Advice wanted - OT for quilting, technically, but still sewing related...

Hi all!

Been too busy recently for all but run-by readings of the latest
messages, but I'm now done with business travel and I think shopping
for the rest of this year, having just gone to San Francisco, then come
home and bought a sectional for the new loft. I can buy food and pay
bills now, that's about it.

So the rule is, any more sewing-quilting between now and Christmas has
to be at least IN PART constructed from my existing stash. That's OK.
I got lots on the go.

There's actually a question coming out of this...

I was up brainstorming designs last night for square, boxy, floor
cushions. Given the cost of the sectional sofa, I'm not getting either
of an ottoman or a coffee table soon, but I worked out (at least, in my
mind) a way to make floor cushions such that they could stack and
fasten together so the pile wouldn't fall over. That way, they could
be extra flop space for TV nights, but when entertaining more civilized
company, I could stack them, put a tray on top, and serve drinks - or
make an extra "chair". I think I have a heap of heavier fabrics and
some ultrasuade from a skirt-and-jacket project gone horribly wrong
that I can repurpose, so this idea meets the "use the stash" criteria.

So the question is - any advice on what exactly to STUFF them with for
such an application? Other than a few different kinds of quilt
batting, I don't know much about filling textile articles. I assume
some sort of firm foam block so they stack well but I'd want to wrap it
in batting or stuffing too for some loft, but I don't know what the
proper names are for such components.

I realize its more of an upholstery question than quilting, but you
quilters are so super with the ideas on everything from kids to cars
to coffee, I thought I'd ask here.

(PS - I DO have some quilts on the go - have tops done now for two
baby quilts for the recently-arrived neice and friend's preemie!!!
Hoping to finish them before tackling the cushions).

Johanna (the one in Waterloo, Ontario) and the QI's - Sprout, Maui (who
is 10 today!) and Blue.

A friend of mine actually did something similar, but something more usefull.
She and a friend made a box out of plywood, and a top, too, and covered
them in batting and suede. She has extra storage space that way, and can put
a piece of glass on it to make a table for entertaining. What about that?
Toni / Indiana

you can purchase some foam from TSWLTH -- in several thicknesses. But it doesn't come cheap!

Might be easier (and even a bit of fun) to hit the thrift shops to find a fantastic $10 coffee table
or ottoman that you could refinish or recover!

Kate in MI


"FurrsomeThreesome" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all!

Been too busy recently for all but run-by readings of the latest
messages, but I'm now done with business travel and I think shopping
for the rest of this year, having just gone to San Francisco, then come
home and bought a sectional for the new loft. I can buy food and pay
bills now, that's about it.

So the rule is, any more sewing-quilting between now and Christmas has
to be at least IN PART constructed from my existing stash. That's OK.
I got lots on the go.

There's actually a question coming out of this...

I was up brainstorming designs last night for square, boxy, floor
cushions. Given the cost of the sectional sofa, I'm not getting either
of an ottoman or a coffee table soon, but I worked out (at least, in my
mind) a way to make floor cushions such that they could stack and
fasten together so the pile wouldn't fall over. That way, they could
be extra flop space for TV nights, but when entertaining more civilized
company, I could stack them, put a tray on top, and serve drinks - or
make an extra "chair". I think I have a heap of heavier fabrics and
some ultrasuade from a skirt-and-jacket project gone horribly wrong
that I can repurpose, so this idea meets the "use the stash" criteria.

So the question is - any advice on what exactly to STUFF them with for
such an application? Other than a few different kinds of quilt
batting, I don't know much about filling textile articles. I assume
some sort of firm foam block so they stack well but I'd want to wrap it
in batting or stuffing too for some loft, but I don't know what the
proper names are for such components.

I realize its more of an upholstery question than quilting, but you
quilters are so super with the ideas on everything from kids to cars
to coffee, I thought I'd ask here.

(PS - I DO have some quilts on the go - have tops done now for two
baby quilts for the recently-arrived neice and friend's preemie!!!
Hoping to finish them before tackling the cushions).

Johanna (the one in Waterloo, Ontario) and the QI's - Sprout, Maui (who
is 10 today!) and Blue.

I've done this with old seat cushions from sofas and chairs
that were being pitched out. Have you got any of those
around? Advantage is that they are already shaped and they
are made of the heavier upholstery foam/latex. Got a local
goodwill or recycling type place you can check out?

I don't recommend cheap foam rubber - it's really not that
comfortable long term, even wrapped in wadding.
--

Cheryl & the Cats
_ _ _ _ _ _
( Y ) ( Y ) ( Y )
~ ~ ~
Enness Boofhead Donut
Now in hibernation with a wake-up call for Spring!
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau



"FurrsomeThreesome" wrote in message
oups.com...
: Hi all!
:
: Been too busy recently for all but run-by readings of the
latest
: messages, but I'm now done with business travel and I
think shopping
: for the rest of this year, having just gone to San
Francisco, then come
: home and bought a sectional for the new loft. I can buy
food and pay
: bills now, that's about it.
:
: So the rule is, any more sewing-quilting between now and
Christmas has
: to be at least IN PART constructed from my existing stash.
That's OK.
: I got lots on the go.
:
: There's actually a question coming out of this...
:
: I was up brainstorming designs last night for square,
boxy, floor
: cushions. Given the cost of the sectional sofa, I'm not
getting either
: of an ottoman or a coffee table soon, but I worked out (at
least, in my
: mind) a way to make floor cushions such that they could
stack and
: fasten together so the pile wouldn't fall over. That way,
they could
: be extra flop space for TV nights, but when entertaining
more civilized
: company, I could stack them, put a tray on top, and serve
drinks - or
: make an extra "chair". I think I have a heap of heavier
fabrics and
: some ultrasuade from a skirt-and-jacket project gone
horribly wrong
: that I can repurpose, so this idea meets the "use the
stash" criteria.
:
: So the question is - any advice on what exactly to STUFF
them with for
: such an application? Other than a few different kinds of
quilt
: batting, I don't know much about filling textile articles.
I assume
: some sort of firm foam block so they stack well but I'd
want to wrap it
: in batting or stuffing too for some loft, but I don't know
what the
: proper names are for such components.
:
: I realize its more of an upholstery question than
quilting, but you
: quilters are so super with the ideas on everything from
kids to cars
: to coffee, I thought I'd ask here.
:
: (PS - I DO have some quilts on the go - have tops done
now for two
: baby quilts for the recently-arrived neice and friend's
preemie!!!
: Hoping to finish them before tackling the cushions).
:
: Johanna (the one in Waterloo, Ontario) and the QI's -
Sprout, Maui (who
: is 10 today!) and Blue.
:

or store soft squishy type cushions inside the box.

You can make a box table from interlocking pieces of plywood
that will dismantle and pack flat. Can be handy if you
sometimes need the floor space for other things.

--

Cheryl & the Cats
_ _ _ _ _ _
( Y ) ( Y ) ( Y )
~ ~ ~
Enness Boofhead Donut
Now in hibernation with a wake-up call for Spring!
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau



"Toni Schneidt" wrote in
message
m...
:A friend of mine actually did something similar, but
something more usefull.
: She and a friend made a box out of plywood, and a top,
too, and covered
: them in batting and suede. She has extra storage space
that way, and can put
: a piece of glass on it to make a table for entertaining.
What about that?
: Toni / Indiana
:
:

"Cats" wrote in message
...
I've done this with old seat cushions from sofas and chairs
that were being pitched out. Have you got any of those
around? Advantage is that they are already shaped and they
are made of the heavier upholstery foam/latex. Got a local
goodwill or recycling type place you can check out?

Also check out http://www.craigslist.org/about/cities.html

Look for your city or that nearest you. You'd be surprised at what people
give away for free or VERY cheap. All you have to do is go pick it up. You
just might find what you are looking for or something that would work well
and you hadn't even thought of at no more expense than a few hours and some
gas in your car!!

Val

Joanna:
Yes, you need a nice firm foam ... about
4" thick. Get these 'professionally' cut
to size. Worth the pennies in the long
run, for good shape and for uniformity.
Wrap in a CHEAP batting ... one that is
a bit springy and too coarse for quilt
making. That has worked nicely for me.
Good luck. PAT
PS: HOW are you doing the links, to make
the ottoman? I am nosy!

If you go with the floor pillows, some ways to stack them and hold them
stacked is to make some "straps"- one to go in each direction
horizontally and vertically. Another way would be to "gift wrap" them
with a long piece of fabric or wide ribbon and tie a bow on top. Or
make some fabric covered elastic like a big fabric covered rubber
bands. I would be tempted to use some foam-filled king sized bed
pillows and cover them with your fabrics. Try thrift shops for
cheapies.

If you decide on stuffing them, I'd suggest quilted covers with a
fairly thick batting or two layers of Warm and White/Natural. It will
give the covers more body and they won't tend to get lumpy if the
stuffing shifts a bit. You can buy the styrofoam "beans" that are used
for stuffing bean bag chairs- that would work nicely for the filling.
If I were going that route, I think I'd make the pillows the size and
shape of the bags of beans. That way you could use the beans by
leaving them inside the bags- I wouldn't want to open the bags of foam
beans. Yikes! Think how awful a box full of styrofoam peanuts can be!

Good luck- it sounds like a *great* project!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

FurrsomeThreesome wrote:
Hi all!

Been too busy recently for all but run-by readings of the latest
messages, but I'm now done with business travel and I think shopping
for the rest of this year, having just gone to San Francisco, then come
home and bought a sectional for the new loft. I can buy food and pay
bills now, that's about it.

So the rule is, any more sewing-quilting between now and Christmas has
to be at least IN PART constructed from my existing stash. That's OK.
I got lots on the go.

There's actually a question coming out of this...

I was up brainstorming designs last night for square, boxy, floor
cushions. Given the cost of the sectional sofa, I'm not getting either
of an ottoman or a coffee table soon, but I worked out (at least, in my
mind) a way to make floor cushions such that they could stack and
fasten together so the pile wouldn't fall over. That way, they could
be extra flop space for TV nights, but when entertaining more civilized
company, I could stack them, put a tray on top, and serve drinks - or
make an extra "chair". I think I have a heap of heavier fabrics and
some ultrasuade from a skirt-and-jacket project gone horribly wrong
that I can repurpose, so this idea meets the "use the stash" criteria.

So the question is - any advice on what exactly to STUFF them with for
such an application? Other than a few different kinds of quilt
batting, I don't know much about filling textile articles. I assume
some sort of firm foam block so they stack well but I'd want to wrap it
in batting or stuffing too for some loft, but I don't know what the
proper names are for such components.

I realize its more of an upholstery question than quilting, but you
quilters are so super with the ideas on everything from kids to cars
to coffee, I thought I'd ask here.

(PS - I DO have some quilts on the go - have tops done now for two
baby quilts for the recently-arrived neice and friend's preemie!!!
Hoping to finish them before tackling the cushions).

Johanna (the one in Waterloo, Ontario) and the QI's - Sprout, Maui (who
is 10 today!) and Blue.

I'll try to describe what I have in mind, though I yet have to work out
the math and angles.

Basically - I want to make a box cushion, whatever size. Square, with
a 4-6 inch depth. That's the pretty obvious part.

The attachment I hoped to make would be like a flange around the
outside of the box edges, one top, one bottom. I want to mitre the
corners so this flange sits tight along the sides. Imagine that
looking at the narrow side of the "box" cushion you see what looks like
a box-top fitted down over the sides.

When using the cushion singly, this flange would flip down along the
sides of the cushion, secured with decorative buttons. When stacking
them to hold together, the flange could flip UP, so that you would see
a rim around the top of the box, and the next cushion would sit inside
this rim, and the buttons of the upper cushion would go through the
buttonholes on the flipped-up flange, securing them together.

I figure if I get the right density of foam and make enough of them,
I've got floor cushions for when we have 15 people over for movies, a
big ottoman to put feet up on from the couch, and a coffee table when I
get a nice tray for it. In a pinch I could try to button 'em up
side-by-side-by-side to sleep any impromptu overnight guests, since we
elected to forego the pull-out bed in favour of a more comfortable and
solid couch.

I love my loft, but furniture and accessory planning now has to be all
about a) space efficient and b) multi-purpose. I DO eventually intend
to get a storage ottoman coordinated with the sofa, but I can't just
yet. If anyone has a TARDIS lying around they're not using, I'd love to
replace my fireplace insert with one. big grin

Johanna, barrel warehouse dweller.


Pat in Virginia wrote:
Joanna:
Yes, you need a nice firm foam ... about
4" thick. Get these 'professionally' cut
to size. Worth the pennies in the long
run, for good shape and for uniformity.
Wrap in a CHEAP batting ... one that is
a bit springy and too coarse for quilt
making. That has worked nicely for me.
Good luck. PAT
PS: HOW are you doing the links, to make
the ottoman? I am nosy!

In article .com,
"FurrsomeThreesome" wrote:

Hi all!

Been too busy recently for all but run-by readings of the latest
messages, but I'm now done with business travel and I think shopping
for the rest of this year, having just gone to San Francisco,


And did she call????

Nooooooooooo

sigh.

You need to drop a note when you are in the neighborhood. I know the
good bakeries too ;-) and the quilt shop in town.

marcella