There have been any number of footstools and/or ottomans featured on the show but most were from fairly large and fairly heavy items: a wine bottle case, a suitcase, a dresser drawer, etc. Today's featured footstool was much smaller in size and weight. It was made from a cardboard cookie carton. The same technique was used however, in making footstools from larger cartons as well.
Materials:
sturdy corrugated cardboard carton
extra pieces of corrugated cardboard
batting to cover sides and top
muslin to cover top
fabric to cover entire carton
masking tape or duct tape
Steps:
- Cut two pieces of sturdy cardboard as high as the carton and long enough to fit diagonally between two corners. Cut a 1/4" slit in the center of each strip from the bottom edge to the middle. Turn one strip upside down and fit the two slits together so the strips form an X. Place inside the carton. It should fit exactly so that it will give the finished footstool much greater strength.
- Seal carton neatly on all sides.
- Cut a piece of cardboard the size of the top surface of the carton. Cut one or two pieces of batting the exact size. Place batting on top of the cardboard piece. Cut a piece of muslin about 4" larger than the cardboard on all sides and place it on top of the batting.
- Holding the muslin firmly in place turn the stacked pieces upside down. Wrap the extending muslin over the back of the cardboard as if wrapping a package and tape to secure.
- Cut a layer or two of batting as high as the carton and long enough to wrap all the way around the outside. Tape to hold.
- Place the muslin covered piece on top of the carton.
- Place fabric wrong side up on top of the carton. It should be large enough to go all the way down the sides and have at least five inches extra. Run your fingers down one of the corners fitting the fabric tightly against the corner of the carton. Pin to hold. Repeat at all four corners.
- Remove fabric from carton, straighten any pins if necessary or remove pins and take a row of basting instead. Sew down each of these lines on the sewing machine.
- Turn piece right side out and place over carton (with the top "cushion" place). Everything should fit smoothly and snugly. If you feel there is too much excess fabric at the corners remove the cover and cut off extending fabric. Return cover to position.
- Turn footstool upside down, bring fabric around to the back and tape with duct tape to hold. To tidy things up cut a piece of fabric slightly smaller than the bottom of the footstool, hem it around all four sides and hand stitch it to the bottom of the footstool covering all the raw edges.
Additions & Variations
- Add a row of fringe or similar trim around the top edge.
- Cover the carton as described but without adding the pillow effect padding on top. Make the pillow separate (you might want to add more batting).
- For a very large carton (footstool) use a large flat carton with a bit of batting for the top "pillow".
