Slipcovering An Old Hassock – Part 3

Welcome back. 

This is what I had to start with…

I stripped the old upholstry off the frame. 

Sorry I didn't take a picture of it so I could do a before and after

Then I had to attach the Eucaboard to the frame. I knew I was going to use my staple gun, so I got that out along with the staples and took a few minutes to figure out how to use it. (it’s been a while)

Once I got the staples in, the stapler plugged in and turned on I was ready to go. It was not going to staple both boards at the same time. OK. So, I stapled one to the frame (but I had to hammer some of the staples all the way down), and then stapled the other one to the first one…more or less. Here again, some of the staples did not go far enough into the first board. Once again I hammered…which worked on some of them.

This required a trip up to my handy dandy tool box in the front hall closet. There I found just what I was looking for…#8, 9/16” tacks. With a few of these hammered into the loose places the two boards are secured to the base.

The foam is ready to be cut. You will remember I had to buy it as one piece and I have to cut it into two equal pieces. I watched the woman in the fabric store so I would know how to do it.

Here are my two pieces of high density foam. The knife I used is for cutting frozen foods; the foam was no challenge.

Because the foam came 24 inches wide (and my base is 22 inches), it was too wide for the base, so that means I had to mark each piece at the edge of the base and cut again. It wasn’t as easy as the first cut, but at least I didn’t ruin $50 worth of foam!

How’s that? And it’s sturdy and comfortable to sit on.

On to the next step (after I have lunch).

THAT WAS A LONG LUNCH! It’s now the next day. I’ve been procrastinating over this next step. I need to figure out how to put the under-cover on. It’s just some white sheeting that will cover the foam and the frame. I want to do it without sewing anything. My plan is to attach it to the frame with staples. It can’t be too snug because I don’t want it to drag down the edges of the foam. Here I go…into the unknown…again!

First side done. I will need to hammer in some of the staples, but that will be the last step when I’m sure it’s just the way I want it.

OK. That phase is done. I need to take a break now.

The next phase will require me to measure (twice) and cut (once) the material to cover the top and sides. I know what I want, so let’s see if I can execute it.

Part 4 will either be during construction or when it’s all done. Keep checking back.

Slipcovering An Old Hassock – Part 2

It was not my original intention to make this a series of posts, but, what the heck, this may be a lot of fun, so why not share it with my vast reading audience.

For someone who hates shopping, I sure did a lot of it today. I left the house at 10:30 this morning and got home at 2:30.

My first stop had nothing to do with slipcovering; I had a gift card for L.L. Bean (from my kids) and thought today would be a good day to go shopping. Got the coat I wanted and stood in line for half an hour before getting to the register. I thought yesterday would be the crazy day. I heard a manager say that the line yesterday was 3 times what it was today. Wow! OK. That’s done and I have a wonderful, new coat.

While I was in the neighborhood, I went to Jo-Ann Fabrics for the foam I need for the hassock. I found the three-inch foam (I will use two layers) and see that it is $49.99 a yard (choke) and I left my 50% off coupon at home. Darn!

Went home, dropped off my new coat, picked up the coupon and went to Jo-Ann’s closer to home. The three-inch foam is still $49.99, but I now have a 50% off coupon and I only need 31 inches (15.5 x 2). Final cost: $22.89.

Now I need to replace the piece of wood that formed the base of the seat. On to Home Depot and the plywood department. Back in the Cutting Center I find a scrap piece of Eucaboard (used for making peg board I was told). The kind gentleman figured out what it would cost me for a piece 15.5 x 22 inches…$2.00. Sold. The first piece he cut was just a tad too wide, so he cut me another piece. Told me to take both pieces. I’ll try to use both pieces. That will make the seat that much sturdier.

My last stop was at Mac Donaldo’s for lunch…cost of a Big Mac not included in the cost of the materials.

Foam:         $22.89

Wood:         $ 2.00

Fabric:        $25.00 (maybe it cost that much…that was a good       

                                      5 years ago)

Total:          $49.89 (you couldn’t buy a new hassock for 

                                       anywhere near that today)

You’ll notice that my total cost is .10 less than the cost of one yard of 3-inch foam.

I guessing Part 3 will be all about how I cut my piece of foam in half (so I have two 15.5-inch-wide pieces to stack one on top of the other); how I was able to nail down the pieces of wood (and how many fingers suffered in the process); and how I covered everything with a piece of muslin, just to keep everything anchored. Oh, and to do that I need to use an electric staple gun. Hahahahahaha! 

                                                  😰😰😰😰

Just decided to use the staple gun to attach the Eucaboard. Not sure which method will save the fingers! 🙄

Until then…..

Slipcovering An Old Hassock

The hassock was part of a living room set my parents bought in the early 1950s. It became mine when my mother and I combined households in the 1990s.

Fast forward to 2016. This thing hasn’t been in useable shape for the last 10 years at least. Five years ago I bought material to make a slip cover for it. And then I chickened out. I had no idea how to do that. I knew I would have to make my own pattern and the thought terrified me…until this year. Just a few weeks ago I made covers for two cushions I use in my car. I made my own patterns. The covers look absolutely fantastic.

This gave me courage. Do I know what I’m doing? Ummm, not really. But this time I won't let that stop me.

I thought I would just cut off the pillow top, buy some foam at a fabric store, make my pattern and make my cover. Excellent theory and plan. But reality has a way of making me say, “What was I thinking?”

As I started cutting away the pillow top, I realized all the upholstery fabric had to come off. It was so old it was close to disintegrating. Off it came.

Then there came the nails. The fabric tore away from the nails with no problem. It was the nails that became the problem. (I wonder if they used that many nails these days when making hassocks.) I used a screwdriver, pliers, and a staple remover from my office. Actually, the staple remover was the most useful. Of course I whacked a knuckle; broke the skin. After wrapping my finger in a tissue, I continued digging out nails. I even folded a load of white clothes out of the dryer without getting blood on anything. I did eventually put a proper bandage on it.

As I was doing all this, the thin wood top came off. It, too, was in bad shape. Dang! I’m left with an open wooden box on legs.

I already have the material.

I have an electric staple gun to secure the under cover.

I need to find the sewing machine foot for sewing piping. I think it could be the zipper foot.

I need to buy the foam at the fabric store…at least 6 inches thick.

I’ll go to Home Depot for the 15 1/2 x 22 piece of thin plywood. I’ll see if they have a piece of scrap that can be cut to the size I need.

I have plain brown paper that can serve for making patterns. If I run out of this, I’ll use newspaper.

Like so many other projects, what started out simple, quickly became very complex. Once again I say, “What was I thinking?” 😉