Re-covering the footstool

The footstool has been asking to be recovered ever since we were given it, but I am lazy when it comes to these things.

But I've been catching up on some much missed blog reading and feel rather inspred by everyone's projects. I'm really up for revamping a few bits and bobs around the flat now, and seeing what you're all doing for a bit of inspiration!

Here it is, looking very sad and stained:

It turned into a bit of an excavation through the lives of this poor footstool. Layer after layer of quick done jobs, which had done their time but for some reason were never removed...odd!

First we had the beaten up blue, then a layer of mish mash foam, super glued to...

...horrible sticky pink brocade. Off that came too. And then under that...

...the original orange-green fabric...no idea what you would call this but was like a thick wool weave. If only it wasn't so beaten. I decided to cut it off, stick it through the wash and see if I could re-use it somehow in a different project.

Question for you: What the hell did they used to use as padding back then? Because when I took the fabric off, a huge pile of pink dust came out, like the padding had dissolved or something. And the weirdest thing was, when I went out to the patio the next day and swept it all into the bin, the slabs underneath were the cleanest they had ever been. What the hell was that stuff?!

Anyway, once I had cleaned it all off and unscrewed the legs, I put to work using several layers of wodding sewn together and some vintage fabric I picked up from a boot sale last autumn. I will get through my stash this year!

I got a bit OCD with matching up all the lines and making sure it was PERFECTLY straight, several times, but had to give it up a little after about the 10th time. But I like it very much :)

TA DA! The finished piece:

 

Now, any tips on what I could do to polish up those legs? I think they're veneered, so haven't the foggiest what to do. Paint them? Scrub them down and start again?

 

Thank you, any hints and tips much appreciated!

 

Much Love from Brighton,

 

 

L.J.

xxx