We knew we wanted outdoor fabric that would hold up reasonable well in the sun and would not "run" or disintegrate should it get caught in a rain storm. Although we plan to bring the cushions inside when we are not using the chairs, one never knows what may happen.
We started at Leaderer's. They are a well-known outdoor/ patio furniture store with several locations in Florida. We actually had purchased our tropical-looking bedroom set from them a few years ago, and we knew that they sold Sunbrella outdoor fabric by the yard.
Once in the store, we were directed to the back wall on which their samples of fabric hung. The saleswoman was less than enthusiastic about spending too much time with us since we only were seeking fabric, not the $1000+ furniture on which to put it.
We knew we wanted something that would coordinate with the yellow house, the dark green doors, and the white chairs. We rejected some prints that had ivory backgrounds instead of white. We considered two different prints, but rejected them for reasons below:
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| We liked the pattern and the greens, but the light stripes were very dark ivory which would have looked "dirty" on the white chairs. |
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| We liked this print, but it was on the "discontinued" rack, so we had no guarantee that they could get it in. |
When we struck out at Leaderer's, we decided to try Joanne's Fabrics. I knew that they carried a variety of outdoor fabrics (at less cost than Leaderer's), and we had to go there anyway to get the cushions to cover.
My idea of a cushion was a light, 1" cushion that would easily follow the contours of the chair bottom. Rick's idea of a cushion was a 3" slab that would cushion his fanny from the cold, hard metal of the chair. We ended up with an outdoor cushion about 2.75" that will stand up well to the weather. I don't know yet if I will add ties in the corners to fasten them to the chairs, or if I will just count on the weight of the user to settle the cushion into place.
Our next task was the fabric. Joanne's had probably 30 bolts from which to choose. We finally decided on a leafy print complete with leaves, small flowers, birds and toucans. It has subtle orange accents and a white background which should coordinate well with the white chairs. Now I wish I could snap my fingers and have the cushions finished!
Of course, they were out of white "outdoor thread," so I told the woman I would just use the white thread I had at home. I have never HEARD of outdoor thread, and since I probably will bring these cushions inside when not in use, I think that the thread I own will work just fine.
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| Birds and flowers will cover the new cushions for the chairs. |
Rick worked for over two hours today sanding down one of the chairs to get it ready for paint. He still has a way to go on the chair, but it should be wonderful when we get it refinished. He is longing for the sand-blaster that he had at work. That would have made short work of the rust and the slopped-on finish of these chairs. Ah, well, this will give him something to do.
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| Rick gives his hand a rest as he sands down one of the chairs. Temperatures in the mid-60s were ideal for working outside. |
While he worked on the chair, I took time today to work on a scarf for Stephanie that I have on the loom. I hope to get it completed in time for her to take back to Minnesota this spring. She had selected the tencel yarn last year, and I am happy with the results so far. I hope she likes it and will wear it once it is finished.
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| The scarf is grey, navy blue, and a light mauve. |
The chairs are far from complete, but at least we have the materials in house so that we can make them comfortable. After all, those beautiful spring days where we can sit outside and enjoy a good book are right around the corner.
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