Sunday 20 January 2013

Footstool Make Over - Or where I patchwork anything that stands still in our house!

Yep, that's right, stay still too long in this house and I will patchwork it!

I brought a second hand foot stool last year. It is lovely and big and comfortable. Great for resting legs on whilst watching movies and useful extra seating when lots of visitors arrive. I really liked it, the price of £15 helped with that too! Only trouble is I wasn't so keen on the twee Laura Ashley style fabric

footstool before

Perfect for my Mum perhaps but us not so much, the fabric was loose too and irritatingly sloppy on the sides. I knew I would re-cover it, toyed with the idea of using some precious stashed Echino, the idea being I could gaze upon it and enjoy it daily, rather than it being hidden in the cupboard.

Then last week I made up my January bee blocks for Lucy in the Bee a Brit Stingy. Me being stingy managed to make my strip piece go a long way and got 5 feather units out of it by joining up all the cut offs and so on. Two were sent to Lucy and the other 3 got some rather special treatment.

I have wanted to make a feather quilt for ages, I loved Charlotte's and was a bit jealous when Lucy chose them for her month (I am next months queen) so I was chuffed to have some of my own but knew I couldn't face making a whole quilt of them. Then I stumbled across this amazing cushion by Amanda of A Crafty Fox



Isn't it just gorgeous! I would give my kidneys for a cushion like that, I just love everything about it. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I really hope Amanda agrees because I just knew this was what I had to do to my footstool and those spare feathers.

So with a lot of careful cutting of very precious fabrics and some meticulous sewing - random can be so difficult and time consuming when you are trying to to waste even a fraction of special fabrics - I had a pieced top to fit the footstool. I then free motion quilted it in a wood grain effect (just like Amanda, eeek I am such a copy cat, but I loved it so much I couldn't help myself!) best seen from the back
woodgrain quilting on footstool



Not great, but not hideous which is great considering it will be on display for all to see in the lounge. I then did a little pearle hand quilting around the feathers and wonky star I had added to help them stand out, sewed the corners up, stapled it to the footstool top and hey presto!

finished footstool


I have the worlds swankiest most amazingest footstool EVER!

finished footstool1


I was really very brave and cut into some of my treasured Heather Ross along with text fabrics and hand printed fabric from friends. It was scary (I bet a lot of you know how that feels!) but I am so glad I did. Yes I might not have as much stashed as I did and yes I can't get any more BUT I see it every single day rather than occasionally stoking it and putting it away again.

finished footstool2


I hope you like my makeover too, I'm off to see what else I can cover in patchwork....don't tell the husband ;-)


finished footstool3

21 comments:

Charlotte said...

OMG - that is AMAZING!!! Seriously, you had better not tell me where you live because I will come over and steal it!

Canadian Abroad said...

That is the most incredible foot stool! You should be so proud. And I hope your kids don't stand still for to long or who knows what could happen to them!

Gertie Pye said...

Now THAT's a makeover! Love it love it love it!

Lucy | Charm About You said...

I just fainted!!! That is incredible!! soooo gorgeous! I've been on the look out for a footstool for ages, they are hard to come by. God job I don't live near you or I would totally rob it ;)

linda said...

looks fab and i love seems like we all do .............now where is that dodgy foot stool ...

Pippa Parsons said...

that is so yummy, I'd be frightened to let the kids, cats, dogs or even Dh near it :) I've got an old chair I'm going to patchwork up for my quilt frame room, will keep my eye out for a stool in the bric a brac shops

Di said...

Totally BEAUTIFUL. It looks amazing and when you see your favourite fabrics in it you will have that warm glow. Patchwork anything in the house but do not do the hubby!! Di x

Jenny-Narcoleptic in a cupboards mum said...

you certainly have put your 'scraps' to good use ! It's gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

OMG Emily that is stunning! I made a patchwork cover for a footstool cube when I was starting out and now I think I need second option looking at this...

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!
Is it now one of those footstools not for feet, or children or anything but admiring?

Fiona @ Poppy Makes said...

Love love love love love!

Katy Cameron said...

That is absolutely fabulous, perfect use of those stashed fabrics!

Catherine said...

Wow fantastic Emily, it looks really great

Kelly said...

Coolest footstool ever - LOVE it!

Angie said...

O.M.Goodness, Mrs. G, that is just GORGEOUS---I have been eyeing those pieced feathers---you did a fabulous job. :)

Jenelle said...

This is such a awesome project! I have an Ikea footstool that desperately need recovering and I feel totally inspired now to tackle it. :)

Annabella said...

You will be known as the weirdy lady who lives in a patchwork house ;-) You know I love this foot stool - it's just gorgeous. Now go cover something else - preferably an inanimate object!

Cindy said...

OH MY GOODNESS IT IS AMAZING! You've the most spectacular footstool on earth!

Celtic Thistle said...

This is gorgeous and a great use of your extra feathers. I do hope you are not going to let anyone actually put their feet on it now:)

diegoagogo said...

I will join the crowd & say OMG that is GORGEOUS!!!
I just love the text fabrics (my not so secret fetish of late).
I have plans to make some of these feathers but they are on a very long list.
Must. climb. stairs. to sewing garret!!! LOL

Unknown said...

What a work of art, Strawberry Patch! Something’s lacking though. A bit more color would make it look better. How’s painting the stool frame with a different color, like gray, maybe? Do you have other DIY projects like this? It’s not hard to admire such a creative work. =D

Marcene Balderas