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Jul 30, 2012

Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer

You know how last weekend was a sit around, do nothing all day, weekend? Well, this weekend was the complete opposite. I didn't sit still for a minute. Right from when I got home from work on Friday, I jumped into projects. And actually accomplished 5 or 6 things. I'm pretty proud of myself for getting so much done.

One of my favourite things was recovering a small footstool we have. This stool was a gift from my aunt and I use it all the time. It sits under my desk and I prop my feet up so that my legs are at a more comfortable angle. It's a cute stool, very padded, but the fabric colours don't suit my taste any more. So off with its head! No really, everything stayed in place and I just covered over it.

(Sneak peek)
Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer


Here is the little sweetie before the facelift. The main colour is a yellow-tan with red and olive green stripes. As you can see, it's in really good shape and the top is very cushy.


I started by measuring up one side, across the top, and down the other side. All together it was 26" (adding a bit for the edges) so I cut a piece of pre-washed dropcloth into a big square 26 x 26. Do you use dropcloth as a fabric? I'm telling you, it's the best thing ever invented. The weave is tight, it can be dyed or printed on, and it's fairly water-resistant.

I draped the cloth over the stool, made sure it was centred, and pinned the corners down so that they fit tightly.


I then sewed along my pin lines and fitted the cloth back onto the stool.  It needed to be brought in a little bit at the bottom of each corner so I re-sewed the bottom half of each seam to be closer to the stool. Are you with me so far?

I then cut off the excess material on each corner, flipped the material right-side out, and pulled it back down onto the stool. You'll want it to fit very snugly. Now is the time to adjust your seams if you need to. You don't want to wait until you've started stapling and then realize it's too loose.

I removed the stool legs, and starting at a corner, folded over the material and stapled it down to the underside of the frame.


Most people recommend starting in the center of each side when you're stapling, but I was able to get it to lie flatter when I started at  the corners. Once all four corners were stapled down, I stapled along the sides, folding the material under to get a nice finished edge. I then screwed the legs back on.


Flip it over and see what you've got! Isn't that a beauty? I could have stopped there, but oh no, there was more fancify-ing to come!

I searched on the internet and found a graphic that I liked. It's a french style soap ad that may or may not be authentic. I saved the image, tinted it brown and increased the contrast, then flipped it in reverse. (PicMonkey is great for that if you don't have other editing software. I have Photoshop but for something like this I find PicMonkey faster.) I printed it on freezer paper, like I've shown you before, and then pressed the image onto the top of the stool and rubbed it all over with a flat object (in this case the side of the tape dispenser) to make sure it was evenly applied.

Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer

You'll want to dampen the fabric first, but just slightly damp - if it's too wet your image will bleed into the fabric. Not all of the lettering is legible, but the main words are and that's good enough for me! Those kind of imperfections just make it look worn and original.

The sides seemed a little plain so I took a piece of brown satin ribbon, folded it in half lengthwise and sewed it together along the long side. I measured around the stool with the ribbon, marked where the two ends should meet and sewed them together. I then slid the ribbon down around the stool like an elastic band, making sure that the long seam was facing inside towards the stool and not showing. The seam that joins the ribbon ends will show, but if you wiggle the ribbon until that seam is on top of one of the corner seams no one will even notice. Did I say "seam" enough? Seam, seam, seam!

Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer

And there you have it. Wasn't that simple? And now my stool has a new life. 

Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer


Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer


Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer


Vintage Footstool with Freezer Paper Transfer


I'm linking up here this week!






57 comments:

Jen said...

Love how you updated your foot stool Barb - it's beautiful!  I have yet to try image transfer with freezer paper --- will have to do that...gives a nice worn look!

NorthernCottage said...

NICE!! what a fun little project with a great after!

Ashley Taylor said...

So THAT'S how you re-cover a foot stool. I attempted my own last year, and that darn thing is now  banished to a spare room that no one goes in because it's lumpy and horrific. I might just give it another shot now!

Mindy said...

That's neat how you were able to use freezer paper to make the print on the footstool!  Great job:)

TheConcreteCottage said...

I love it now! Great job and the graphic tops it off perfectly!!
Nice work!

~ Jeannine

Sylvia Wheat said...

OH WOW...I love it! You did a great job! You have an amazing talent.

xo~Sylvia

Glo - Off the Grid @ -30 said...

This is gorgeous! Thanks for linking up to "I Did It!" Tuesday! :)

Jenn Lifford said...

This is lovely!!  I bet you kind of hate to put your feet on it!  lol!  Thanks so much for coming out to the party at Clean and Scentsible.  I'll be featuring it on my Facebook page.  Enjoy the rest of your week!
Jenn :)

Karen at bargain-ista.com said...

This is so gorgeous! You rock! And you did 5 more projects that weekend - amazing!!!

Katie Jasiewicz said...

Love this footstool you transformed! 

Jeanna Paulhamus said...

Love the transformation!  It turned out great...

Jeanna

dramaqueenseams.com

Crystelle said...

Fun!
Very cute
Love the vintage vibe...

Garagesalesrusblog said...

I LOVE IT!!!!!! Where did you get your fabric? I am visiting form the Catch a Glimpse link up and wanted to stop by and say hi. I a a new follower. I blog over at http://www.garagesalesrus.blogspot.com/ I hope you will stop by and do the same. I also have a giveaway with a Circut Machine going on right now. I would Love it if you entered but you have to hurry it ends tomorrow! Hope you have a great day!

Robin

Megan said...

That is beautiful!! I love it. :) 

Rachel said...

I love the new look!  Thanks for sharing at Terrific Tuesdays.
Rachel
adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com

Jessica Goodhart said...

Thanks for the tutorial! I have several stools at home I've been wanting to recover. I recently used dropcloths for curtains in my sunporch. LOVE them!

 

Emma said...

Love!  I've never tried freezer paper before, but have been seeing lots of great tutorials.  I may have to try!  Thank you for the idea!

Emily @ Sweetbellaroos said...

Thanks for linking up to Pin It Thursday-- I featured you today! http://www.sweetbellaroos.com/2012/08/04/pin-worthy-feature5/

Roeshel said...

Awe, what a sweet makeover! I love it's new look! Beautiful job! Congrats on getting so much done! I love those productive times! Hope you're getting a chance to relax! ;) 

Amie @ Pinkapotamus said...

This looks amazing!  What a fantastic transformation.. I just love the vintage look to the top!
Thanks for sharing with the Pink Hippo Party!
xoxo
Amie @ Pinkapotamus

Amanda said...

Very pretty makeover! Thanks for sharing at I Made It! Monday. Be sure and grab a featured project button when you link up this week.

becolorful said...

This turned out wonderfully and I really like that graphic idea. Someday I am going to have to give that a try and because of your tutorial I will have some good direction. :D Just wanted you to know I featured you this morning on this week's Motivated Monday at Becolorful.
p

Deidre said...

Wow barb! You did a splendid job on this and I love the colors! Beautifully done:)

Stacey said...

Very cute!  Love what you did - thanks for sharing!
Stacey of Embracing Change

Erin Branscom said...

That turned out so cute! I love the ribbon around it! :) Erin

Nicole@ Show Off Friday said...

Nice job!

Alecia Horner said...

I love the ribbon detail! Thanks for linking up at What’s Cluckin! Hope to see you
back tomorrow!

Britni @ Hubby Made Me said...

That turned out great! Love the ribbon! Thank you so much for sharing this at my Throwback Thursday party. I hope to see you again this week! :)

Deana@CountryMommaCooks said...

I love this.........Thanks for linking up @CountryMommaCooks party hope to see you again tomorrow : )

Kerryanne said...

Thanks for linking up to Shabbilicious Friday this week.

Deana@CountryMommaCooks said...

You are being featured at tonights Link and Greet party at CountryMommaCooks.......check out the sneak peek on CMC's Facebook page : )

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks Deana, that's awesome!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks Pamela!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks Amanda!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks! :-)

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks Emily!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks! I'm jealous of your porch! The touch of orange is wonderful!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks Robin! The fabric is just a painter's drop cloth from Home Depot. I washed it, ironed it, and it was ready to go!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks!

BarbSteadman said...

I know! And I won't let the dogs near it! Thank you for featuring me!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

BarbSteadman said...

Definitely try again!

BarbSteadman said...

Thanks!

BarbSteadman said...

Thank you!

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