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?” 😉
