Getting Fabric On the Second Ottoman.....

Or Betsy Screws Up AGAIN.....

No matter how many times I do stuff.....

Paint

Sew

Upholster...

I manage to usually mess up a step somewhere along the way.

One of the things I love most about watching Project Runway on TV, 

is when the contestant designers realize that what they are working on 

is a big fat disaster,

and they start from scratch on a new design.

AND SO IT WENT WITH THE SECOND OTTOMAN.

As you may recall, 

we left off at this point as I was showing you guys the unmatched pair of footstools I reupholstered for my niece and her hubby.

I had gotten one done.

The second one was at this stage.

I had added 2" medium density foam to the built up top.

For those of you just tuning in, I built up the top so that it would end up the same height as the first ottoman, shown in the top picture.

The next step was to apply the Dacron.

As I told you in my last post, I had run out of Dacron, so ordered another roll, only to realize that I needed the wider one, not the smaller I had hoped would be sufficient.

Since I did this, a new invention has just come out that you might find useful in your DYI projects.

It's called a measuring tape, and I believe that they are now available at most every hardware store.

Soooooooooo.......

After I received the second roll of Dacron that was twice as wide as the first.....

I covered the second ottoman with it.

I ordered these rolls from a different supplier that my old roll, and being a fledgling upholsterer.....

I didn't remember what I had gotten in the past, other than to know it was the same stuff I use in Flerida.

Wellllllll.......

the new roll was denser than the old roll.

Ended up being thicker when applied.

Oy vey, Oy vey, Oy vey!!!!!!!!!!!

So, when I came to the corners, I figured out that instead of just bunching the Dacron like I did in the first footstool.....

I had to cut out some of the fiber in the corner, in the shape of a triangle so it wouldn't be too bulky, and fold it down like a gift wrapped package.

Then I compared the two ottomans, side by side, and realized that the second one was going to be 1/4" to 1/2" higher that the first.....

after everything I went through to make them the same height!!!!!!!

@#$@#$@#$@$$#@$%#$%#$%!!!!!!!

Well.....

don't worry kampers....

the screw ups have just begun!!!!!

Next....

I made the cover for the second one, thinking to myself...........

"Betsy, sweety pie.....

(I didn't really call myself sweety pie, that's just an artistic  flourish for the story.....)

(any way....)

"Betsy, sweety pie.....the first cover for the first ottoman had really sharp corners, why don't you slightly round the corners of this second one, and make the sewing a little easier!!!!!"

Which is what I did.

Well, kampers, if you know anything about geometry.....

if you round off the corner of the perimeter of a rectangle, it diminishes the overall outside dimension.

Sooooooooo.....

when I sewed the sides to the top, it was too tight.

Causing the frame of the footstool to poke out at the sides!!!!!

Not a great look.

Someone was going to bang a body part on the sharp edge.

like Leo, my new great nephew!!!!!

Sooooooo.....

Just like on Project Runway, 

I made a whole new cover.

This is why it's always good to have a little extra fabric.

As you can see, 

it came out much better.

Sooooooo.......

I finished it up like the first one.

Now it was time to add the cambric to the bottom of both footstools as a dust cover.

It's a nice way to give a finished look to an upholstery piece.

Fold under the edge, and tack it with a staple in the middle of each side, pulling it tight as you go.

Then, starting in the middle of each side, work your way out, pulling the fabric tight as you staple it in place.

It gives a nice finish, and covers over the raw edges of the upholstery fabric.

here they are, all finished!!!!!

For your viewing pleasure.....

I have supplied a side by side collage of the before and after!!!!!!!

Next post, 

I'll show you how they look in the living room of my exhausted niece and nephew.....

It ain't easy being new parents.

BUT IT'S VERY EASY BEING A NEW GREAT AUNT!!!!!

I go visit for a while, hold the baby, time to change the diaper and I'm outta there!!!!!

On that note,

Latah, Gatah