A Year or 60 Later...

So it's been awhile since I've added anything to this blog or my cooking blog. I've definitely been cooking and decorating but I've had a lot of travel and family fun and quite frankly I haven't had much time to document. What better way to renew my literary career (okay I nearly choked myself laughing on that phrase)...as I was saying...what better way to renew the blog than to share a fun modernization my sweet BF helped me with last weekend. My grandmother passed away last summer and one of the heirlooms I have from her is her 1955 singer sewer. It's the sewing machine I learned on. I made an apron for my first project and I've done some curtain panels. Perhaps now I can try to improve my sewing skills, so hopefully there will be a future blog on those projects. But for now back to the machine itself. It's pictured below closed and open. I love that it closes so I can use it as a desk. Multi-functional joy.

Closed and the finished stool. We chose copper finished casters from Lowe's Home Improvement.

Open. I love all the drawers.

The issue that started this project was the lack of mobility of the stool on the carpet. To sit at the table was a process that started with picking up the stool and placing it far enough back to fit under the table but not be too far out. Then I repeated the gymnastic movement to slide off the stool for exit Then I would pick it up to place the stool back under. A second issue was the pleather "fabric" that covered the seat. It stuck to my legs like a leather car seat in July. My idea was to add caster wheels to the base and recover the seat. I knew I could recover the seat pretty simply, but to attach the caster wheels I decided to ask for expert help from my handsome fellow. It was a great team effort and I'm extremely pleased with the end result.

Seat recovery in process.

I forgot to take a true before picture, but above you can see the lovely mustardy avocado pleather on the seat. I had some spare blue-gray cotton fabric on hand that has a far more pleasing texture. I used spray adhesive for the side panels and a staple gun for the top of the seat. Below is one of the side panels before the caster wheels were attached. The seat sits in the brackets and the top can be removed for storage. The base of the seat is beside the panel though a little difficult to see.

One of the side panels and the base of the storage seat.

Here is the finished product. I wish I had taken a before picture but either way, it's a great project and I'm thrilled!

1955 meets 2015.