Tooting My Own Horn

I know it's frowned upon to brag about yourself but today I can't help it. I just finished refurbishing an ottoman my sister-in-law, Jana, found for me at a thrift store and it turned out so much better than I imagined! You see, my brother and sister-in-law generously offered us a wonderful rocking chair that they no longer needed. I love this chair and I pictured myself rocking and nursing our new little baby in it but being as short as I am I knew I would want a foot stool or an ottoman of some kind to go with it but I can't exactly throw down $200 for the one I want so...I bought an ottoman looking like this for a whopping $8:

The foam was ancient and two of the four springs were shot so when you sat on it you nearly fell to the ground.

I got new foam and Rob and I unhooked the springs underneath, re-stuffed it, re-covered the foam, and replaced the springs by putting the good two in the middle and the looser two on the sides so then it looked like this:

And you can actually sit on it now without falling through!

But wait -- there's more!!


Then I pulled out my trusty sewing machine and put together a slipcover. It took some work but there were surprisingly few cuss words which is rare when my sewing machine and I collaborate on a project.

Attaching the piping

My trusty go-to sewing guide (second only to my Mom)

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn to sew and who doesn't have a Mom like mine who knows everything. I got this at a thrift store for $1.50 and it has been a great resource when my Mom isn't available.



The finished product! Isn't it lovely?



The ottoman and the rocking chair together like they were made for each other.
I think one of the reasons I am so excited about this whole thing (aside from the fact that it actually turned out like the picture I had in my head) is the fact that I finally finished something. I'm one of those people who accumulates various things with a grand plan for each and every one of them. The huge old grange doors that were supposed to be a table, the inherited Corain counter top and sink that were to become a part of a cozy potting shed, the cigar box that would become a sewing notions organizer. You name it, I probably have it in my garage just waiting to become something very stylish, useful, and/or awe inspiring. So if you're bored and looking for a project - feel free to come visit me and my stuff :)