In the beginning

Way back when, Leslie and I had gone to the Needlework Festival, and it was still called the Needlework Festival, it is now called the Creative Festival, we spotted a lady with a rather unique booth, and it was upholstery and lampshade making. We immediately thought of our Antique Cheese Boxes. So I took a pamphlet and put it into my cheese box and awaited a day that we could both find the time to do this coarse. This September, as each year, Leslie and I plan on our class schedule. Our Cheese Boxes were on the top of the list. I had just cleaned and rediscovered them.


We signed up, and off we went to the textile store to pick our fabric, and feet.



I had painted mine purple and planed to add a lime green animal print. These were going to be funky poufy cheese boxes with storage.

Well our first day of class came, we arrived all loaded up and ready to go ... a week early.

The following week we showed our teacher, Evelyn, what we had in mind and she said, (with a very heavy Dutch accent) "Oh well you have to go to Tony and get him to cut a hole out for your button in the top and figure out how you will be attaching your feet. So off we go to Tony. Tony took one look at our boxes as said "NO!"
"No" we said. "NO" Tony said. These boxes are apparently made of some wood that no long exists and he was not having any part in altering a irreplaceable wood. He would build us boxes. Well, Tony got sick. He manage to get Leslie's done the following week, but not mine. So... Who you gonna call?

I remembered my sister had a Turtle Stool, that my mother had used when she had her knee surgery. So I called her and asked if she would like it reupholstered, and indeed she did. And so begins the job.



The original Turtle.








All stripped, holes filled, "Formula Applied"








Applying Edge Roll







Then building up with UNIDECK ( no idea of the spelling of this)








Then some "very pricey Horse Hair"






Several layers of Felt



A quick softness test from Evelyn











Oh well maybe just one more.








Then factory cotton is moistened with a spray bottle and stretched very tightly and tacked.











The following week, when the factory cotton has shrunken and really tightened things up, a layer of Teralene (no idea of the spelling of this product)












And Now the suede, yes suede.






Draped










All studded up





And VIOLA!



Finally Done. It's Barb's Birthday today, I hope she'll be able to put her feet up and enjoy her turtle, I sure had fun fixing it up. What would I have done differently, I would have had Tony take the legs off and make them a little more secure, and I would have REALLY waxed things up before applying the suede. Next learning experience, French Polish. Stay Tuned.


Photos by Leslie Moran. Thanks Pal.


P.S. what are we doing with our Cheese Boxes you ask, insuring them I hope.

Will I live long enough?

Well last night I completed removing furniture/wood pieces from my mothers home, with help from my brother-in-law and my grumpy husband. I could see things painted on each piece and therefore could not just throw them out.(My husband is having a fit). Like the bookcase that we had as children(which we hated) I could see a fox hunt scene across the front of it. The wood bed frame, well that will have to be a continuation of Noah's Ark. And then there is that table that would be great as a chess table. I'm just thinking I'm not sure I'll live long enough to paint all these things. Oh well I'll be signing up for studio painting beginning Wednesday, hope I can accomplish some of these tasks. And then of course there is upholstery...oh yes, and the knitting machine, and all that silk embroidery.............................. I even have the fur to make this lovely muff for my cat. Imagine that!