// How to Make a DIY Tufted Footstool : Part One

I had been on the hunt for the perfect footstool for the past year and a half. I was after one which was stylish yet functional. One which was comfy enough to put my feet on but could also double as a coffee table. Oh and I forgot to mention. It also needed to remain within my pitiful budget. 

Here is some of my inspiration:

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I'm not sure why it took this long to realise that this was never going to happen. Most footstools are well over £200 (and that's the lower end of the market).

So to the interwebs I turned!

Now I would like to just take a moment to give some appreciation to some seriously talented ladies out there. If you Google (or Pinterest) 'DIY footstool' you will be bombarded with hundreds upon thousands of thorough step by step tutorials all done by talented women who dug out their husbands tool kits and took matters into their own hands. Check out these ones:

Little Green Notebook
Love, Pomegranate House
Addicted 2 Decorating
Artsy Chicks Rule
Design Sponge

As you can see from those links, there are lots of different ways to try making your own DIY tufted footstool. Some use preloved coffee tables, some build their own base, some go tufted, some pre-sew with piping. 

I personally didn't want to have to deal with the over hang that comes with a coffee table so I decided upon building my own base. After a little browsing of the internet and planning sizes etc I complied my list of materials and took myself down to B&Q and Dunelm Mill.

Materials

4" foam block - (L) 100cm x (W) 56cm
Quilt Batting (found either online, at Dunelm or any fabric shop)
Plywood Sheet
2 x wood 2x4s (ask someone in the store to show you what these are if you don't know)
Long wood screws (i.e. 2")
Nail tacks (lots)
3/4" wood screws (make sure you have enough for the amount of tufts you want)
Washers (same amount as the 3/4" wood screws)
Spray adhesive/PVA glue
Upholstery Fabric of choice
Self covering buttons
Super glue
4 x legs of choice (I got mine off ebay-depending on what legs you get you need to buy appropriate fixtures to attach them)

How to make a DIY Tufted Footstool : Part One - THE BASE

So to start off with, you need to decide how big you want to go. I just went with the size of my foam (100cm x 56cm) as this was the right sort of size for my room. 

Cut your plywood out to your desired size. If you know at the time of buying your base, B&Q will do this for you.

Once you have cut you plywood, you need to trim down your 2x4s to the same lengths and widths of your base. I cut my two length pieces first using a rotary saw (you can use a jigsaw or hand saw if you don't have one of these) to match the length of my plywood base. 

Then you need the two smaller lengths for the width of the base. To calculate where to cut, measure the width of your base then minus the width of your 2x4s times two. Again, you need to cut two at this length.

On a flat surface (use clamps too if you have then), drill two long holes (one at the top and one at the bottom) through the tops and bottoms of both longer pieces of 2x4s into the two smaller 2x4s. Then screw in your long wood screws to connect the base together. 

Now, either using a nail gun or small tacking nails and a hammer, place your plywood base on top of the frame and nail frequently around the perimeter ensuring it is well attached. 

That was hard work, so grab a quick cup of tea and a biccie (preferably a bourbon, obvs!).

Last thing to do for your base is attaching your foam. Either using your spray adhesive or PVA glue, cover the entire of your plywood base and quickly place your foam on top, moving it into the correct position whilst the glue is still wet. 

Grab as many heavy large things as you can and plonk them on top to ensure all areas of the foam gets attached thoroughly. Leave over night to dry.

You have all the maths to do tomorrow so make sure to eat some oily fish and get a good nights sleep. Your brain will need it!

Helena xx