Friday, March 27, 2009

FUNCTIONAL TO FABULOUS REPURPOSED VINTAGE SEWING CHAIR

A SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL FIND

My Mr. AGPMan and I were just a young married couple living in a small Texas town when we snagged our first piece of vintage furniture. If the truth be known we didn't have much more than a dime to our name so buying anything we didn't absolutely need was truly sacrificial. I mean...our goal was to buy and then EAT food! Simple as that!

I couldn't have possibly have understood it then, but scrounging up the $15 bucks (of which $5 was loaned to me by my dad!) to purchase a tiny wooden love-seat and matching chair (circa 1935) put into motion a love affair with all things old. It's a deep love that remains to this day! (By the way...I STILL have those two old pieces and I promise to share them with you before long!)

The vintage Sewing Chair you see above is another old piece I own-I actually have two! They are such sweet little beauties and they are impossible for me to pass up! I've sold a few (thank you Michele-my California friend) over the years, but because of their diminutive size it is difficult to part with them. They fit almost anywhere and I simply adore how they look once they are transformed!

BEFORE HER MAKEOVER

Check out this "before shot". Sweet, but nothing especially wonderful! But, after a quick sanding, several coats of fresh paint and some 2die4 fabric, beautiful old finds such as this one can be lovingly transformed for use in our cottage homes of today!

GREAT FOR STORAGE

How we did it:

We began by removing all the wooden pieces from the square base of the chair. Each piece was sanded down and primed and then hand painted (not sprayed). I opted to paint both the interior and exterior of the base (I did use spray paint for the inside).

After the pieces were all dry and cured (at least three days or MORE!), the chair was reassembled (except for the lid). The flounce (skirt) was then attached with a staple gun (use upholstery strips for a neat, clean lines) up near the top edge. I left the inside of this one plain, but you can also line them with fabric!

PRETTY BACK VIEW

A tiny hand gathered ruffle was added to the lid after being re-padded with quilt batting (I opted to remove the vinyl cover on this part). The inside lid cover was replaced and then it was re-attached to the body of the chair!

Lastly, shabby cottage chic roses (in pink, of course) were hand painted on both the front and back of the chair. Wahhhhhh Lahhhhhhhhh! Done!

I placed this charming old find in front of a vintage sewing cabinet I found at yet another tag sale. The circa 1920's cabinet is much, much older...but I still LOVE how they look paired together!

UP-CLOSE VIEW OF FLOUNCE

Use your imagination when you're out shopping in your area for charming old finds! Hope you enjoyed another peek into my home! Promise...much more will be shared in the future! Would love to have you follow along...

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It's loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness..." Keats

Blessings to you on this rainy, snowy and stormin' Oklahoma day...Rebecca

17 comments:

~~Deby said...

This is beautiful...I love your touches....I have found someone who is going to teach me how to paint roses....I told her that is all I want to paint..well maybe some vines too...
your blog is sucha lovely place to visit...it is a real *getaway*....
~deby

Connie said...

Lovely, chickee! I just did a plain old chair seat but what a difference it made. I'll blog about it in about 10 days. It was so dirty I had to wash up twice before completing it! Yuck. Hope Miss "K" is doing well.......
xoxo,
Connie

English Cottage in Georgia said...

Simply beautiful!!! I just love your knack for repurposing lovely pieces. I have never seen a sewing chair - never ever :-)

Tanza said...

Sweet ~r~,
Just DIVINE.. I had never seen this up-close and personal.. Simply the sweetest chair.. Soo functional..LOVE the hand painted sweet as ever roses.. When will you tire if this ?! NEVER !!! hahaha..Your pieces are so one of a kind.. I really wouldn't even know what this was, if I past it up.. I would of thought maybe a grown-ups potty chair..Oh my..hahaha..I know I'm not a sewin' woman.. But, I know now..and I will be on the prowl..believe meee.. Will you come and make it pretty for me ?! The fabric is soo yummy..You have to show that beautiful rocker you redid a few months ago.. Aaahhh I LOVE that as well !! You are Ms. Talented..Oh yes you are.. Blessed my friend, truly blessed..Love to you as always..big hugs ~tea~xo

A Southern Rose said...

Rebecca,
This is the first sewing chair that I have ever seen. It is so cute! You made it extra special by adding your beautiful roses and fabric. It is just precious!

Hugs,
Lee Laurie

Anonymous said...

Tanza... your too funny.. a geriatric potty chair.... but then if it's Rebecca's house you can count on going in style!!

Lovely as always R. I love these sewing chairs but i've Zero luck finding one here.

Lucky you to have two!

Rebecca Nelson said...

To Tanza: A grown-up potty chair? Ok...now I know you are really SICK! :) At least Tammy knows IF it WAS a Potty Chair it would be stylin'! :)

Enjoyed the laugh on the GLOOMY, rainy, foggy sky, can't decide to snow or shine...Oklahoma Day! xoRebecca

Tanza said...

oooohhh ~r~,
Just got home from in-laws house.. I'm pooped !!! This made me crack-up even more !! You and Tammy, I needed a good laugh, and I can't stop laughing..silly meee..YES !! If you needed a "big girl potty"this I KNOW would be exactly what you would design..only YOU !! mmmm..girls, we could make big money here !!! Okay, enough giggles here.. I need to get ready for bed.. ~r~, I can't believe your weather.. WOW !! It was 82 here today, and had to use the air.. unbelievable..more soon.. You know I love and adore you... ~tea~xo

Betty Jo said...

Gorgeous! I just love your blog. I'm going to spend some time going back over older posts. ♥

Anonymous said...

Miss R, please don't forget to put only the best decorator magazines in the potty compartment... we will need entertainment after all. Oh and pink toilet paper if you please... for T. :)

Rebecca Nelson said...

Tam & Tea...You both need serious help! :)

I needed the SMILE on this cold, dreary, ice & snow are on my lawn & killing my flowers, Oklahoma day!

xoReb

Anonymous said...

Becky--
Beautiful! Beautiful. Well done.
Love you-- Mom

Kris said...

Absolutely love the makeover. WOW!!

I've got to get a sewing machine and teach myself how to use it. I'm so inspired by the many projects I see on everyone's blogs. I have several pieces in my basement just waiting for me to attack them.LOL

Have a happy day

Kris

fannipauline said...

I love how you have done your sewing chair. Mostly I love all the inspiration you give to others by just visiting your blog. I am always uplifted by looking and reading. You are blessing to me many days. ..........Pauline

Dawn Wilson said...

Love your sewing chair! Your blog is a respite for me. My husband is anti-frou-frou, ruffles, and pink in the house (we have a red wall and a more Mediterranean/eclectic furnishings), so I enjoy just scanning down your pages, taking in an eyeful of pink, roses, lace, and femininity in general. Aaaaaaaaah.

Char said...

Hello Rebecca, I hope this finds you and your family well and happy. I think your husband deserves a lot of credit for the work he has done on your home. The wall is up and looks just beautiful. He did a wonderful job. Finally done and gorgeous too. Char

Sandy~Romantique Inspirations~ said...

Hi Rebecca, I'm trying to catch up on all my favorites sites and your absolutely one of them. I want to say how fabulous all your projects turn out so beautiful. I really need to borrow you. Your taste is exquisitely divine!

The sewing chair really wasn't very pleasant to the eye, but you transform it into a beauty.

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