LOOOOONG Ago... in the early 1960s, I enjoyed doing needlepoint. My first project was a handbag that was just the size and shape I needed. It went with me when I travelled from Canada to Scotland, through Great Britain and through Europe the summer of 1961, only to be stolen in New York on my way back to Ohio.
My next project was this stool cover. I finished it sometime in 1963, as it was one of the items that came with me to my new home in Tokyo.
The wooden frame was something I assembled from a kit, bought at a hardware store in Cleveland.
Over many years, the puffiness of the filling has become tired, and the colors are less bright.
I have never had a problem sitting on my knees, but, over the years, it assisted visitors coming to a home without tables and chairs.
As life went to fewer activities on the floor, it became a foot stool.
Then I got a rocker with its own footstool and later Paul got a massage chair and this stool was somewhat demoted to an accessory.
It was still part of the family, but often considered something to be used when the shorter member of the family needed to reach something on a high shelf.
Most handy and least likely to be damaged is this test model I made for cub scouts to build at a pack meeting.
The design is easy to assemble, even for younger scouts, and very sturdy. It can take all the abuse a stool gets in daily life, and I have little concern with chips and scratches.
Yet... my old needlepoint stool calls out for a few more years in the picture. I wonder if the legs can be turned back or if it might be used as is.
What would you do?
So sad about your handbag! I would definitely have that little stool out where it can be seen. I don’t have an idea of who could turn the legs around, but I would ask my friends to find out. It is precious, a family heirloom!
ReplyDeleteWell, it's such beautiful embroidery! It's sort of funny how it was "fixed". I think I'd save it as is! I would put it in some nook, with a folk doll sitting on it or something like that. I also like the sturdy Scout stool. What a great idea to have young people make - something practical and lasting.
ReplyDeleteTurn the legs inside out, so to speak, maybe one of the scout's fathers might be handy enough to tackle that, too beautiful to discard now. Love the stories behind the handbag and this too.
ReplyDeleteHow utterly sad that your handbag was stolen!
ReplyDeleteWith the loss of that one, you really should treasure your stool - it a a piece of beautiful needlepoint. Maybe you don't NEED it, but it is part of your life with many memories.
Now if it was possible to take off the legs and then put them back on the wrong way, wouldn't it be possible to take them off again and turn them right? You are handy with carpentry tools, and a whittle knife, I am confident you could rectify the legs. Or has the 'fixer' done an irreversible job?
I'd see about fixing the stool properly - just make sure they know which legs are the wrong way! And if it can't be fixed, I'd salvage the needlepoint. Maybe use it on another useful item, like a tote or another footstool kit, make a pillow, or even frame it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I'm coming up with a plan, hopefully to get it fixed.
DeleteGet it fixed, if you still like it!
ReplyDeleteWhat Queeniepatch said - she beat me to it and said everything I wanted to say - LOL - ;))
ReplyDeleteIt's a great piece of stitching, but why try to save a piece of furniture you no longer want nor need? Repurpose the stitching instead!
ReplyDeleteIt looks as though the stitched piece was laid atop the pre-upholstered top, the edges of the stitching were tucked under the top, and stitching was tacked down. I would disassemble the footstool and carefully detach the stitching. You may lose some of the edges that were tacked down, but you would have enough to make a wonderful, memory filled pillow. Then, put it somewhere where you can see and enjoy it every day. Good luck!
I bought the frame and then designed the piece to fit the top with a bit of extra room to add batting and turn to tack to the rim. I have just discovered another one I made, also broken, so I may ask my skillful son-in-law if he can fix them both. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteI'd fix the legs on that lovely foot stool. It has worn very well for something that is 58 years old (my age).
ReplyDeleteYep! I'd get the legs fixed! That's an amazing heirloom and if someone can't fix it then have them make a whole new wooden frame for it! It is that special!
ReplyDeleteThat needle point is too beautiful to put away!
ReplyDelete