Etsy Shopping

My chair has been put on hold while I wait for some supplies to arrive( I had to buy some new tools), so wanting to keep my hands busy, I went Esty shopping for some crochet patterns. I haven't been a fan of Esty in the past but I'm quickly becoming one since Ashley started a website and Esty shop.
I was originally looking for a sock pattern which I found and bought, but I also found some hat patterns that I really liked and made some for my Amy and M'lynn.

I made them from a 100% wool so they said, they are super warm.

And they're slouchy, which was something M'lynn was looking for. This pattern also worked up really fast and I think I'll modify it a bit and make some spring hats for the girls from cotton.

 But for now, on this blustery day I think I'll cosy up with a hot chocolate, a blanket and give hat pattern number two a try. :)

The Anatomy of my Chair

                                                        This is practice chair number 2.

We acquired this chair when Rogers mom passed away 14 years ago. The plan was to one day get it reupholstered. 

The fabric is worn and the cushion a little saggy, but it's a solid little chair. Not a wiggly little bit anywhere. It also seemed like the right project to continue practicing on now, for me.

I began by taking the back off, only to discover that the springs were ready to pop out the back.

I wouldn't have thought that the webbing holding it all in, was in such bad shape. 

I started snapping pictures with my phone to keep a record of how everything was and how I'd like to put it back together. I've got pictures from different angles, different details, just a wide variety of this and that.

As I took things apart, I discovered that it had been reupholstered I believe twice before. But I'm pretty sure that the burlap covering the arms, back and bottom are original to the chair. 

When I removed the burlap from the arms I found this

What looks like straw, but I'm sure it has some other name. You can also see where there was another fabric under the pink damask. I didn't think I'd have to take it back this far (right down to its bones) but I'm excited to see if I can put it back together again. Its going to require getting some new tools that I don't have, so I'm not sure that I can count it as an expense for the dumping grounds room or not. This chair will be for that room. I do have the fabric to cover it but not the little extras to rebuild it, like new foam, webbing and cording for the springs. There are a few other things that will come in handy, that I need. I will keep a tally for the chair though and tell you in the end what its total cost is.

Wish me luck. I believe I'm going to need it. :)

From Rags

It started as a bunch of things. Two were old sheets, some were leftovers from other projects and some was just a fabric stash from days gone way by.
The other night on my Sugar Shack Facebook page I posted a picture of a couch full of fabric strips that had been ripped into inch wide strip, and then I knotted them together. Once they were knotted I begin to crochet a large rag rug for my stockpile, for my little room makeover.

I made about 4 large balls of scraps for this rug, and it took me about a day and half to make the whole thing. These do work up pretty fast.

 Yesterday I took it to my model so she could show it off for me.

I really liked the multi colouredness of this rug. Usually I match the rug to the room but this time I wanted something fun and I will be doing this again. 

Mom came to play too!! :)

The Dumping Grounds and what's to become of them.

For the past year Amy Anne's old room has become the dumping for all things not being used. So I have laid in my bed for the past week and redesigned that room in my head. I should really draw it out, so my husband can see all the cool things that I want he and I to build for it.
 I've got a bunch of stuff  started, but nothing to show you yet, and my rule for doing this room over is not to buy anything. I've got to use what I already have. We'll see how that goes in the end, but so far I've begun to make a dent in my craft room. Unfortunately it also shows you have much stuff I've got stashed away, cause thats also including not buying any new building materials.
So if you'd like to look at some pretty pictures, you can look here.
Enjoy your day!:)

Annnd Done.

                                            Yesterday I told you a little bit about this chair.

I picked it up at my local thrift store. It was a good solid chair. (I bounced around in it to make sure.)

I spent the first part of last week tearing it apart and found a hard wood frame. Something that a professional upholster told me to look for, so I was excited about this. It also meant that an unprofessional like me could get a away with some mistakes. Example- tearing out what I had just stapled to it because I did it wrong.

Deciding how I was going to recover it was a long process. I bought the chair back in the fall and would look at it and be stumped until I saw this. A chair from Velvet Perch.

Isn't this a pretty chair. They have done such lovely job and very creative.

This was what I wanted.

This would be my second upholstery project and didn't think that this may be over my head. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

I went online and ordered my fabric, and began to sew. The only issue I ever thought I'd have was the cushion. Would I make it right, would it fit over the foam again properly and surprise of surprises, I did have an issue. But not the one I was expecting. My poor little sewing machine was not a happy camper sewing through all those layers, but it made it through in the end.

So now I have this

I like my chair. :)