Upholstered Swedish "Papa" Chair

At Last !!!!!!
This fine Swedish version of the famous "Papa" chair (designed by Hans Wegner) came to me in February.  The chairs'owner was a patient person, having made the trip to a Danish flea market every Saturday for a year to find one of these examples and being a patient person was happy to wait to get the reupholstered version back. Her only stipulation was that all the original stuffing and cover should be removed owing to their very, very unpleasant smell. So, many months later, with our own home in store and with a few weeks break until we move into our new home, I had time and space to "do the chair".. Words cannot tell you how very very pleased I am with the result. 

These chairs are just lovely ! I would love to do more, but there aren't that many around.

  
Here is how we got here....

Side arm  

Inside back and bottom

Coming together, with side arms. 

Outside back

New foam and that wonderful thing.. the "flexi-curve" 

 There are loads or tutorials online to show you how to fit the metal back tack strip. I like the one by JA Milton in the UK who also happen to supply me with my upholstery materials.

Side arms needed to be slip stitched to finish

Crazy Cats and getting the bug

I took a detour this week.. and despite my best efforts ended up making a dog sock that looked more like "Smokey" the cat...  a resident of Battersea Dogs Home (Cat Department). 

I am having great fun making these critters using wool of different textures and weight, so when you sew it together it twists and turns in all kinds of unexpected ways. This is really good for ears and tails.  Shrinked  cashmere sock with loose grey walking sock seems to be fun at the moment. I learnt a lot of these techniques from Sue Haven's book. You can also find her on you tube.  

                                                               

Glad to say that Smokey has now found a home, despite being 10 years of age. I can't look at the cats at the Battersea pages without thinking of a stray cat who wondered into a public meeting on a housing estate in Stockwell back in 1997. Amid the hubub of the meeting a gentle and then not so gentle "MEOW" could be heard. I looked over the landing to the lobby below, and saw a beautiful black long haired cat who just eyeballed me ! I put her in my office overnight and bought food in for the next day before taking her to Battersea Dogs home. She turned out to be a previous resident who had been re-homed and her new owners had abandoned her. How sad is that. Her name was Lucinda and I was so pleased when a friend offered a home for her.  

Finally, just to say, the upholstery supplies have not yet arrived so the Pappa armchair is sitting in the hall lobby, looking at me, just waiting for its new clothes.... so to fill the time I have been grazing the web discovered great ways to transfer images onto wood, fabric or anything else that stops long enough. My Re-purposed life has proved to be a great jumping off point to loads of free tutorials about furniture/junk re-purposing. So inspired was I that I managed to collect 5 pallets from a factory for free, hoping to turn them into something a bit useful , and I am off to the BlaaHal in Copenhagen tomorrow, yiphee! Let's hope the old Volvo suspension is up to it.    

Christmas Craft Sales around the world

Christmas feelings arrive early in this part of the world, and Christmas Bazaars in Copenhagen and Malmo can be had a plenty the last week of November or beginning of December, but all is over by early December when most retreat home to prepare their own Christmassy effects in doors. It is great to live somewhere where so many people craft and make things themselves for Christmas. Really brings a smile to my face.

I had a small stall in Copenhagen last month and you can see the guys and gals above who joined me one rainy, windy day at the sale. There were some great things for sale including necklaces and rings made from bicycle inner tubes and also from vintage French buttons. I have to admit to spending some of what I earned at the sale on these fab items made by Claire Blondel Dargent. She doen't have a web site, but leave a comment and I will forward her email to you.
It was a long day, and not everything sold, and I find myself getting ridiculously attached to the chaps and sad to see them sold - that is daft isn't it ! Anyway, after getting back home from the sale we all collapsed in the armchair by the stove and fell asleep until supper. Some of the remaining creatures have nettled back in the hall hoping for Christmas together by the tree .  

If you like treasure troves, and you don't fancy going out in the snow to feast you eyes on Christmas goodies take a wander to the EtsyExpat team Treasury "Around the World in a Day". We have all put items in the shop for sale and most are offering a discount for this promotion, so bargains to be hand, and all are handmade by a great group of people. Take a peek and smile.
Finally thanks to Mr Crazyhound for taking time out of his busy schedule to take the Christmas shot above.