For a long time, I had dreamed of trying upholstery. It had to be something small, a project I could manage in the living room at home, and of course, it would be nice to create something useful for our interior. I had seen this sewing pouffe several times at a local second-hand shop, but on my first two visits, I somehow decided not to bring it home. When I started to regret that decision, I rushed back and was lucky enough to find it still there.
The pouffe was surprisingly heavy, it’s made entirely of wood and I bought it complete with all the accessories the previous owner had left inside. Getting it home was quite a challenge. I had to walk for quite a while, took the subway, and even had help from a friendly stranger to get up the hill to my apartment. I had muscle pain for a week, but it was worth it. Right now, I’m writing this from my chair by the open window, feet resting comfortably on the ottoman.
When I took off the green fabric, I noticed another layer underneath. I started to worry that it might look really nice, and I didn’t want to take it off anymore, thinking I’d have no upholstery project left. But when I looked closely, the fabric was old and dirty, so it definitely needed a fresh look.
It took some time to pull out all the staples and ‘undress’ the pouffe. While working, I took lots of photos to remember how everything was put together, hoping to use them as inspiration later.
The shop where I bought the pouffe usually clears out homes after someone has passed away. All the needles, yarn, and even an instruction book for a sewing machine were left inside, along with needles tucked in the top of the pouffe. I gave everything a good clean and threw away the old fabrics. The rest of the items I kept, just in case I find another use for them one day.
When I first thought about finding the right ottoman for our hallway, I couldn’t believe how expensive they all were. That, combined with my idea to try an upholstery project, led me to start this one. But honestly, it didn’t turn out much cheaper! At first, I planned to reuse the padding in the top part, but it was surprisingly old and well past its best. It went straight into the bin, so I ended up going back to the fabric shop for a fresh layer of filling.
One of the most important steps was finding the perfect fabric. I wanted something with a pattern and a bit of colour, but nothing too complicated that could easily go wrong. I really liked the red and green floral pattern, but I wasn’t completely sure about it. Then I found an orange leopard-style print online (tyg.se) and decided to give it a try.
Time to start using the new staple gun! I tested it outside on a piece of wood to get a feel for it, and I was a bit nervous with the first few staples, but now I love using it. When I bought the pouffe, it only had two layers of fabric, but I added padding all around. This made it a bit softer and helped protect the fabric at the corners. Once everything was ready, I couldn’t wait to see how the fabric looked and try out different piping options. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted piping on top of the seat or between the seat and the box. I also realised there are so many ways to upholster, so in the end I just picked one and hoped for the best.
I made the piping on the sewing machine so it would match the fabric. Then, I cut four squares of fabric for each side and sewed them together to make a cover for the box. Everything had to be measured really carefully, and I was a bit nervous to see if it would fit, but it turned out perfect. I stapled the cover at the top and bottom, and it was almost finished.
I enjoyed the project so much that I decided to redo the inside of the top part with the needle cushion. I bought a new set of pins for the cushion and to keep the background fabric in place. I also bought a special button to cover with my own fabric.
Here’s the final result!
Can I spot all the mistakes, especially when it’s open? Yes, I can see them, like at the top part from the inside. The piping made it a bit tricky to finish properly. But I’m really proud of how it turned out and I didn’t expect it to look this nice. It fits perfectly in the hallway and provides an extra seat for putting on shoes. We’ve also used it several times for resting our feet during cosy film nights on the sofa. And as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I’m using it right now while writing. I only wish the old lady who owned it knew how happy I am with the ottoman.
