Coffee Sack Ottoman How To

Hey there, Happy Monday to you.  First, I'd like to say that I hope any of our readers who were/are in Hurricane Irene areas are all doing okay.  You've all been in my thoughts and prayers....

Remember all those coffee sacks I picked up at the farm supply store?  Well, I decided to use some of them to make a slipcover for an ottoman I built and I am so stinkin' happy with the results!

I love this thing!  And considering I didn't really have a plan and just kinda created as I went along, I'm so happy that the end result was the way I saw it in my head and not a big pile of junk.

I wanted to make it as inexpensively as possible so the only thing I bought was two 2 x 4's for the frame and 4 castors.  I started out by making the frame with the 2 x 4's.  This is the frame I came up with.

I ran out of 2 x 4's during the process, so, I used some scrap wood we had in our shed.  My frame measurements were 24" width and length, and 18" high.  After finishing the frame, I needed to find something to attach to the sides.  I didn't want to buy anything, so again, I used something we already had, which happened to be these wood strips that I had purchased for my Father's Day gift for my hubby.  Plywood would work just as well.  The goal here was to spend as little as possible to make this and use things I already had.

I attached those all around the frame with a nail gun leaving about an inch space between each one.  There was no reason for that, I was just trying to make sure I had plenty to cover the entire frame.

Next up was the top.  Since this was an ottoman, the top needed to be strong enough to sit on and those lattice strips aren't strong enough to hold a person, so, I used some thick maple scraps I had laying around from making bread boards.  I attached those with a nail gun, as well.  I'm actually starting to be able to use the nail gun by myself without being terrified uncomfortable.

 

I really wanted to put castor wheels on this because, well, I love castors and being able to easily move a piece of heavy furniture around if I need to is a bonus.  So, I headed to Lowe's and found these.

I really liked the copper/bronze look and thought they would pair nicely with the coffee sack that I was planning to use.  And they only cost 5.69 for a pair. 

After attaching the castors, I brought it inside to finish.  I wanted the ottoman to have some cushion to it, so, I wrapped it in medium loft batting.

Next I measured out the sides and top and cut the appropriate pieces from the coffee sacks.  For the top, I used canvas drop cloth instead of burlap coffee sack.  Burlap isn't soft and I wanted the top to be comfy in case we wanted to rest our feet and legs up there.

After measuring and cutting all the fabric for each section, I placed the fabric on the ottoman, inside out and pinned.  Then I removed it and sewed and then gave it a good ironing.  Sorry, I didn't get a photo of the sewing part, I was trying to get it done before it was time to start dinner.  

And that's it!  I can't tell you how excited I was when I slipped the slipcover over the frame and it fit!!  I'm still new to sewing my own slipcovers. :)  I chose to make a loose slipcover, instead of actually attaching the fabric to the frame with a staple gun, because I preferred the loose casual slipcover look for this project better.  I am LOVING this ottoman!  And the castors peeking out from the bottom are a fun addition.

I'm not the best at tutorials, but I hope these instructions are clear enough should you want to make one for yourself.  :)  And if I just confused you, you can always contact me with questions and I will help as best I can! 

I am huntin' for some pretty fabrics for fall to change out the pillows on the couch for the fall season.  I can't wait!

Hope you have a great day!

P.S.  More mini bread boards sets are listed in my Etsy Shop!  And I've designed and made a new large one.  I'll be sharing that with you later this week.  It is the perfect companion to the mini sets!  Take care and be safe! :)

Linking up with TLC today!  Come join the fun!  It's a party!