Painted FABric With A Twist!

It all started when I found this wing chair at my local ReStore for $35 and besides a well-worn cushion & dated/faded fabric it was in really good shape!Heirloom Traditions was just introducing a brand new FAB Tinted Fabric Primer and this was going to be a great candidate to test it out on. You can only use it on your first application, before paint, because it's tinted white, which not only makes it easier to see where you've applied it but it also removes adding an additional coat of paint. You can see how it covered most of the color on the upholstery using just one coat.I used about 3/4 of a quart because this particular fabric was a sponge with a lot of texture!Once the FAB dried I applied 2 coats of Peppery by Heirloom Traditions. If I hadn't used the tinted FAB I would have ended up applying 3 coats of paint and I'm glad I didn't have to. I painted everything with the Peppery first because it was just easier to do it that way.I then applied 1 coat of Heirloom Tradition's clear FAB, which can be used on both your first and last step if you don't need the tinted FAB. I only used a few ounces for my final application, as the fabric wasn't absorbing as much towards the end.Now here's where my twist comes in! Most people are used to sitting on fabric and since painting over fabric changes the feel of original fabric into more of a leather feel I decided to find a local seamstress to make a slipcover for the seat cushion. Turns out that a really great one lives on the street behind me! She charged be $35 for this awesome slipcover, with piping...something I would not have been able to sew on my own, I know my sewing limits. If you're in the area you can contact her through her website here: www.christinesewology I was very impressed with her work & the quick turnaround!Next I wanted to accent the nail head trim and the legs in a contrasting color that would coordinate with the seat cushion, so I chose Venetian by Heirloom Traditions. It's a beautiful creamy white.I initially tried to paint each nail head with a small artists brush and it was taking forever! And as I was whining about it to our Creative Director she suggested I use my fingertip to apply the paint & ditch the brush, a tip she received from one of my fellow retailers Tracey's Fancy...um, best tip ever!!! Seriously, that is the only way to tackle the tedious task of painting nail heads, it only took a couple of minutes! FAB is no longer being made, however, you can paint your upholstery and then seal with the Wise Owl Paint’s Furniture Salve. You can apply it with the 2″ Palm Brush and remove/buff the excess off with a lint-free cloth. Let it dry overnight before sitting on it.
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