In Which I Use the Power Tools

I've got a little project going. I keep thinking I'm going to whip these things out, and then realize they take some time.

Remember the new coffee table?

Well, as my husband feared, the glass top is not the most child-friendly. But I love the shape in the room, so I wanted to figure out how to work with it, and then I got inspired by this.



Okay, I love everything about this room. It's sort of "global traditional," a look I have always been keen on. I love the color palette. I love everything about Indian textiles and fanciful flourishes, and what's not to love about this octagon ottoman?

So it was determined some time ago that my glass coffee table would become an ottoman. And being a copier, I would love to just use some embroidered paisley and some tassel trim and do it right up. Except that my living room already has that moorish tile rug in orange. And an ikat fabric in orange and red and green and blue. And a different fabric on each of three upholstered pieces. Plus the coffee table does not have the simple legs of the inspiration one, meaning I might need a simple fabric, which is not generally my first instinct. So the fabric is a work in progress, but I decided to go ahead and get started on the project.

After some debate, Dave and I decided to--are you ready for this?--do the simplest, most straightforward thing. It's true! After much talk of kraft paper patterns and graph paper scale drawings, we just put the glass right on the plywood and TRACED it. Take that, pattern maker. (Now, I'm sure you don't need a tutorial on tracing. I am including this photo to remind myself that every once in a while, we CAN do things the easy way! And also, that sometimes Dave helps me with these projects.)



And then I got a lesson in power tools. As I explained to Dave, I have no fear of tools, it's just that it's much easier to have him do projects for me than it is to do them myself. But then, he's not always around, and I am impatient, and so...



Jigsaw master.



The plywood is a bit thicker than the glass was, but once the foam and batting and fabric is on there, I don't think it's going to matter. (Says the Queen of Jinx.)

Stay tuned!