Licking the Lid of Life....my esoteric diary

[lickthelid]

Yep, do the backs too. The seat looks great.

The problem is I don't know how. The seats were simple as the legs unscrewed and there were a few extra little screws but it was a simple matter of pulling it taught and using a staple gun. The backs don't come apart so I'm a bit stumped....without risking breaking them or cutting the material off which in loathe to do in case it goes wrong!!! :s

 

[babycake]

I got crafty this week and reupholstered some 70s chairs from a dining set we recently acquired. I'm not sure whether to do the backs or leave them...what do you reckon? <img src="http://www.minimins.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=127940"/>

I would but with a plain yet complimentary material x

 

[babycake]

The problem is I don't know how. The seats were simple as the legs unscrewed and there were a few extra little screws but it was a simple matter of pulling it taught and using a staple gun. The backs don't come apart so I'm a bit stumped....without risking breaking them or cutting the material off which in loathe to do in case it goes wrong!!! :s

Simples - cover the fronts and staple at the back using neat folds at the wrap around areas. Next make a piece that is a inch bigger all round then the back. Fold and iron the edges so it covers the staples and mess from the front piece. Use upholstery glue and tacs to keep in in place.

 

[lickthelid]

Ooh you make it sound so EASY haha. Presumably I would have to match the pattern to ensure it looks like one continuos piece? I've said to husband that I will do all the seats first before tackling the backs because they are at least marginally presentable like that. I have done 2 thus far and I am awaiting my second remnant to do the other two. Once I have got that far I will get a third piece and try out your suggestion babycake. They kind of have a lip around the back that the current material is wrapped around so presumably if I were to carefully staple the underside I would need one piece to cover the last visible back section. How would you go about dealing with the sides do you think? The current material is tucked in and I guess glued because they weren't designed to be taken apart. Pull it tighter maybe?

 

[MollyMolly]

Or alternatively, make a rectangle that (after hemming) is the width of the backs x enough to wrap around the front and back, with about 1 1/2 inch overlap. Attach Velcro and fasten onto the chairs (have the fastening 'over' overlapped edge pointing down at the back). That way they are as easy to change as the seats next time you fancy a change and easily removable for washing.

I love that fabric

 

[lickthelid]

This is similar to what I originally had planned. A kind of sleeve idea. The only problem I came up against is that the existing fabric kind of over shoots a little as the back curves so unless I pulled it tight enough to not move the edge would show if you see what I mean. At least I think they would. I'm not cut out for creativity at all!! Maybe a fabric glue is the way forward. I looked at some braiding for the edges but that's just not retro enough to be in keeping with the fabric. It might look a bit...chintzy? I need to experiment and I suspect the solution is halfway between the two. Maybe a sleeve that is stapled along the underside so it can be pulled tighter and then Velcro used to secure it. Hmmm some ideas to think on! Thanks guys I reckon I'll give it a shot once the bases are done. I might take a pic of the back to see if it stimulates further ideas!!

Ps I love the fabric too. It took hours of trawling eBay for the best and correctly sized remnants. I thought it was quite orla kiely. Very in keeping with the age of the chairs.

 

[Seacrest]

Ha, you're doing it well so far - great ideas coming in, I wouldn't have a clue how to approach it. I'm not in the least crafty, if I ever suggest doing something creative, my OH gets a worried look & puts whatever I have my eye on out of my reach.... The chair does look good so far though. I had assumed the fabric was Orla Kiely, certainly looks it. Good luck with the rest.

 

[lickthelid]

Thanks I think I'll need it. I'm chuffed you thought it was orla kiely remnants in her fabric cost ££££ as it was it cost me the princely sum of £4 for the off cut that did two chairs + £2 postage. Bargain.

 

[Happy Holidays]

What will the room look like with the chairs in, have you placed them to see which looks better with or without a back, you could just fold some material around the back to see how it all looks then decide.

 

[lickthelid]

They are stored in a cupboard when not in use as we don't have room for a full table and chairs out so the table is a 70s oak gplan style drop leaf. That's why I'm less concerned but I will definitely try wrapping some around to get an idea

 

[MollyMolly]

Instead of braid round the edges you could make piping from plain fabric (matching one of the fabric colours) and some ordinary white string in the diameter you need to cover the last of the original. I do this when I'm sewing pram hoods/aprons and it's really effective. With chairs etc you could make it a little wider so that you can glue it into place first, then butt the prepared edges of the main fabric up against it (under the curve of the piping) as you go.

 

[lickthelid]

So many good ideas!! I've decided to finish the seat pads and set it all out to have a look and decide the next course of action. I will post a pic once I have decided thanks guys x

 

[lickthelid]

Sunday 9th March

Illness

I almost never get ill. I always maintain that my immune system takes such a battering at school that it takes more than your common or garden sniffle to floor me. But I am. Ill that is. And this is the second time in a few months. It started with viral conjunctivitis (have had to bin all my make up grrrr) and a cold sore. Then it's been a headache that had lasted three days...I kid you not. I got some ibuprofen and codeine on the advice of the pharmacist but can't use it for more than three days at a stretch as its habit forming. That's all I need, to develop an addiction to over the counter painkillers and spend my days trawling different branches of boots for one pack at a time. Anyhoo I'm pleased to report that despite this I have not succumbed to naughty food and that I am still on track for my lent challenge (I gave up sweet things and am having my syns as solely food ingredients or savoury snacks). I just hope to god I shake it off in time to get back to work. A bunch of gcse misfits feeling like this is going to be no joke!!! Argh!!

 

[anju100]

Well done for staying on plan, it's always hard when you aren't feeling well. Hope you feel better soon x

 

[lickthelid]

Thanks Anju. Its lucky we don't keep anything in to be fair. I've been struggling to have my syns with no sweet things. I've been falling back on the odd little packet of crisps from my daughters lunchbox stash. I'm sure it will do me good!!!

 

[Seacrest]

It could be sugar withdrawal causing your headache. Sugar is a demanding little beast.

Ive given up chocolate, which isn't really that hard as I hardly ever have it (Lenten cheat...). At some point in a few weeks I will of course forget that Ive given it up & have some, but until then, so far so good. I thought for one millisecond about giving up alcohol, cake, and / or cheese, but my religious convictions aren't strong enough to justify that sort of sacrifice...

 

[lickthelid]

It could be sugar withdrawal causing your headache. Sugar is a demanding little beast.

Ive given up chocolate, which isn't really that hard as I hardly ever have it (Lenten cheat...). At some point in a few weeks I will of course forget that Ive given it up & have some, but until then, so far so good. I thought for one millisecond about giving up alcohol, cake, and / or cheese, but my religious convictions aren't strong enough to justify that sort of sacrifice...

That did cross my mind but like you I rarely have the sweet stuff in that way. Again a relatively easy lent sacrifice on my part. I have a sweet treat maybe 2 evenings a week? Possibly three at a push and then it's just something very small. I sat down once (after watching that recent documentary on sugar) and worked out that my average daily intake only occasionally exceeds about the equivalent to 5tsp a day. I was quite chuffed to be under the recommended amount of no more than 12. Plus the sugar is less likely to cause the other symptoms. Cadburys would be on prescription if NOT having it caused cold sores and conjunctivitis haha. Can you imagine. Intravenous dairy milk.....now there is an idea!!!!

 

[liquoricet]

I'm actually going to church for Lent. I gave up booze for January and can't face doing it again so soon.

 

[Seacrest]

That did cross my mind but like you I rarely have the sweet stuff in that way. Again a relatively easy lent sacrifice on my part. I have a sweet treat maybe 2 evenings a week? Possibly three at a push and then it's just something very small. I sat down once (after watching that recent documentary on sugar) and worked out that my average daily intake only occasionally exceeds about the equivalent to 5tsp a day. I was quite chuffed to be under the recommended amount of no more than 12. Plus the sugar is less likely to cause the other symptoms. Cadburys would be on prescription if NOT having it caused cold sores and conjunctivitis haha. Can you imagine. Intravenous dairy milk.....now there is an idea!!!!

You do well to keep the sugar to that level. I haven't checked my intake, but whenever I have logged my general food intake on MFP, I come out high for sugars as I eat generally 4 pieces of ruin each day, and that seems to whack it sky high. I'm actually trying to swap to snacking on veg instead now to reduce it.

Like the idea of intravenous CDM, bit worried about how the fruit & nuts may block the tubes though...

 

[lickthelid]

Monday 10th March

Vegetarianism

Now I freely admit that I have always seen vegetarians (and more so vegans) as being akin to another race, possibly another genus in the biology of things. Until I watched a documentary on netflix this morning. Vegucated is an American documentary that takes three meat eating New Yorkers and challenges them to live 6 weeks as a vegan. Now I'm not going that far BUT some of the footage in that documentary (I'm not going to describe it so no need to turn away now) was enough to make me swear, on the spot, to give up meat and to some extent dairy and eggs although with them it will be more about reducing them than not eating them at all. I actually cried it was so harrowing. All this from a confirmed carnivore. I have written a post in the off topic section asking for advice on suitable SW friendly swaps and I'm hoping that it will be relatively painless as I only have quorn sausages already so for me its finding mostly a chicken alternative and giving up ham. I swapped to exclusively green and herbal tea ages ago so have very little milk, I eat one yoghurt a day with my breakfast fruit. Eggs on the other hand....well suffice to say it has been tempting to get a couple of chickens in the past, put it like that.

I have never been so profoundly affected by a programme before. The only thing that has affected me this badly in terms of changing dietary habits were 2013s holiday snaps. Helllooo slimming world!!

So scrap red weekends and bring on the green days ending in Y. I need to brush up on those now....