Sunday, April 24, 2011

WHAT WAS I THINKING ??

I have had a few burlap coffee bags hanging around and I have been hunting around the thrift shops looking for something to recover. I saw this cute little stool and thought of making a "slipcover" with a ruffle that could be easily removed. In my mind it was adorable. And before I go any further, I will say that I have a degree in textiles and taught fashion design for many years - I consider myself an advanced sewer and can usually make anything I see - USUALLY! I started to cut apart one of the coffee bags...still imagining a cute little ruffly slipcover...
WHAT IS THIS???
An ugly, stiff, amateurish coffee bag thingy sitting on a footstool...
Well, back to square 1 and a traditional upholstered cover?
Still isn't what I imagined...
Maybe a burlap flower?
NO...The flower looks silly...so this is what I ended up with...Tomorrow I am off to the fabric store to buy some pretty fabric and start all over again!!
So...what to do with the other 2 coffee bags???
I say "HAVE A GIVEAWAY" because I am done imagining "cute little ruffly things" made from them!
If you would like these coffee bags...leave a comment, follow me, brag about it or tell me what your brilliant idea is for these burlap bags!

and stop laughing at me - that's mean!!

Patti @ Pandoras Box
Patti @ Pandoras Box

I live in central NY and I am a retired family and consumer science teacher. I enjoy all types of crafting, decorating and cooking

27 comments:

  1. Gasp! I bought that exact stool at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago (the floral print on mine is slightly different)! Although you don't like the coffee bag on there, I absolutely LOVE it! I may do that myself after painting the wood part! I say good job!

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  2. I love coffee bags! Your stool didn't turn out that bad, I rather like it. If I had some coffee bags I'd cover porch pillows.

    I'm a follower of your blog too!

    ~Donna

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  3. tell me more about those gorgeous coffee table bags. I'm assuming they are super duper stiff, thus why your ruffles didnt' work? what about doing a different type of ruffle? I have a ribbon ruffle tutorial on my blog that would probably work beautifully with a strip of your stiff burlap. http://www.fairlyfabulousblog.com/2010/09/ribbon-ruffle.html

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  4. I didn't think it was that bad how about a box pleat on the stool. I think it needed defined pleat. just an idea. I would love to win I would use it to make pillows for the porch.
    Cathy

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  5. I absolutely love the coffee bag on that stool!! I say leave it as it is!!

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  6. Hi Patti,
    What great looking coffee bags!! Where did you find them? I think your stool looks great with the cushion covered. Have you thought of painting the wood sides and legs black to match the print on the bag? Just a thought...
    Happy Easter,
    Ann

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  7. I love the end result! You could have achieved, I think, the cute little ruffles by dropping down from the top with a band of fabric (maybe 5" ) THEN adding your ruffles/pleats. Just a thought. I'm glad I found you on BNOTP ! I love your projects :) Oh!! and ! I waaaant those burlap bags!!

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  8. BTW-I would make pillows from these bags (or many many other things!) I also shared this giveaway on FB (mommahenscoop)

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  9. Oh! I'm a follower :) The bags are GREAT :)

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  10. I would make pillows! Or Curtains for my two kitchen windows? Humm....

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  11. Some sort of wall art would be nice!! I am now a follower!!

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  12. I just today finished the plans for a new screened porch and outdoor kitchen that we are planning to add on to our already-too-big house. We are planning on having a high bistro table for two on the screened porch, and these would be gorgeous as upholstery on the seats!

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  13. I am a new follower via Coastal Charm. I love old burlap sacks...I am not laughing...even though you are kinda funny! I get that way to sometimes, fed up with something and just want to throw it in the back yard! LOL I think the stool is cute. I still love the burlap sack pillows; also like the burlap purses & for recovery of an old metal chair that I just got at Salvation Army. Visit me sometimes at The Cranky Queen...a mix of crafting, antiquing, junking, thrifting, decorating, & family! tiff

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  14. Thanks for checking out my table makeover at JAX does design :-)

    Sadly, not every project turns out the way we envision it - but you don't know if you don't try! The traditional upholstered stool looks great :-)

    I think the burlap bags would make cool pieces of art - just frame them and hang them up :-)

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  15. I actually really like your foot stool! I think it turned out cute!! :o)

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  16. I like the way the stool finally turned out. I think I would have painted the bottom black (but then that doesn't go with the white chair). Anyway, if I won the coffee bags, I would mount one, frame it (with a black frame) and use it as a bulletin board. The second one, I would cover a lampshade (black lamp base of course). ooooh! Visiting from SomethingCreatedEveryday.blogspot.com. Thanks for inviting me to visit. I'm a new Follower.

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  17. I love the stool and would love to win the coffee bags. So cute. I would make pillows out of them.

    Vikkinay@yahoo.com

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  18. These are sooooo cool. I would use them for a new couture apron embellishment or a big roomy farmers market tote!

    Your attempts made me laugh
    ;->

    Janet xox

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  19. Nope, not cute with the ruffle but I kind of like the upholstered one. I have a sack in my basement that I haven't figured out what to do with so let me know what you come up with!

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  20. I have fallen in love with burlap and coffee bags since reading so many wonderful blogs. Unfortunately, I have yet to craft anything with these yet. I'm definitely thinking I would start off simple and make a pillow. Thanks for your terrific blog, I am now following you!

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  21. Pandora's Box is the BEST blog ever! Well, I think the stool looks nice. That is one item I have been trying to find are the burlap bags and apparently, they just don't have them in Florida. If so, where? I would hang them from a peg rack in my kitchen...or....take them with me to garage sales and carry my items home in them. YES! That is what I would do.

    Can't wait to see pics of your new refab stool.

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  22. I actually like the stool!! I would use the bags for pillows...although.....

    I'm a new follower!

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  23. Hi Patti,
    You are being much too hard on yourself! I like the upholstered stool. I think I would make some kind of tote bag out of one.
    Jane

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  24. I kind of like the stool now, too! Not the ruffled version- HA! I don't need the bags since I already have some but here are some of the things I did with them- Placemats for patio table, fringed and zigzagged the edges

    Cut strips for ribbons to wind in wreathes.

    Used the plain spots to stencil and paint for pillows. I can see you stenciling some black checks!

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  25. Step away from the footstool! It looks great as it is. I hope you like it, now that you've gotten the ruffly idea out of your head. Thanks for the laugh, I know exactly what you mean :). My daughter's upcoming wedding has a coffee theme, so I've been Googling all kinds of coffee bag images.

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  26. Keep the coffee bag cover and make a ruffle from a different fabric! Ticking stripes would look great!

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