home contact about

Instagram

Pintrest

YouTube

Email

social nesting

stay home & feather

needle&thread

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
Comments Off on DECKED OUT SEATING

DECKED OUT SEATING


2015
08.10

Tags: DIY outdoor padded seating, DIY reupholstery, outdoor seating, padded bench, upholstery
Posted in needle&thread, update&decorate | Comments Off on DECKED OUT SEATING

DIY-in-thirty-bench-banner

Take a seemingly awkward space and turn it into the most original spot from which to soak up the sun. This easy (and portable) seating solution is just the thing for extending the invitation when hosting al fresco.

padded-seating-6

As the new Social Nesting HQ includes a deck, there was a scramble to get it summer-ready while working on all of the other redesign activities we have undertaken. And while there 20-foot expanse was a welcome addition, it was also ripe for the zhuzhing… especially this odd little structure.

DIY outdoor padded seating

Built to encase a light well to the floor below, the thin wooden surround is a low and narrow and not much use as is.

So off we set to create two custom cushioned seating pads that would lift and lighten the space and get four more places for guests to rest.

DIY outdoor padded seatingIn our quest to forego any sewing, the decision was taken to make two long and narrow structured cushion the exact width of the top ledge of the light well using a thick, firm foam padding with an MDF base, upholstered, like our chair project, with outdoor fabric.

For this, we amassed:
– outdoor fabric (in two coordinating styles)
– a staple gun
– thin MDF
– 4-inch foam padding
also good to have but not crucial were:
– double-sided tape
– pinking sheers

padded-seating-2We started by placing the MDF sheet onto the foam and running a strip of double-sided tape along the edge of the MDF – the tape acts as a way to hold the fabric in place once you fold it over but before you get to stapling, like so…

padded-seating-3Trim the fabric with pinking sheers to minimize fraying and secure to the taped underside of the MDF. Staple in place all the way around the MDF base.

padded-seating-4For the neatest edge, we secured the corners in the style of hospital corners on a bed.

And finally, the quickest and easiest way to line and protect the base was using adhesive felt cut to size.padded-seating-5

And there you have it – a pretty padded bench for lounging…

DIY outdoor padded seating

…or extra dining places for when four become eight.

padded-seating-7

 

1 Comment

SHOES x ART + A GOOD CAUSE


2015
04.23

Tags: Clarks, Lee Broom, Rebooted, the HALO Trust
Posted in love'it&covet, needle&thread | 1 Comment »

Nothing tickles us like a good collaboration. And it’s when these collaborations have heart that we most want to herald all involved.

Clarks-rebooted-logo

Step up, Clarks REBOOTED.
To celebrate 65 years of the desert boot while also doing some serious global good, Clarks have joined forces with landmine charity the HALO Trust and an internationally renowned team of artists and designers to create a series of unique designs.
The artists and designers involved were given an inspirational box and asked to use their style to create a desert boot with a difference.

Clarks Rebooted Inspiration Box

And the results were some spectacular takes on the usually-tan-and-oh-so-functional footwear icon.

Clarks Rebooted styles

Not only did the artists and designers involved design a limited-edition desert boot, each also created a one-off piece of art inspired by the collaboration.

With an impressive roster of talent involved – including personal faves TOOGOOD – our eye was most caught by this sexy little pairing as submitted by London-based superstar Lee Broom…

Lee Broom for Clarks Rebooted

To the left, Lee’s Desert Rocker and to the right, the leather footstool one-off that will be auctioned in aid of the HALO Trust‘s landmine clearance endeavours across the globe. Amazing.

Fresh from a turn as faux department store proprietor/triumphant showing at Milan Design Week, Lee’s contribution to this project is yet another reason his star keeps rising.

The shoes are on sale via Clarks USA and UK sites, and all of the art pieces will be sold off in November via Paddle8, with all proceeds going to HALO.

We suggest you get your boots on and your paddles out.

Comments Off on FINE FEATHERED FORAY

FINE FEATHERED FORAY


2014
09.04

Tags: feathers, gold feather mobile, homemade stamp, sugru
Posted in needle&thread, scissors&glue | Comments Off on FINE FEATHERED FORAY

I have really been tasking myself with using the materials, tools and supplies I already have instead of jumping off and buying more…

Feathered branch mobile banner

And when I have been a part of crafting that tool – thus making it all that more meaningful – well, I have just got to maximise the usage.

Feather stamp and fabric

So out came the amazing sugru feather stamp that Christine made for me during our interview, as did glittery gold fabric paint and a heavy cotton twill fabric scrap I had kicking around just waiting for a usage. These thusly came together…

Stamped feathers

to create a bevy of gold feathers.
I then cut them out and, for added feathery authenticity, threaded the edges by pulling away individual strands,

Feathered feather

to create a cool feathery nest of fabric feathers.

Nest of fabric feathers

But what next?
Well, I have had a couple of branches… real, untreated, straight-from-a-forest branches that were collected on very strict instruction by my then-new boyfriend (now 13-years later husband) that have taken a variety of crafty forms in our home. And they had been purpose-free for a while, so one was just primed for a feathering.

Gold feathered mobile
Happily, this used up all of the paint, most of the fabric and one of the branches. Which satisfied my need to put a dent in my supplies pool (and makes room for more… ooops.)

 

 

1 Comment

INSPIRED TO BE MOODIE


2014
07.10

Tags: DIY, homemade loom, Maryanne Moodie, scrap yarn, weaving
Posted in needle&thread | 1 Comment »

I am sure I am not alone in owning a box full of random yarn as such…

yarn box

Bursting with bin ends of beautiful colours and scraps from my knitting phase, I keep the box around for when the need to finger-knit strikes or I need to darn a jumper (yes, I do that).

But inspired by my recent obsession with Maryanne Moodie, I thought I would give weaving a wall-hanging a try.

DIY Loom

But what of a loom, you ask? I could not in good faith buy yet another piece of equipment only to use it once or twice, so my improvisation came in the form of our clothes drying rack.

Loom with weaving

I played around with loads of different techniques – weaving at different intervals and using a comb to tighten the weave.

Weaving almost finished

until I came up with this.

I threaded it onto a wood dowel, edged and tied it off with loose yarn and while Maryanne Moodie has no reason to loose sleep over the potential competition, I am super proud of my little experiment.

Weaving Final

And it will not end here. just sayin’.

Comments Off on because i said sew…

because i said sew…


2014
06.10

Tags: craft in ten, DIY brooch, Man brooch
Posted in needle&thread | Comments Off on because i said sew…

Man-Brooch-banner


A few weeks back I was pushing you men out there to get sewing. As such, I put my needle where my mouth is and decided to do a dandy manly project to show how a little sewing can go a long sartorial way.
Say “hello” man brooch.

And it really is as easy as three supplies (feathered trim, thread, safety pin), two tools (scissors and needle) and ten minutes, but the end result will have people debating whether it’s Lanvin or Louis Vuitton, when the truth is it cost under £5.

Man brooch supplies

So the supplies may require a little bit of sourcing.
I am lucky enough to be near some pretty amazing haberdashers, so coming across 25cm of feathered trim and a giant gold safety pin was easier for me than most. Persevere in your quest. It’s worth it.

For the thread I used the strongest possible nylon. If in doubt, try to break it with your hands. If you can’t, it’s a keeper.

Man brooch thread

Then I literally folded the end of the feathered trim and sewed through, then folded and sewed, folded and sewed and so on and so on until I ended up with a feathered rosette.

Man brooch sewing

I then sewed the head of the safety pin to the back of the rosette, making sure I could still open and close the pin.

Man brooch

The end result: a super-stylin’ lapel pin primed to jazz up a casual ensemble, add panache to your eveningwear or simply dazzle your entourage and reinforce your position as sartorial kingpin on a night out.

Man brooch

 

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
  • bowl&spoon

  • needle&thread

  • paper&ink

  • love'it&covet

  • update&decorate

  • search


social nesting by Themebuilder | Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).