Tin Can Footstool Tutorial Continued

Step One 
On the kraft paper, place one can in the middle and arrange 6 cans around it to form a daisy shape. The five cans around the circle should be touching at three points.

Trace around the outline of the cans. This daisy-shaped pattern will determine the shape of your stool, so be sure the cans stay in place. When you are finished tracing, remove the cans and cut around the outline. Try folding your pattern to make sure all petals of your daisy are identical. This is critical!

Step Two 
For a wood bottom, trace around the pattern; then cut out with a jigsaw. For a cardboard bottom, trace and cut with mat knife or scissors. Smooth any rough edges on the wood with sandpaper. The advantage of wood is that you can use gliders on the bottom of the stool. (See Finishing off the Bottom)

Step Three
Run a bead of hot glue around the rim on the bottom of one can at a time. Place the first can in the center of the bottom. Add the six cans around the center, gluing bottoms and connecting rims with the hot glue. Be careful not to burn your fingers! Temporarily place the paper pattern on top of the cans to determine if the cans are evenly placed. Adjust if necessary.

Step Four
Time to cut the padding to go around the cans. Unfold the batting from the package, mark the height of 9”, and then fold so that you have four layers that are 9” high. Cut the length to 49”.

Step Five
Place the paper pattern on top of the foam or Nu-Foam® and trace around it with a marking pen. If using regular foam, cut the daisy shape with an electric knife. If using Nu-foam, cut with sewing shears.

Step Six
Hot glue the batting to the sides of the can, making sure to tuck it as far as possible into the indentations between cans. Cut off extra batting. 

Step Seven
Hot glue the foam to the top of the cans. I like to put a piece of extra foam in the middle before gluing on the full daisy to give the top a dome effect.

Step Eight 
Pin the paper daisy pattern to the upholstery for the top. Cut the upholstery, keeping the same curvature, but about 1” larger than the pattern. Do the same for the bottom upholstery.

Step Nine 
Measure and cut the rectangular side piece of upholstery about 9” high and 50” wide. Pin the right sides of the top and long edge of the side pieces together. Leave 1” free on the short edge of the side piece. (This will become part of the side seam.) Using a ½” seam allowance between the top and side upholstery pieces, begin sewing around the top. Be sure to pin, then sew, all the way into the indentations to retain the daisy shape. Where the two short edges of the side piece meet, sew up the side seam. If there is any extra fabric at the side seam, cut all but 1”. Clip the curves on the seam allowance to the stitching. Turn the piece right side out and iron the seams flat. Zigzag stitch the bottom edge.

Step Ten 
Pull the upholstery over the can. Make any sewing adjustments needed.

Step Eleven
Turn the stool upside down. If the bottom is wood, staple the raw edges of the sidepiece to the bottom about ½” in from the edge, tightly pulling the fabric from one of the indentations toward the center and staple to the wood. Do the same for the indentation across from the first. The tighter you are able to secure it, the deeper the fabric indentations will be. Work your way around the stool.

If the bottom is cardboard, hot glue a cardboard daisy onto the bottom. Pull the upholstery fabric over the edges of the daisy and glue the raw edges to the bottom, pulling the cover tight and even as you go. 


Next: Finishing Off the Bottom and Decorative Touches