Here is the AFTER picture of the Dropcloth Slipcover that I recently made for a very outdated old bench. I began this post with an after pic to draw you in . . . mostly because I was afraid that if I showed you the BEFORE pic first you might be scared away!
Here is the BEFORE. I’m ashamed to admit that this shabby (not in the good sense) little bench has been living in my master bedroom. The trim has been a wreck since Sasha was a puppy (ummm . . . 5-1/2 years ago?), the color is no longer to my liking, nor the floral satin fabric. So why have I kept it? It is the little bench that catches stray articles of clothing and mail that needs recycling. It is the bench that hides the electronics charging underneath. It is the bench where my husband sits to slip on his shoes (when there is room to sit). This bench is also a perfect match to my outdated bedroom which I have great plans for making over. Maybe this transformation will be the first step.
So here is how I made a new dropcloth slipcover for my old bench. After disposing of the trim (no, it wasn’t EVEN fit for a future project) I measured the length and width of the old fabric cover and cut my dropcloth fabric to the same size.
I laid my fabric over the bench, lined it up straight, and pinned the corners, pulling the fabric taut.
I sewed along the line of the pins and trimmed close to the seam.
After turning the slipcover right side out and placing it back onto the bench I measured the bottom edge of the fabric along each side. For the ruffles I tore (for a frayed edge) four – 4″ strips of fabric, each one double the length of the side it would be attached to. I sewed a long basting stitch along the long edge of each strip, and pulled the thread to gather to fit each of the four sides, matching the seams in the ruffle to the seams at the four corners of the slipcover. Next, I sewed the four strips together along their short edges and then sewed the whole ruffle to the bottom edge of the slipcover . Why four strips instead of one long strip? First of all, there were going to be a couple of seams somewhere since the doubled circumference of the bottom edge of the slipcover was much longer than my fabric. Secondly, it is tricky to pull gathers in a very long strip and even trickier if the fabric is thick. I didn’t want to risk breaking my thread and losing my gather.
(Sorry, no pictures were taken for this step because everyone knows how to make a ruffle, right?)
After attaching one ruffle I decided I wanted a second one so I repeated the process except with 7″ strips so the bottom ruffle would peek out from beneath the top ruffle.
Just for fun I added a French graphic from The Graphics Fairy website, which I ironed on with transfer paper.
For a final touch I added some handmade dropcloth rosettes around the top of the ruffles. (Rosette tutorial HERE)
I’ve enjoyed using drop cloth fabric for projects around my home. My first experience with this fabric was my Drop Cloth Draperies which have been one of my top viewed projects. I’ve also made pillows, and hand bags (which you can see on my Pinterest “Stuff I Sell” Board. I have a whole list of other great ideas for dropcloths that I want to try in the future. This fabric is great because it is inexpensive, washable (I always pre-wash my fabric), it has the look of linen but it irons up much easier and crisper looking, and it tears nicely leaving a great frayed edge that doesn’t continue to fray.
Once my bench was finished I decided it was just too cute to be used as a catchall in my bedroom any longer and I took her along with me to the French Flea . . .
. . . where she went off to a very good and very stylish new home.
So, have you tried using dropcloth fabric for any projects around your house? What have you made? I’d love to hear about it.
Blessings,
CarrieThisHome
VMG206, BeBetsy,TuesdaysAtOurHome, ADiamondInTheStuff, WeCallItJunkin’
OneSharendipityPlace
FABBY says
Gorgeous, you did a magnificent job, you are soo very talented, I truly love it! I’m sure she’s dressing a beautiful room somewhere. Maybe you should make another for yourself, lol! Thank you for your sweet and kind comment. Enjoy your weekend.
FABBY
Linda Petersen says
Hi Patti! Very supercute bench!! I haven’t made anything from dropcloth fabric yet but I’m inspired now. Thank you for sharing. Really enjoy your blog.
Blessings,
Linda, Chino Valley, AZ.
Joyce says
Patti,
This turned out wonderful, I love how talented you are!
Warm Fall Hugs,
jemma
Mrs Major Hoff (Sara) says
Very very very pretty! I love the little roses! What a nice finishing touch! Thanks for sharing, found you on that DIY Party from DIY Showoff. Have a great week!
Francine says
This slip cover turned out gorgeous … i love it! That would look perfect in my living room 😉
Francine
Kelly @ The Moon and Me says
Oh, I just love your slipcover! The ruffles are perfect! I wish doing one for a round one could be as simple.
I’m your newest follower! 🙂
Kelly
Dawn @ We Call It Junkin says
Hi Patti, so nice to meet you today! Thanks for visiting me. I love what you did with this, especially the rosettes. I never would have thought of that, but what a great touch that was. You sold it?! Good for you, but I don’t know if I could’ve parted with it! Looking forward to seeing tomorrow at the We Call It Olde Link-Up. Take care – Dawn @ We Call It Junkin
Tori says
I especially love the rosettes along the topline of the ruffle!! What a beautiful transformation! Good job! 🙂
Nita@ModVintageLife says
Love how this turned out! I am thinking of covering an ottoman in drop cloth too. I think your’s turned out so nice! I came over to follow your new blog. I’ll add it to my blog roll.
Melinda@The Refeathered Roost says
This looks marvelous! The rosettes are such a nice touch…great transformation!
Jann Olson says
Wow! This is fabulous too Patti. Love the rosettes! You have been a busy girl.
hugs,
Jann
Wonderful at Home says
Hi from your newest follower on G+, Twitter and bloglovin! Your pinterest link wasnt working, so I will try to come back and add that later. I just LOVE this slipcover. I wish I could do this to my couch! Come on by tonight at 8pm, as we are having a linky party as well! See you there!
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says
I love it, this is such a great idea and such a lovely bench now. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
Pam @ House of Hawthornes says
Very cute project. The rosettes really set it off! I have an ottoman that i need to do that too.
jp says
Nice job, Patti…I love the added roses!
JP
Brandi says
This is beautiful, Patti! I love the flowers you added. It’s all in the details!
Donna Wilkes says
The detail of the drop cloth flowers made the bench. What a great transformation. I don’t know that I could have sold it.
Michele says
Love the flower accents! Pinned. I have a project like this to do and now I have inspiration:) I posted skeleton key necklaces to the party.
Karen says
It turned out so pretty. I love the double ruffle and the rosettes.
S Johnson says
That’s just beautiful! I want one! I should work more on learning to sew.
Kathy says
This looks gorgeous – I haven’t used drop cloth – it looks so soft and shabby! From what I’ve read, you do better by sharing the best picture first – so great job! 🙂
I am delighted that you shared with Home and Garden Thursday,
Kathy
Jill says
This looks fantastic! I think I’ll have to do something similar with an ottoman I have!
debra@ HOMESPUN says
It’s beautiful now ! Ha ha my ironing board is where I park everything I wonder if I could jazz IT up 🙂
Debra@CommonGround says
this turned out adorable!! love the raw edges and the wonderful little rosettes!
Korrie@RedHenHome says
Love this. The rosettes are the icing on the cake!
JaneEllen says
Your little bench was so awesome, loved the ruffles and rosettes and the barley twist legs. I’m surprised you could let her go. Lucky person that bought it. I’d loved to have been the one to buy her. She was so different, perfect.
I love using drop cloth fabric, so easy to sew with, love to tear strips and how they look. I use it often to make my table runners and especially for pillow covers. I would love to make a cover like you did. You are a great seamstress. I want to make curtains for our bedroom and stencil on them. That’s been in my mind since I saw some curtains that had been made that way, have to make them myself. Really something to look forward to. Happy weekend
Shirley@Housepitality Designs says
Wow…love it!!!…great job Patti…I love the rosettes and what would we do without Karen The Graphics Fairy…just ran into her this week at Lucketts…she is just a beautiful person inside and out!!
oksana says
Looks fabulous!!!
I wanted to invite you to the {Handmade Café} Link Party, the new and very unique linky! I hope you’ll join us and link up. You will meet many exceptional international crafters/bloggers!
The party goes on till Oct. 14th.
Oksana @ Oksana Plus Hobbies
http://oksanalikesit.blogspot.com/
Jamie says
So gorgeous!! You’ve been featured from Give Me The Goods! You’ll also be on my FB page this morning 😉
Hugs,
Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com
Kathryn Griffin @TheDedicatedHouse says
I love your new drop cloth slipcover! Nicely done as always! You are one of the fan favorites at the Sunday Showcase from the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Pop on over and grab a feature button. Here is the link to this week’s Sunday Showcase. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2013/10/sunday-showcase-from-make-it-pretty.html Hope to see your prettiness again at the bash tomorrow! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Christy@Confessions of a Serial DIYer says
Patti, this is gorgeous! Saw you featured at Huckleberry love. I love everything, especially the rag rosettes!!
Meegan says
So happy to be featuring this on Tickled Pink #9!! Thanks for linking up cute girl-Love it!!
Jann Olson says
Hi Patti, just hopping back to let you know that I will be featuring you at SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says
Very pretty, Patti! I love this! The ruffles and rosettes were a perfect touch. I have some dropcloth here that I am hoping to making into slips for our four dining chairs. You’ve inspired me to move it up on the list of things I want to do!
Mary Vitullo says
Great tutorial. I have a stool that has been sitting around for quite a while – you have definitely inspired me to do something with it.
Mary @ Orphans With Makeup
Christy @ Our Southern Home says
Great project and tutorial! I have an ottoman that is in need of a new look. Love using drop cloths!! ~Christy
Cristina@remodelandolacasa says
How gorgeous your little bench turned out with that pretty slip! Love the rosettes, the frayed edges, the graphic, well, everything!
Julie Pitman says
I Love it!!!! I have an old ottoman that I am going to do this on.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful ideal 🙂
Danielle says
This is so awesome! I would love to have you link it up to my Feature Friday Link Palooza!
Danielle @ Blissful & Domestic
http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com/search/label/Feature%20Friday%20Linky%20Party
Christine says
What a beautiful job! I did one but not as nice as yours, i just took the staple gun, tucked the fabric around the corners properly and stapled to the bottom of the little stool. After seeing yours, i think I’ll try again with the skirting also.
C
Gloria says
After looking at your projects, I just had a thought of trying to make a bedskirt with drop cloth.