From A - Liberty Lap Duvet

It's starting to get chilly here at night and as a result, the Mr. and I have started fighting over the giant grey blob of a down comforter that occupies our couch. Wanting something a little more attractive that would offer warmth and restore marital harmony, I decided to make a Liberty and wool lap duvet.

This is Liberty's Mauvey print. Definitely my all-time favourite! I just can't get enough of the combination of flowers and stars. I think I have it in three different colourways at this point.

I used the satin stitch on my machine to "quilt" it all together with some yellow Aurifil thread I had from this project. Finished dimensions are about 32" by 54" which makes it the perfect size to snuggle up with in my favourite armchair.

Although I was a little skeptical at how warm a thin layer of Liberty tana lawn and some felted wool would actually be, I was pleasantly surprised when I took this baby on a test drive last night while watching the boob tube with my blanket hog spouse. With this baby in hand, I can probably hold off turning on the heat for another month or two.

From A - Making Furniture

I recently registered for a class to learn some upholstery basics. Our class project was to make a small ottoman. Over the course of the last three weeks, I hammered together a foundation made of wood, covered my foundation in foam and batting, carefully sculpted the corners using extra foam scraps and finally did the actual upholstery.

The end result: a modern yet neutral addition my household.

I opted to use an upholstery weight fabric for the exterior and think it was the perfect choice. Not only did I get over my fear of sewing heavy duty fabric on my home sewing machine but I am left with a piece that is durable enough to stand up to my vacuum and other everyday wear and tear.

Some time was spent attempting to match the print at the seams. Although it isn't perfect because of the size of the pattern repeat, I'm very happy with how it all came together. It looks cohesive but not unnaturally perfect.

I picked up some silver furniture legs from Lee Valley in order to give my little cube a more elegant look. Kelsey helped me position and attach them while visiting last weekend.

All in all I can't stop admiring my handiwork from every angle (even from the bottom!).

I'm not sure how much more upholstery work I'll do going forward but I'm pleased as punch that this little guy started as a pile of wood and fabric and has turned into something that we will love and use for years to come.