Shabby Chic Wooden Furniture Redo Using Fabric and Starch

Shabby Chic Wooden Furniture Redo;

Using Fabric and Starch

contributed by The Polka Dot Closet

Grab your favorite fabric, soak it in liquid starch and cover your furniture.  It is a great way to cover  almost anything with fabric. 

Here is my subject, a blanket chest.

The supplies are liquid starch, pocket cutter with a new sharp blade, wallpaper brush, and of course your favorite fabric.  Liquid starch is a little hard to find, it use to be everywhere, but it is no longer available at my Target, Kmart, or Walgreens.  I did a little internet search and found it at Winn Dixie a grocery store chain we have in the south.

I decided to apply the fabric in 3 pieces, it could have been done in one piece, but since I was doing it alone and the fabric is heavy when it is wet, I cut 3 pieces of fabric larger than what I was covering.

Completely wet your fabric in starch.  To get the excess starch out, run the fabric between your 2 fingers.  If you scrunch the fabric up to get the excess starch out you will end up with wrinkles. 

Did I mention this is a messy project, you will want to do it outside or put plastic down.

Put your wet fabric on your furniture and smooth out the bubbles.  I use a wallpaper brush, but you can use your hands.  The air bubbles are not as bad as gluing paper or wallpaper, as fabric breaths.

Use your pocket cutter and trim off the excess fabric.  The fabric cuts very easy, just like wallpaper.

Here it is all trimmed up

And Finished!  I added a little cushion in matching fabric.  Back in my Boudoir!

Here is the best part!!   For those of you who change your decor as often as some people change underwear.........It is removable and reusable!!!! To reuse, pull up a corner and peel it off, or wet it slightly.  Now, just throw the fabric in the washer to get the starch out and use it for another project!!!  Then just wipe down the surface it was on and it will be back to it's original finish.  I have used many different fabrics, the only ones I would not use are those that run when wet, so you will want to test a small piece.

Fabric wet with starch will adhere to almost any surface.  You could use it to cover:

1. Any furniture or drawer fronts

2. Line the inside of drawers

3. Backing for china cabinets

4. Cover the glass in old windows used for decorating

5. Dress forms

6. Mirrors

7.  On painted walls instead of wallpaper.

What projects have you done with fabric and starch?  Happy creating!!