Stacks of Books Part 1

I am going to do this project in 2 parts.

You can cover the books with the "leather" from the project before the ottoman or use glossy magazine paper or fabric.

These books can open, but I prefer to use them for setting around or stacking.














I like Dover Publishers, they still send out catalogs! This is a page from the stationery catalog showing wrapping paper. These small bits make good book covers.












When I use fabric I like to brush on some Modge Podge, let it dry. I like the finish it leaves.


You can try out different methods of your own.











For the books we can use pre-made books or the glued end of a small pad of paper, sometimes called a jotter or memo pad.











If you are going to use the memo pad, use a steel rule to cut the glued end off at 1/2 inch or 9/16 inch.











If you are going to make your own stack of paper here is how I do it.

Take a stack of paper, the thickness you want and clip the ends together.











Apply Elmer's glue to the long edge.





















While the glue dries put clips on the long edge.














For decorating the spine with the raised tooling stiffen some crochet thread with Elmer's glue. Let dry.















The stiffened crochet thread.












This may be a fussy thing to do, but I will tell you about it anyway. At the top and bottom of the spine of the book there is fabric sticking out, it's usually gold colored. We are going to imitate this with embroidery floss. Separate the floss to one strand.
I like a striped look, so I tie 2 colors of floss together and then hold onto the knot in one hand and the other ends in my other hand. I begin twisting, rolling the floss between my fingers and thumb, twist until it's tight. Bend the center of the twisted floss around a pencil that is secure and let the floss twist back onto it's self. You can gently hold onto the ends of the floss so it doesn't get away from you. You can do this with a little hand held drill, too.

You should have a tightly twisted rope. This is how I make my trim for the furniture, twisting the floss this way. I usually use one color, but if you want a two color trim, remember to tie the colors together and twist from the knot.
If you don't get this, I will try to take a picture with some help. I just couldn't do it by myself. Let me know if any of you need help.


End of Part One.

Part Four, "Leather" ottoman

Part Four

Trim the bottom points off, there should be enough glue to hold the edges together.












Fold the top point down and glue.
















Trim the top point off.
What are we going to use to cover all of this up with, boxing.
Measure a corner of the cushion, see the corner on the right hand side of the picture, this would be a good corner to measure. Measure top to bottom of the corner. Mine measured 5/16 inch.
Cut the fabric that width and long enough to go around the cushion plus a little extra to fold under both ends where they meet.




We do not turn the raw edges under on the long sides, this will be covered by trim or piping.
Glue the boxing on using the tacky glue, smear it before you press the boxing into place. You want a smooth surface, I hadn't smeared the glue yet when I took the picture.














Make sure all the edges of the boxing are glued down and smooth.

Glue the cushion to the top of the base.










Make piping according to a previous blog project.

Glue the piping on at the edge of the boxing on the top of the cushion and in the seam where the cushion meets the base.









Finished ottoman.

I used Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint Metallics Gold for making the "nail heads" around the bottom. You can also use Classics #CLA 05558 for real nails.
This ottoman has the round beads for feet.
You could make this in other fabrics to match the furniture you have.

TTYL Kris

Part Three, "Leather" ottoman

On to Part Three

Set the ottoman base aside, we are making the cushion now.



I use Thermolam Plus for my batting, quilters use this. It's a compact batting.













Cut a 1 5/8 inch by 1 1/4 inch piece of the Thermolam plus and glue it to the top of the cushion. You are leaving about a 1/4" all around, this makes the pouf on the top of the cushion. I use tacky glue for this.






Cut a second piece of Thermolan Plus to go over the top with a little extra to be trimmed later.

Glue the Thermolan Plus down to the foam core sides.



Clip corners.













Trim the Thermolam Plus all around, even with the bottom of the cushion.














Lay the cushion onto the fabric and trim around leaving enough to be folded and glued to the under side of cushion.












Fold and glue the fabric to the bottom on the long sides cushion.














On the short ends, fold in from the sides. You've got 1 point on top and 2 points on the bottom.














Apply glue inside of the bottom points gluing the fabric together.

Do you see the bottom point open ready for glue and the other point is all ready glued together?

Press these points tightly together, close to the form core.

End of Part Three!

Part Two, Ottoman with "leather"

We are now to Part Two.
I used Aleene's No-Sew to glue the fabric up onto the foam core of the base, but any tacky will do. I use glue stick to glue fabric to the card stock.

Trim off the corners, do you see the little triangles on the table?











Now cut the card stock for the side of the ottoman. This strip is 11/16 inch wide.
This would change if you change the thickness of the fabric. If the fabric is thicker the strip would be thinner. It's all in dry fitting and trial and error. I've made a lot of furniture that ended up in the trash.
Cut the strip long enough to go around the ottoman.






Dry fit the strip to meet in the mddle at a long side of the ottoman.

Aren't my hands just terrible?













Cut a strip of fabric 1/4" larger all around the card stock strip.
With the "leather" you can use an exacto knife to cut it.
















Use glue stick on the card stock to glue the fabric to it.















Clip the corners and glue up using the tacky, 1 long side and the short sides.















Spread the tacky glue onto the sides of the ottoman and glue on the fabric covered card stock.

Be careful not to stretch the strip, you could make it too long, just want the ends to meet.












Clip out the corners and glue the extra fabric down to the top.



End of Part Two!

Ottoman to make with "leather" Part One

I am going to make this project a 4 part project. I have trouble with pictures dropping out.

For the feet you see I have used Classics newel posts #CLA 70200. I really like these newel posts and you also see that I have used the top part all ready and saved the rest. I didn't know what I was going to use them for, but knew I would use them.
By cutting the posts the way I did I got feet for the ottoman. The foot is 5/16" tall.



I make a hole with a "T" pin first so my drill has a place to start.

















I use my trusty toothpicks for dowels, I use wood glue to glue the toothpicks into the drilled holes.














For those of you without saws a wooden bead can be used just as well. The holes in the beads are bigger than toothpicks, you can use 1/8" dowels or wooden skewers from the grocery store. We get our supplies from anywhere. sometimes you can get the beads all ready stained. You can stain the feet now.







Keep your pencil sharp and keep a damp rag handy to wipe glue from your fingers.
Make a pattern for the ottoman from card board.

1 5/8 inch by 2 1/8 inch. This measurement in not carved in granite, you can change it to suit your needs.









The base of the ottoman is 3 layers of foam core plus 1 layer mat board. You can cut these separately with an exacto knife, then glue them together.

The foam core is the 3/16" kind, and it's available pretty much everywhere. The mat board is 1/16" thick, you can glue something up to equal this and use it instead.
You can use tacky glue to glue all this up.






Use the pattern again to make the cushion, It's 1 layer of foam core and 1 layer mat board.













Trace the pattern again onto card stock and cut out. Use glue stick to glue fabric to the card stock, leaving about a 1/4" all around.

End of Part One!

To Cockerina and Joy

To Joy: Yes, I would love to have you use my furniture for your dolls on your site, how cool! And so nice that you would do that. Thank you!!

To Cockerina, how to keep what from filling? And the buttons, first I have 3 layers of a compact type of quilt batting in the back, Thermolam Plus, I glue the first layer down and poke and glue it into the holes drilled into the back. The next 2 layers I cut a little out at the holes. Next lay the fabric on, don't glue it down yet. Needles and thread time, sew in and out of the holes to keep them down. You want firm, don't go crazy, you could rip the fabric. Then you can glue the fabric down. Now for the buttons, I glue the fabric to card stock, let dry. I punch out a circle from that. I use a round ball stylus and press into the center of the circle, the circle on 2 layers of craft foam, something it can sink into. Then I glue the "button" into the dimple. It took a lot of trial and errors, and my older furniture isn't done this way, but now I think I have it.

I have a pair of chairs to do for a miniaturist in Australia, when done I will put the ottoman project up. . . . . .TTYL Kris

What'cha Think?

I have finished a new chair, I call it a Tufted Back Arm Chair. It's up on the CDHM site now.

How is your leather making going? I will put the ottoman up in a couple of days for you try out. You don't have to use the leather, it would make a good ottoman in any fabric.

TTYL Kris