So I'm back at the chair cover. I've unpicked all the pieces I think I need to, to make pattern pieces, and I've started tracing around them. But I've realised I need to learn a lot more about inserting a zip, because this looks very neat and I don't know how to do that.

#Sewing

https://mastodon.art/@artbyailbhe/110813772022830155

Decided to prewash at 60C, so started the day by putting 400cm x 141cm of fabric in the washing machine. Now I'm back on my bed with coffee, looking at the last pieces of the previous chair cover which I have yet to transfer to paper pattern pieces.

The label on the parcel says 100% cotton but the website info panel says 52% cotton 48% polyester. #FibreContent

My elbow hurts from threadmarking but I've done the back of the back, the front of the back, the seat, the front of the front, and the backs of both wings so far. I've cut out the fronts of the arms but not marked them, and I've yet to cut out the fronts of the wings, the insides and tops of the arms, and the outsides of the arms.

Then I need to make a pattern for the seat cushion, and use that as a practice for making and attaching piping, and fitting a zip.

Then I can assemble the cover.

All the pieces are cut out and only the two smallest have not been threadmarked. Tomorrow I'll make a pattern for the cushion (I bought the foam ages ago, wrapped it in a sheet temporarily, and have been sitting on it ever since) and hopefully cut the cushion pieces.

I will need to teach myself piping. #Sewing

I've cut the pieces for the seat cushion. I think I'm going to make the bottom of the cushion from scraps pieced together. The two pieces for the three long-zipped box sides were as long as the width of the bolt of cloth so what's left is *extremely* tidy and I have lots of interesting scraps for antimacassars and so on.

Having a little rest now and then I'll see about finding my rolls of zippers.

PINS ARE SHARP

*bleeding very slightly*

Basting in the zippered panel for the three sides of the cushion, which is fine until I reach the curved nose. I do not like sewing the curved nose. But I think this is ok?

When I've finished basting the top edge with the curve, I'll do the bottom edge and see if the cushion fits. It *should* but I'd rather find out before I sew a million tiny stitches with a hand cranked machine. #Sewing

Finished the fiddly basting, put the inside-out cover on the cushion and pinned the base in place, and *unzipped the cover* so I could just sew everything.

It's not perfect, and the internal seams are not finished, but it's done. #Sewing

I've started basting and pinning the pieces of the chair cover together. The wings are ok. Both sides of the arms are ok. The front of the arms seems to be too big but it's hard to tell how much right now.

I stitch-marked the original seam lines in light blue, I'm basting in dark blue, and my pinheads are yellow. I'm really glad I stitch-marked because the chalk is almost completely invisible on every fiddly curve after basting. #Sewing

Edited to add: the close-up is a much closer colour.

I'm actually attempting to baste the seat into place. It's extremely gathered so that the seams won't be stressed if someone stands on the chair and all their weight is in the middle.

If I re-webbed the seat of the chair I wouldn't need to do this but that's beyond me at present.

Fittings are harder on a chair because it can't hold the pins for me while I fix things.

I'm tightening up around the... armscye? where the arms join the body and I will need to figure out how to keep the skirt tugged down firmly.