SARALISA meets VANVIK

Materials: VANVIK bed (full), SARALISA, MINNA, & DITTE yard fabric, cording for piping, velcro, sewing machine, electic staple gun, and hours of measuring, pinning, and sewing!

Description: A few years ago, IKEA released the VANVIK bed frame featuring curved black metal legs, adorned by a slipcover featuring the LEABY black & white floral print that was originally introduced in the EKTORP slipcover. I immediately fell in love with this bed, and was fortunate enough to purchase the floor model at the end of it's existence in the IKEA range. Sadly this version is now discontinued, but its sister version in white with a tailored bed skirt is still available. The curved lines, and the metal feet were the qualities that initially attracted my liking to this piece of furniture. The black and white floral print however, what not so much my taste.



After doing some measuring, since I purchased the full size version, I quickly realized that it would be possible for me to make a new slipcover without having to piece any fabric across the width of the headboard. Most IKEA fabric measures 59" in width, which ended up working out perfectly since the headboard is 56 1/4" in width- leaving me plenty of room for seam allowance on both sides.

To give the sides of the headboard a more finished look, I sewed piping along the edges of the SARALISA fabric. The trickiest part was doing the sides of the headboard. I had to trace a pattern on newspaper to cut the side pieces, and left about 2 extra inches just in case.

I then placed the fabric inside out, and pinned it over the headboard until I had a fit to my liking. Removing the fabric was tricky, I had to do it very slowly since I needed a tight fit and didn't want any of the pins to fall out. I ran the slipcover through the sewing machine, and had to tear out seams in a few places and re-sew until I got the look that I wanted.

This entire process took about two weeks of 3 hour sessions. Lastly, I removed the velcro from the original cover and sewed it around the the bottom of the slipcover as I did my final finishing seams.

The bed sides were the easy part- after being so worn out from making headboard slipcover, I kind of "cheated" and decided to staple gun the fabric pieces directly to the frame itself. I didn't do any sewing for this part- I just turned the fabric under at each end of the bed side, and had to do some cutting to accommodate the corners and the feet.

Pulling the fabric very tight, I started at the headboard and slowly worked my way down the foot of the bed, doing the sides first and the footboard last. This whole project was definitely an experience- and a full time job! I am so happy that I did it because I love my bed which now has a unique custom look to it. For anyone who is ambitious enough to try it on their own- make sure you have the bed frame assembled before you begin to try anything- it is the only way you will ensure you have the right fit!

~ Jessica B., Philadelphia Suburbs

Ikea fabric as a canvas

Materials: Saralisa fabric b/w, acrylic paint, stretcher bars

Description: For me the hardest part of painting is the drawing, since I'm not that good at it I decided to use Ikea's fabric as a canvas with stencil.

I just bought the stretcher bars and all the tools needed like a special stapler and the fabric grip. Very carefully you need to follow the instructions to frame the fabric the right way, from center to edges (in any art supply store you can get them) otherwise the fabric isn't tense enough.

I mixed my own colors with acrylic paint and started painting.

~ sandra

Saralisa lights up

Materials: Saralisa fabric, Orgel Table Lamp minus the lampshade, 4 pieces of light weight wood strips for the frame, staple gun

Description:
1. Saralisa Fabric, 2 yards x 3.5 yards needed
2. Lightweight Wooden frame, 2 pieces 74 inches, 2 pieces 48 inches
3. Nail together the four pieces of wooden frame with 2 finishing nails per corner
4. Stretch Ikea Saralisa fabric very tightly over the wooden frame, the tighter you stretch it, the more the sides will bend in, giving it a really appealing hourglass-like shape, if you would rather have the traditional rectangle shape, then stretch the fabric less
5. Staple gun the fabric at least every few inches onto the wooden frame, folding in the corners.
6. Trim the fabric in the back as needed
7. Stand against wall, put an Orgel table lamp without lampshade behind it and turn it on!
8. Enjoy :)

~ Sisi