Tuesday, May 26, 2009

It's Tuesday and I can't wait to ....


It's Tuesday and I can't wait to ... finish this bizarre upholstery job that I'm doing at the moment!

The story goes back a few months, to even before Christmas. It was at one of my stalls at the Shirt and Skirt Market at the Abbotsford Convent.

A lovely lady and her husband came up to me and looked at all the things on my stall, and then asked if I could re-cover the seats of her stools. I thought about it for a minute (I have re-covered exactly ONE, count it, ONE drop-in seat in my entire life) and then I figured you know what? I can probably do that. And hell, if I see the things and decide I can't, then no harm done.

So I passed over a business card with all my details and forgot about it.

Cue the phonecall then, about seven months later. What a surprise! Of course I immediately remembered them, they were a lovely friendly couple, and admittedly it was pretty easy to remember ... even with my memory, which is like a sponge. Not because it soaks everything up, mind you, but because it's full of holes. I'm a bit like Homer Simpson - every time I learn a new thing, it pushes an old thing out. I have recall of about five seconds on a good day. See, even just writing that, I forgot that the point I was trying to get to was that it was easy to remember them because I have only ever had one single enquiry about upholstery, and it was theirs. (phew, got there in the end.)

So anyway, we arranged a time to meet. They'd bought the fabric and when I arrived at their house, she showed me the stools.

Two were easy - the two on the left of the photo, I knew I could do that. Straight lines, easy! I've wrapped enough presents in my life to be able to cover straight-edged chairs. And sure enough, they turned out well. Isn't the fabric lovely? It's a Warwick upholstery, in gorgeous tones of plum and antique gold.

The other two though, the round ones .... I wasn't so sure about them. ESPECIALLY when she showed me the fabric, which - although it's another Warwick product - is less a fabric and more a tricky vinyl-type thing. So seats, curved. In a vinyl, which doesn't stretch and isn't easy to get to curve as a result. If it was ordinary fabric I'd simply have cut the material on the bias and everything would have been hunky-dory.

So we talked it over and agreed that I'd do the two easy ones, and if the circular ones were beyond me, I'd just bring them back and she'd find someone else (someone with experience and skill in the area!) to do them. She was a really gorgeous client in that concern - respecting my limitations and very understanding.

As I was loading everything into the car she called out "You can do it! I have faith in you!".

And what do you know? It turns out she was right!! Isn't it great when a client has more faith in your abilities than you have in yourself?

So this is my first formal, commissioned and completed upholstery job. It's not my talent, it's not my style, but boy am I pleased with the results.

Now, just two tiny cushions to go (out of the plum and gold fabric) and I'm done. Consider it another professional mountain climbed!!

And now pop on over to Lou at ButtonsByLouLou and see what everyone else can't wait to do with their Tuesday.....

7 comments:

Jennie said...

Good clients restore my faith in this whole sewing palaver.

CurlyPops said...

Woohoo! Now you can add professional re-upholsterer to your resume.
Sorry I didn't make it on Sunday to pick up my door snake.

Tania said...

Hmmm. There are a couple of chairs in my house...
I'm deadly serious, let me know if you are up for another little challenge-ette!

Lou said...

Good on you! You will definately be able to say yes again next time...sounds like a challenge for you rather than a stress...great.

lisette said...

well done! :)

Jenaveve said...

You must feel so chuffed!

Well done, really. It's a little scary taking on 'big new things' but you've proven that fear ain't no big thing!

They look great.

Rabbit and the Duck said...

Well done! I might get started on some new things myself tonight - you've given me the energy and enthusiasm I needed to get going : )