Barrel Cane Chair - Painted Fabric & Wood

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I had never painted fabric before!  I knew that ASCP (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint) could be used on fabric because I read all about it in one of Annie's books BUT I was never brave enough to try it.  

That was before I met this chair.  

I bought it at a garage sale last year and I could hardly wait to get it home and start taking the seat off.

I already knew EXACTLY which fabric I would use to recover the seat.

However, that seat had absolutely no interest in being removed!

The screws were stripped out.  Apparently, someone else had tried to remove it before me and they had completely hollowed out the screws.  I bought a tool to use… didn't work.  I researched online and everything I tried… didn't work.  I even beat the thing with a mallet and a hammer and in the end, I didn't even care if I broke it because I was that frustrated!

Then, to no avail, I moved the stupid chair to my garage, to sit alongside my other 25 pieces, waiting to be painted.  I gave up completely.  As a matter of fact, I kinda forgot about it.

Fast forward to September 2014… I needed a chair for my newly renovated living room.

Steve suggested I "SHOP" in my own garage. With an eye roll and a small laugh, I did just that.

I spotted the chair and realized it was perfect for the spot.

Then I remembered the stupid, stripped out screws and almost put the idea out of my head.

HOWEVER, just the week before, I was having a conversation with my friend, Lisa, and she was asking me if I had ever used ASCP on fabric.  I told her I had painted a couple of small things, like pillows but never any furniture.  She was thinking of doing a chair and wondered if I had any experience.  That conversation made me wonder about painting the seat of this particular chair, since there was no removing that seat.  I decided it couldn't hurt anything to try.  After all, it was only gathering cobwebs and dust in my garage.  I started re-reading about using ASCP on fabric and put my study to good use.

First of all, I sprayed the entire fabric seat with water.  

I used a lot of water.  

I wanted the fabric to be soaked so it would more easily absorb the paint.

I added water to the ASCP Old White (making it the consistency of milk) 

and began painting my first coat.

I let it dry for 24 hours before applying my next coat.

Then, I applied coat #2 and also proceeded to paint the first coat on the wood too.

I let that second coat dry for 24 hours.

Then I painted a third coat and I let it dry for… you can never guess how long!?

(In case you haven't been paying attention - 24 hours)

After it was dry, I painted accents in all the cracks and crevices using ASCP Provence.

I lightly sanded the fabric to soften it and I lightly sanded the entire chair.

I distressed it in the areas that I felt would wear naturally.

I paid careful attention to the painted accent areas with my distressing.

The next day, I applied a coat of soft clear wax (ASCP) to the fabric and the wood.

The following day, I buffed the wax and gently worked it into the fabric.

When it was finished, it felt like suede.

So, there it is.  

I hope this will help anyone who is thinking about tackling a fabric project.

Oh, and please meet my new living room chair...

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