DIY Thread Holder

Hi friends! I have been a busy bee, sewing through projects as fast as I can :) But, I wanted to quickly share an easy organizing project; easy, quick, and cheap - aren't those the best projects? I have been accumulating a variety of colors of upholstery thread to use with my new sewing machine, and was getting a little tired of them just sitting around my machine. I had seen various thread holders in craft stores and figured I could probably make my own. So, here's how you can, too...

August Blues - Materials

You need:

• board - I used a 1x2 that we had from a previous project
• dowels - I used 3/16" that would fit inside the spools I had. Tip: it was cheaper to buy the package of 12" dowels than to buy the 36" long dowels, so check out that option (I found this package at JoAnn for $0.99).
• measuring tape/ruler
• saw (a miter box helps, too, but it isn't necessary)
• sandpaper
• drill with bit the size of the dowels you have chosen
• hammer

Decide how many spools you want to store and then figure out how far apart you need to space the dowels - I cut my board to 12", which gave me room to space 6 dowels 2" apart.

Choose your drill bit to match the size of your dowels. Drill your holes in the board; try to drill straight down and don't go all the way through the board ;)

I cut my dowels approximately in half, because I wanted to stack two spools on top of each other - decide what works for you. Smooth out the cut ends with the sandpaper. Then gently hammer the dowels into the holes. If you leave the dowels longer than 5-6", they will be more likely to break as you hammer them in - ask me how I know this :/

And you are done!

August Blues - Thread Holder

I thought I might need glue to hold the dowels in, but they are not going anywhere :) (and if you do happen to break one while putting them in, pliers work to get them out... just a tip... not that I know from experience or anything...yeah...)

August Blues - With Thread

Just enough room to have the spools side-by-side...

August Blues - With Stacked Thread

... and stacked up :)

Now, go make your own and Happy First Day of Spring!

Sherri

More White Denim...

August Blues - Craigslist chair with old slipcover

Just in time for spring (it is coming, right?), my client has a new set of white slipcovers for her club chairs. But, let's start at the beginning :)

She found this pair of chairs for a steal on Craigslist, complete with slipcovers that were, for some reason, too short :/ Perhaps there was some shrinkage? Underneath, was  forest green fabric in pretty good condition.

August Blues - Before

White denim was the vision, however, so that's what we did...

August Blues - White Club Chair After Front View

The white denim covered the green much better than I had anticipated - yay!

August Blues - White Club Chair After Corner View

Just a note on the fabric: to get enough, my client had to purchase from several different locations of the same store, and there were slight variations in the fabric between the bolts. Fortunately, they were all the same white, but the weight and texture after washing were slightly different. I made sure to cut the pieces so the slightly heavier weight pieces were placed where the green needed to be covered the most. Thankfully, now that it's all together, it's not noticeable. And I'm not sure the differences would have been noticeable prior to washing. So, all this is to say: when purchasing fabric, whenever possible try to get it all from the same bolt, 'cause you just never know :)

August Blues - White Club Chair Kiss Pleated Back Cushion

We finished the down-filled back cushions as they had been done with the previous slipcover - kiss pleats and piping.

August Blues - White Club Chair After Front Skirt Pleat

And made the skirt tall and all the way to the floor  - much better! And I love the English roll arms...

August Blues - White Club Chair After Side View

August Blues - White Club Chair After Corner View

Yep, I love a white slipcover (see more here and here and here)! How about you?

Sherri

Designer Couch Make-over

August Blues - Tulips

Good morning and Happy Valentine's Day!

It's also a happy day because I have a new slipcover project to share with you :) Lots of in-process pictures for this one, so bear with me.

Here is the before...

August Blues - Couch Before

A 30-year old designer couch (which has been reupholstered at one point) - solid as a rock and a very classic style. This is a couch worth investing in! My client had several concerns we needed to address - her dogs (you will see one later) like to lounge on the couch (especially when no one is home ;) ), she was feeling like the color was a little too green, and she had a pair of chairs done with linen-style fabric slipcovers that she wanted this couch to blend better with.

August Blues - Side Chairs

This time she wanted a simpler look - topstitching instead of piping or flange trim. And she picked a gorgeous brushed cotton canvas from Pottery Barn - it's a little more pricey than regular cotton duck or canvas, but SO nice to work with.  It washed up beautifully, with minimal shrinkage, and is a great weight for a simple piece with few details.

Oh, the other issue we needed to deal with were a few "leaking" feathers from the down seat cushions. Well upon further investigation, the "few feathers" was actually this...

August Blues - Feathers

The fabric encasing the down was completely disintegrating! It's really amazing she only noticed a few feathers leaking out. Time to call in the big guns!

We ordered new down envelopes for the seat cushions (the back cushions were in much better condition; they just got new undercovers to catch whatever stray feathers might happen to escape). My client selected a 25/75 down/feather blend, and when they arrived they looked like this...

August Blues - Down Envelope

The structure of the cushion (minus the original feathers!) just slides right in there and zips closed. Well, "slides" might be simplifying it a little - it takes a little work, but this is what they look like after...

August Blues - New Down Envelope

So much better! Now that is something I can work with :)

Instead of piping, my client wanted top-stitching, sort of like a Restoration Hardware look. So I purchased a new top-stitching foot and it works great!

August Blues - Topstitching Foot

Ready for the After?

August Blues - Couch After

Look at the loft on those seat cushions! We tried them out - I could happily sit there for a long time :) And we did a tall skirt this time (part of the simpler look, and it matches the neighboring chairs). Here's a little closer look at the topstitching...

August Blues - Topstitching

And one more view...

August Blues - Action Shot

... photo-bombed by the doberman :) They have a pair of them, and they are the gentlest, most well-behaved dogs - when I was on my knees measuring for the skirt, they came to investigate and we were eye-to-eye and they were so sweet. I'll be doing some crate covers for them next :)

So, there you have it!

Just a housekeeping note: my next project is underway and I am booked pretty solid for the next few months (and I even have a project booked for the fall!!). For that reason, I will need to take a break from taking new orders for a couple of months - I don't want my waitlist to get too long! If you have talked with me about a project already and you are on my waitlist, we will be proceeding as planned. Otherwise, stay tuned - I'll be working as fast as I can and will open up the waitlist again soon, hopefully before the summer :)

Have a great day!

Sherri

P.S. Linking up here.

Monday Housekeeping

Happy-Monday

(source)

Happy Monday! Or maybe the "happy" depends on how your team did yesterday? ;)

In any case, I have a few things to share with you before I get back to work...

1. Speaking of work,  I have the best clients! And I am busy :) As I am working through my waitlist, family responsibilities are ensuring that I maintain part-time hours, but I am doing my best to streamline my processes to make the most of the work hours I have. I will be taking some time off this summer, so if you have projects in mind, let me know and I will add you to my waitlist and let's get those projects done!

2. I learn something new with each project. To complete this latest one (which I hope to show you soon), I needed to order new down envelopes for the seat cushions (see why?)...

augustblues on Instagram - feathers!

... a down envelope goes around a foam core and together it makes for a very comfortable cushion. If you want to add a luxurious touch to your slipcover project, down envelopes are a great option for a very reasonable price. This is what they look like...

August Blues - down envelope for seat cushion

The foam slides right in there! Let me know if you want to explore this option for your project (I'm eying a few pieces in my house that could use an upgrade)!

3. August Blues is now on Instagram! I'm just starting out and still figuring it all out, but you will find me at augustblues :)

augustblues on Instagram - Maple Scones

I posted these yesterday - Maple Scones (which were easy to make and delicious, by the way!) with the recipe from here.

4. Also, if you are a regular here, you may have noticed a new link on the sidebar. If you are thinking of trying out your slipcover skills and feel like you need a little guidance, check out the link at Custom Slipcovers By Shelley. She has made a great DVD that will walk you through the process in a low-stress, but professional way. She has lots of great tips - I got it when I was just starting out and I learned a lot! FYI - this is an affiliate link, so it helps out my bottom line a little, too, if you click through and make a purchase ;)

And now on to work... Have a wonderful, productive week!

Sherri

Friday Five

August Blues - Friday Five

Welcome to the first Friday Five of 2014!

And welcome new friends! If you are new here, Friday Fives are posts that I do when I have been busy working, but don't yet have a finished project to show you; they are random things from my week that I think are interesting and/or fun. So without further ado...

1. I chose my #oneword and then, through Holley Gerth, found Krafty Kash on Etsy. She makes these great necklaces that are perfect to highlight your One Word. I had some Christmas money to spend, so I got one...

August Blues - Abide Close-up

Isn't it beautiful? I love that she uses vintage books to create them. I know I will be wearing it often!

August Blues - Abide with Card

Thank-you, Kashoan!

2. I am loving my Juki! I posted about it here, and I just wanted to say, it is still working great, especially with the gorgeous Pottery Barn canvas that I am currently working with. If you have the budget, it is great fabric (especially for this project - we are doing topstitching at the seams, instead of piping).

3. And, WOW! I linked up to Miss Mustard Seed's weekly linky party last week and a WHOLE LOT of people came over to my blog for a visit. If you found your way here via MMS, thank-you for checking out my project! And if you haven't had the chance to check it out, hop over when you are finished here. Just allow yourself some time - there are a LOT of great projects there!

4. Have you seen this yet? I shared it on my Facebook page, but it is too good not to share again :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOc0mRQIW8k

5. And finally, have you read this post from Nester? In this age of, what can seem to be an obsessive drive for "Pinterest-worthy" pictures and posts and diy-ing, there is always HOPE (and arrows). Be encouraged :)

Have a great weekend!

Sherri

One Word for 2014

Have you ever picked one word to help you define or give focus to your year? Last year my word was Grow and it certainly was a growing year! My blog grew (although when you start from nothing, it's hard not to see at least a little growth :) - to all of you who faithfully follow my musings, thank-you!) and August Blues grew and I learned a few things along the way as well :)

I have been thinking and praying about what my word needed to be this year and quite quickly abide came to mind.

Abide 2014

Abide, as in:

"5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5 NASB

I love this definition of abide from Webster's: "to continue in a place :  sojourn"

More than anything, I need this!

Do you have one word?

Sherri

Happy New Year! With a Top 5...

2014-Numbers-Happy-2014-Wallpaper-New-Year-Image

Happy New Year and welcome to 2014!

It feels so strange to write that :) We will spend this first day trying to keep the boys busy (only 5 more days until school starts again ;) ); oh, and there will be a little football watching, too.

I took a little time to look over this past year of blogging (my first!) and thought it would be interesting to share my most popular blog posts:

5. This Brought to You By... Dropcloth!

August Blues - Couch After

4. Vintage to Fabulous

August Blues - After

3. There's Something About a White Slipcover...

August Blues - Chair and Ottoman After

2. Breakfast Bar Transformation

August Blues - Breakfast Bar Countertop

I know - not a slipcover post, but it sure was popular :) I guess lots of people are looking for ideas for their breakfast bars!

And the No. 1 post??

1. Matelasse Project

August Blues - Back Buttons and Loops

It has been a fun year - I am looking forward to more great projects in 2014!

What were your favorite projects?

Sherri

Wingchair Slipcover 2.0

Twas the night before Christmas (well, it was actually the day of December 23...), and all through the house, a sewing machine was humming (and it wasn't a mouse... thankfully!). Yes, I did quickly finish one more slipcover project just before Christmas. And I love how it turned out!

If you have been following me for awhile you may have seen this chair before. Here is the before...

August Blues - Wing Chair Before

I love this chair! I purchased it through Craigslist a few years ago. The list price was $30. When I contacted the owner to arrange the purchase, someone else was already coming for it. When that sale fell through, she told me I could have it for, get this, $10!! Down-filled seat cushion and all! The scale is great for our house, it is comfortable, and I really like the unusual flared arms.

My first slipcover for it was made of dropcloth...

August Blues - Wing Chair dropcloth slipcover

(see more dropcloth slipcover projects here)

It has worn quite well, but since I moved the chair to our family room, it is getting more use and, therefore, more wear. And I was ready to do something new with it. I picked up some fabric this summer and finally had a chance to put this new slipcover together...

August Blues - Floral Slipcover

It's a different look for the chair, and I love it (have I said that enough, yet?)!

The chair has a story and the fabric does, too. I purchased a sample of this fabric when I was considering fabric for the family room curtains a couple of years ago. I decided to go with a different fabric and didn't think about it again. Then, this summer when I was shopping at Colorado Fabrics in Denver, what did I find but a roll of this fabric! Sold! It is Richloom Bircham Printed Cotton Twill Drapery Fabric in Cottage. It is a great weight for a slipcover.

The slipcover followed the original upholstery, with a single piece side panel...

August Blues - one-piece side panel

...and a simple back piece with corner zipper.

August Blues - Back with corner zipper

It was getting to the end of my sewing day, so I just went with a simple straight skirt, thinking I might add something different later.But, once I got the slipcover on, I decided I quite like the simple look for a change :)

August Blues - Floral sli[cover

Yep, it just might be one of my favorite projects this year :)

Did you do any last-minute projects this year?

Sherri

P.S. Linking up here...

and HERE and HERE.