Funky Junktion - Quality Street tin stool

Luckily Frugal February was extended by popular demand into March and overlapped with Funky Juncktion's pop-up craft drop in at 68 Kingsgate Road. Selena francis-Bryden (artist and author) and Dorota Beau-Ingle (photographer and artist) are on hand until 26th March to help you make something wonderful. From decorating clothes with sprayed on designs to melting old LPs to make fruit bowls to... making a stool from old Quality Street tins... which was my plan

Selena surveys the raw materials

After a bit of experimenting we glued the tins together with contact adhesive, putting thin foam rubber in between to try to fill the concave bases,

but they still seemed very wobbly so we taped them with gaffer tape (much easier and less smelly and messy)

We then balanced the cushion pad on top and swathed the whole thing in a piece of fabric, tying it very tightly around the lid of the top tin. We got so involved in this part of the process that we forgot to take photos, so the next stage I can show you is

Fixing braid to hide the cord which is holding the fabric in place 

Then I tied another piece of cord round near the base to hold the fabric in place there so that I could pull it underneath - tightly - and sew it together very roughly

Finally, a matching strip of braid near the base, a lovely circle of suede glued to the bottom, and the stool was ready for use!

Stool settling into its new surroundings

It was much more fun doing this project at Funky Junktion rather than at home because materials were available - glue, gaffer tape, suede - which I didn't have, and Selena and Dorota's combined enthusiasm and practical suggestions meant that it turned out well and I FINISHED IT!

Other stuff was going on there too - someone was painting a banner outside, someone else was melting old LPs with a paint stripper and making bowls - and you can see various other projects in some of the photos.  If you have your own idea that's fine, if not, just go along and let inspiration strike!

Elvis Presley's Greatest Hits being reshaped

Only until 26th March in this location, so hurry along (but not on Wednesday)