Project Report.... Almost Done.

 

We did get to see the sun this morning with there being clear skies.  I like the shapes of the trees and the special back lighting that the sun created.  The sun is close to being in the true east location.

The antique footstool had been reworked as the inside foam was more modern of 30 years or more ago.  I removed the old fake leather top and thought that the foam was too flat. I added two layers of batting on it and took on the challenge to stretch my new material over it. My wife and I have stretched out so many different things including large American flags when we had our frame shop.  We have found map tacks make the best temporary fix to hold everything in place. I stretched the piece the same way as one does with a canvas starting at the middle of each side and working out to the edges. 

Once everything is in place the cloth is wrapped around the base boards way underneath.  The cloth can be somewhat stretched tightly again and tacks are then hammered into the wood. The past restorers place their nails on the bottom side of the boards which meant you caught your hands on them when you carried.

Once the tacks are hammered in the map tacks can be removed to see it the stretch was successful for that side.  I was so proud that I had not hit my fingers once as the tacks are so small you have to hold them and hammer them into the wood gently.  Of course at the very last I hit two of my fingers and it did hurt a lot. 

I chose to do the work on my old mat cutting table as it is higher than normal tables.  I kept spinning it around and worked on each side until I completed the task.  Yes the tv is on to keep me company and educated, as it is on pbs.  I learned about some very cold country where the people laughed at everything. Also I watched the Norway cook catch northern pike and cook it in his outdoor kitchen.  His next show taught me about the ways of cooking duck.

I am going to place some upholstery tacks in some places on it on the sides to keep it looking like the traditional design of Stickley oak furniture of the early 1900's.  I won't copy what was done by the previous restorers as they put upholstery tacks everywhere because they could not get things to stay down any where.  Not knowing what I am doing I am pleased with the final result.  I was actually scared, hesitant, to start this but I am glad I just plowed through to get the job done.