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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Friends - We're back with fabric and container choices

The progress on Lu's laundry continues.  I was not able to get to Lu's house for the last couple of weeks, but Lu went forward and did some fabric and container shopping as well as crafting a handy hanger storage container.

I asked Lu for pictures and progress, so the majority of this blog is in her words...mine in italics:
I decided that the easiest window treatment would be curtains. Haven’t figured out which style I’m going to do, but they’ll be able to be tied back in summer so we can feel the wonderful breeze, and closed in winter to help contain the heat.  So I went scoping material.
This is a linen material with embroidered flowers. Normally I don’t go for flowers, but this doesn’t seem too ‘girlish’.  It also brings a circular design into this room full of straight lines and angles. This material keeps the grey color true.
Lu is talking about the color sample sheets.  The 'grey' one is the color she painted on the walls and ceiling.  It is actually a color in the violet color family, so depending on the light and what is put against it, the color shows either as grey or pink or violet.


I really like this pattern too, but it seems to turn the grey wall color sort of pink-ish.  So, I thought that I would use this material for the cushions for the cat box seating.  Even though it’s a bunch of squares, it doesn’t look ‘boxy’.  Also, if I use this for the cushions, there’s limited wall space to turn pink because it will be just under the window trim.




I liked this pattern because of the fluidity; however, it also has the ‘pink effect’.  Chris didn’t like this one at all, so I’m going to write this one off.  Maybe I’ll find some use for this down the road…new curtains for the playroom perhaps?


Hanger storage

I was going to purchase a triangular bin for storing hangers on the new shelves above the washer & dryer, but couldn’t find anything with the color scheme.  B said, “Make one”.  So, being a talented, crafty person, I already had materials on hand.  I cut a piece of cardboard for the base.  Chris came up with a good suggestion.  Instead of keeping the bin enclosed, I should cut an opening so that I don’t have to take the bin down to get a hanger. 


The handles would stick out of the bin so I could just lift one out as needed.


If you're having a hard time imagining this, you'll have to wait for the finished product.  In the meantime, here is a link to the inspiration that started Lu on this project.

Lu continues...
I found this material at JoAnn’s in the remnants bin.  It was folded back-side out, so I didn’t know that it was a satin sheen.  I’m going to have the back side of the material on the outside though, because I think it looks better.  And, since I still had money left on a gift card from Christmas, this really didn’t cost anything.


I was thinking of using cloth bins on the shelves above the washer/dryer, but when I saw this bin at Target, I thought it would go well and be great work-glove storage.  It is!  I’m thinking of picking up some more like this for the other things I store out here.  I’ll be lining the top shelf with the Con-Tac paper as well.  In a prior post, I mentioned that the clear Con-Tac is being used to prevent paint from sticking to items on the shelves.
I'm loving this bin
Paint Progress
We ended up having to remove the bottom windows to paint, which meant removing another piece of trim.  But we were able to get them re-installed before the rain hit.
Functional Necessities
I picked up the new cat boxes and was going to get the new hamper, but ran into a snafu with the size.  I have to get a hamper 13 x 19 in order to fit, but the ones at Target were 15 x 21; too big for this purpose.  Then I thought of just getting another trash can, but that was too big as well.  I’ll have to think of something else.


That sums up Lu's progress notes.  Great job, Lu!

What's left?
  • Lighting
  • Curtains
  • Cushions for window seats
  • Installing doors with a cat entrance on the litter box cabinets
  • Doors on the Storage cabinet
  • A second storage cabinet
  • Installing a collapsing clothes hanger to hang wet items
  • More pretty things
We will eventually take a look at where we are with the budget.  As for time - we have no real hard deadlines and need to work around Lu and Chris's very busy schedule, however, I'm thinking we will be done well before Thanksgiving :)

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Side Project - Slip covering ottomans

I was unable to get to the home of my friends Chris and Lu this last weekend as Lu caught a virus.   On top of that Don and I entertained our friend Mike from Arizona the weekend prior, so progress on the Laundry room is on hold for this post.

I couldn't just sit still (or worse, do housework that is really needed!) so I went to a couple of stores during lunch on Friday looking for inspiration.  I didn't find anything at the Habitat Restore that I could use now so I left empty handed.  But OH!  Outside of the store they have stuff for free and I captured a full gallon of Benjamin Moore white paint which is always useful and doesn't take up much space.  

I drove a couple of blocks further before going back to work and visited a St. Vinny's.  There I found something to do this weekend.  I got a piece of fabric for $1.00 and decided to cover our old tired vinyl ottomans which we always use around our coffee table.  So here's what I ended up doing...


The brick colored fabric is from St. Vinny's.  It is a heavy weight small cable corduroy type of fabric.  The tan fabric is leftover and matches our couch.  I want to create cording so I pulled out my extra cording from leftover projects.  Both ottomans are ripped on top, but have been so useful we've just kept them around.

Let's start with choosing the style for the cording -

First of all, what is cording?  Dictionary.com has a simple definition which fits just fine - it is cord covered with yarns or fabric, used decoratively.  The result of using it gives your furniture a clean look and optionally a pop of color.  I folded my tan fabric and placed the brick colored fabric right up to the edge just to see how the cording will look





The first is my favorite - Diagonal.  This takes up the most fabric because you have to fold it on the diagonal and cut strips from there.  I had a small piece of fabric, so this won't work.

The second shows I folded the lined pattern perpendicular to the edge of the brick fabric.  I ended up using this method.

The last one is a parallel fold which was just too messy and boring.

I cut my strips and sewed them together creating two long strips, one for each ottoman.


Lay the cord on the wrong side of the fabric about 1/2 inch from the edge.  Fold the fabric over lengthwise and pin in place.

Sew with a zipper foot so that you can get the stitches up close to the cord and create a snug closure.

Cording Completed
How NOT to prepare fabric

I set my iron on high and got ready to iron out the wrinkles in my brick corduroy like fabric.  One quick touch of the iron to the fabric (without testing a small section first, of course) melted the fabric to the iron.  Again, this is NOT how to prepare fabric.  Thankfully, I have enough even though I rendered one section unusable.


How to straighten the edge of heavy weight fabric

I pulled out my T-Square and a yard stick and set the T on the 'salvage' edge of the fabric.  This "Make it-Love it" website has a quick explanation of salvage, bias, and grain.  I then used a thin sliver of old soap to draw a straight line on the fabric so I could cut off the uneven edge.


I set out to measure the ottoman - height and circumference.  I then put the ottoman upside down on the fabric and measured 1 inch all the way around marking again with my soap.  I could have used a bit more fabric - like 1.5 inches.  That's hind sight.



Pin the cording to the circle of fabric.  The raw edges of fabric go together and the cording lays on the right side of the fabric. 


Test Fit

When starting to sew, start about 2 inches from the start of the cording and end (temporarily) about 2 inches from the end of the cording.  This will allow you to cut out cording and fold the fabric on one end.  That end will cover the other cord closing the loop without having to sew cord on top of cord. Cut the cording to just meet the other end.




After the cording was sewn to the circle, I cut a rectangle of brick fabric the length of the circumference measurement plus a few inches.  I sewed the rectangle to the circle leaving the edge open.


Once sewn I put it on the ottoman inside out and pinned the seam closed tightly.  I then pulled the fabric off the ottoman and sewed this seam.  I finished up the small opening I left while sewing the cording and trimmed the excess fabric off the seam.


To eliminate as much bulk as possible, I cut the fabric on the seams of the circle by graduating the height of each material.


Finally, I sewed a simple hem on the bottom as there was no way for me to staple the fabric to the bottom of the ottoman due to how it is made.  I did the whole process over for the second smaller ottoman.  I will probably add some stick-on Velcro between the material and the ottoman to prevent it from slipping off.  For now, I'm done.

The Finished Result

Fall is here and even the birds are decorating their home - I noticed a sprig of some plant material perched just above the door on this bird house at our cottage.  How fun!


Get better Lu!  I'll see you soon to continue your remodel.