said, "Here, stick these in your antique booth"........ugh, not something I wanted and certainly not something I thought my customers would be interested in. I started to put them in the Good Will pile, but then the guilt set in, so I made it my mission to find some use for the discarded works of art.
Several months ago, at an estate sale, I bought a pair of matching ottomans with good bones, but covered in a fabric that was just not my taste. I planned on keeping one and recovering the other one to sell in my antique booth.
Please excuse the shadows, it was an extra sunny day when I took these photos.
I began by pinning the squares together to cover the top of the ottoman with about a 5 inch drop on all four sides. I did end up having to cut some of the squares just so the design would match up.
I made sure the design was centered on the top of the ottoman.
I then stitched all the pieces together, trimming places that were slightly uneven.
Because the fabric was thin, I decided to line it with an old sheet. Truth be told, I was too lazy to get out in the cold rain to go and buy lining. Just one of the many purposes that an old sheet can serve!!
After I stitched together the top and the lining, I made the custom cording and ruffle to go along the bottom. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of these steps, but please visit
this post for detailed instructions. I have slipcovered lots of ottomans and sometimes when I get into my groove, I forget to take the necessary pictures, I apologize!! I attached the cording and then the ruffle. Again, the post linked above gives detailed instructions.
Here is the finished product, and while it does not go with my decor at all, I do think it turned out super cute.
And here it is staged two different ways in my antique booth.
This was an easy makeover and it was quick because I already had the ottoman, the quilt top and lining (sheet). I feel so much more accomplished when I use the things I have on hand, rather than running back and forth to the store to buy more stuff. Does anyone else feel this way??
Thank you for stopping by. I hope this post will inspire you to make over an ottoman with a simple slipcover, maybe even an abandoned quilt top! I love feedback, so please if you have any questions, email me directly at juliesolmstead@gmail.com.
Fondly,
Julie