Auntie's Chair

Aunt Alma was something else. She used a cigarette holder, and poured her bourbon from a lead crystal decanter. She wore the best clothes, bought frozen meals when they were the height of fashion, and played a mean hand of Canasta. She was my mum's great aunt and she taught her, along with my aunts, how to win at cards by any means necessary...  I never got to meet Auntie, as everyone called her, but oh! the stories I've heard!

The one legacy of Auntie that's mine, is this chair. A few years ago, my parents had a devastating fire that destroyed many family heirlooms, but Auntie's chair survived. My mum knew how much the chair meant to me, so after it was cleaned, she gave it to me. It's just so fabulous, from the sweet little curvy legs to the wide and inviting proportions of the back.

Only thing is, the upholstery fabric is dated and worn. So... I've decided to be brave, and to make a slipcover for it. Eeks! Now, I've never been a big fan of sewing (though I have always made the little princess's Halloween costumes). In fact, measuring, pinning, etc., etc... makes me all kinds of anxious. So, it will be an arduous process, probably requiring many redo's, and all kinds of unladylike language.

Fortunately, the fabric choice was easy- I'll be buying lots of drop cloths from my local money pit home improvement store. I actually had the idea while I was painting my living room a few weeks ago (I know, where are those pictures, right??), and I recently read a post about using them as fabric for custom cushions and slipcovers. So much for being original, but hey, it does mean that I'm not the only one completely textile obsessed!

Sooo, anyone out there got any great tips or secrets that I should know before I start? Any books or online resources I should not live another day without? C'mon, spill. And I promise to post pictures of the mayhem as it ensues...  Wish me luck, Auntie.