DIY Sofa Recover

I started on this project the weekend after Christmas.  So its felt like the project that goes on and on.  I anticipated that there would be a little figuring it out as I went, but I didn't anticipate the amount of time it would take.  It was tedious but it's done!!!

We started off with the couch that I bought before kids (I would never have bought it after kids, had a known what I know now).  I paid $600 for it, I think.  I've been wanting to re-do our living room.  It just wasn't a room we could spend much time in because the furniture just wasn't comfortable and practical.  I splurged on some $300 "mini" chairs that I ordered on Cyber Monday.  

To avoid spending more money, I decided to just recover our current couch.  I picked out the most kid durable material they had.  I thought about having someone recover it for me, but the estimate came in at $450.  Which would make this all cost more than I paid for the couch, that isn't overly functional for our life in this season anyway.  So I decided to do it myself.
Here is where we started:
New chairs, ripped couch.

I just pulled off the reddish-pinky material, used plyers to remove all of the staples that held it on.  Then laid it out on the table, pinned it to the new material, and cut the new material in the same shape. 

Then pinned the new material on.

 I actually did this back section first and used our bottom-of- the-line stapler for this section.

It about killed me and would jam every 6 staples.  I borrowed a nicer one from a friend but then thought I had the wrong size staples so didn't work on it for a few days.  Come to find out, I was loading it wrong.  After I finally got it straight and it worked like a charm. 

I slowly did each section.

I had the brilliant idea to add extra batting to the bottom section.  I felt a little like I was dressing a wound or doing plastic surgery around the arms with getting it cut and laying right. :)

But then I forgot to cut the bottom material a little wider to accomodate for the new batting.  So I came up a little short in some places (bottom front left corner).  

Next came the hunt to find trim to cover the staples.  I didn't anticipate this would be a big deal.  But I ended up going to 3 stores before I could find anything that was at all a possibility!  I wanted something a little wider to cover my imperfect work.  I finally found something and to my surprise, the trim cost MORE than than material!!!  What on earth?!  

Again, it took me days to get all of that trim hot glued on.  But I finished yesterday!  It felt like the project that took so much longer than I thought it would but its done.  Mostly.  Mike has to finish repairing the springs on the bottom.  By the time we buy those supplies, it may have been the same price to just buy a new couch.  :)