I shared a couple of weeks ago that my parents gave us an old recliner that was much better than the Facebook Marketplace recliner we’d been using. I was hesitant to replace it simply because I spent so much time making a slipcover for it, but it wasn’t the best recliner ever. There was a reason it was listed for $50. The recliner my parents gave us is very comfortable, but it’s also bulky. The padded back and wider arms aren’t as graceful as one I would select new, but it was hard to turn down a comfortable free chair that’s been well cared for and still has a lot of life left. I felt like a slipcover, and a blanket folded over the back would camouflage the padding that isn’t to my taste. I could retain the comfort while making it work better with my aesthetic preferences.
So, my mom came over one Saturday, and we worked together on making the slipcover. She does the ironing and straight sewing while I work on the pinning and tricky bits. You can read about that HERE.
We worked on it for a few hours, and then I finished up the rest over the next week. Because of the moving back as well as the shape of the arms (and the striped fabric I selected), it was the most challenging slipcover I’ve ever made. A part of the process didn’t even involve a sewing machine, thread, or pins. It was just me sitting on the floor staring at the chair, thinking about how I could solve the problems.
In the end, the slipcover is about 95% finished, and I’m still thinking about how to finish the tricky hidden parts. Right now, they are just raw edges tucked into the chair. They aren’t visible, so I’m calling it done until I get a bee in my bonnet to finish it. The good part is, it looks done, so only I know I didn’t solve all of the problems posed by the shape and function of this chair! Well, I guess I spoiled that by writing about it here. Okay, so you and I know.
Given the challenging shape of this chair and the tricky fabric I optimistically picked, I am very happy with the result. The chair itself is still a little dumpy and wide in the hips, but the slipcover gave it a fresh face and a bit of charm.
I love the fabric, although I doubted my choice several times as I ripped seams to make another attempt to line up the stripes. In the end, the stripes are perfectly lined up, but even my mom, who is a stickler for things like that, deemed it passable. I also wondered if it was going to look too busy on a large scale. I like how it plays against the other patterns in the room, though, and is a nice change of pace from the solid off-white hemp sheets I use for slipcovers.
About halfway through the project, I wondered if I should’ve just reupholstered the chair instead of making a slipcover, but with the nailhead trip and padded back, that would’ve been opening a whole can of worms I wasn’t ready to deal with.
The wings were the most challenging part of the chair, since I wasn’t sure how to finish the underside. If I sew the ends together, I wouldn’t be able to get the slipcover on. Right now, the ends are unfinished and just tucked underneath. I think I’ll eventually finish it with flaps that Velcro closed.
The good news is that all of the slipcover pieces move well when the back of the chair reclines, and everything is fitted nicely, so it required minimal fluffing and straightening after someone lounges in it.
The view directly from the front is the least flattering since I had to cut the seat cushion to be able to make a separate cover for it. It doesn’t sit quite as tightly in the chair now. I also couldn’t get the stripes to line up perfectly. As luck would have it, this recliner is paired with an ottoman instead of a moving footrest, so the ottoman will hide that view of the chair most of the time, drawing the eye away from my imperfect sewing.
I made a slipcover for the ottoman last week, so I’ll share how that turned out next!
24 Responses
This came out wonderful. I’ve slipcovered chairs using your tutorial, but never with anything but a solid fabric. This had to be a BEAR! Congrats that it’s nearly done!
Wow, I can’t imagine taking on a recliner. Very nice job, Marian. I know from past posts that you’re not a big fan of recliners in general. Would you ever consider designing your own line of comfortable but beautiful recliners? That would be a challenge that folks like me, who shudder at the thought of a recliner, could really embrace.
100% this – PLEASE – for us all!!
I got over my recliner phobia real fast when I had 2 knee replacements in 8 months. That leg and foot rest was perfect for strapping on the ice machine cover every half hour for several weeks and made a mighty comfortable bed with my legs fully extended. If you know you know.
I think it looks very nice and it’s comfortable! Mom
I agree! You are a great team!
Super impressive! And it looks great with the pillow and quilt!
You’re so talented.
Love your mom’s comment…
You did a very good job and there are a number of “tricky bits” on a piece like that. I once reupholstered a couch and love seat in a fabric with both large vertical and horizontal matches. They turned out great but probably wouldn’t do it again. I’ve also slipcovered 8 chairs in striped fabric which took a lot of fiddling…and there were no moving parts! Well done, Marian.
Your recliner looks lovely. I was never a fan of recliners until recent times.Now I find them really comfortable. I agree with Jane. Maybe consider designing your own line of recliners. 😊
I N C R E D I B L E !!!!
You girls did a terrific job! You inspired me to make a slip cover for one of my chairs and an ottoman in recent past! Love the fabric you picked too! Thanks for your tutorials and inspiration!
Your slip cover looks great.
I have re-upholstered twi recliners in the past, using the chair fabric I took off the chair as a pattern, and then sewing everything back the way I found the original fabric. Somehow I think that would have been easier for you to do than making a slipcover. Both of mine turned out great and were used for years.
It looks so inviting and comfortable. I would want to sit in it to read and/or watch tv. Sadly, I no longer have a recliner, when my husband of 48 years passed I chose to donate the latest one. The mister loved them and I always groaned that I couldn’t find one that was stylish and functional. You’ve made yours very pretty and invitingly comfortable. Way to go.
Karen B.
Looks great! Hard to believe it’s the same chair!
Marian, it looks fabulous! No surprise of course…..have you ever made anything that wasn’t just amazing?? I think not! You inspire me!
I think it’s beautiful!
Dear Marian,
Even though I’m still not a fan of recliners, yours grew on me as I read the story of your slip cover adventure. The wonderful stripe with its challenges, your tag team sewing with your mom, and the finished/unfinished chair are remarkable. It will be fun to see the ottoman soon.
Hugs, Diney on Mercer Island
Absolutely love the fabric! As always an inspiration, you make me think “Oh I can do that” and then I chicken out! You and your Mom are a great team!
Dear, you did such a tedious job. I mean, stripes? All those moving parts, goodness me. The ottoman is so much better than a footrest going up. I dislike getting out of such a chair while you push the ottoman aside. It can serve as a little table with a serving tray on it if there are more guests. I won’t tell you about my sewing that, hum hum, still isn’t finished after 10 years in this house XD
WOW. You truly amaze me. I think it looks amazing. I could never, ever do something like that EVER.
You are brave to try this with stripes! It looks great. I’d just switch out the pillow for a solid. It’s a bit much with all the patterns.
I don’t understand why people think recliner’s have to be frumpy, outdated and ugly big pieces of furniture. There are many furniture lines today who make fresh, modern and updated recliners now which are smaller scale than those of yesteryear. I have two contemporary recliners with track arms that give it a modern look by Flexsteel. I would also suggest swivel chairs if recliners were totally a no. It’s a great alternative. With that being said, you did a great job recovering the recliner and I love the fabric. I am just not sure if it really blends in with your more modern sofa.