Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Lovely Bones




Good bone structure will always stand the test of time. Take Helen Mirren for example. While she no doubt would prefer not to be called vintage mid-century she would probably approve of modern.
The bones on this couch are as sturdy and beautiful as they come. Taking the original staples out was quite a chore...notice the solid hardwood construction. Springs in excellent condition- all she needs is a dusting off and away we go with the smashing blue tweed!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Mid-Century Tufted Couch




This beautiful girl is next up for a makover. She is shedding the green damask in favor of a rich timeless ink blue. The fabric was chosen by an Etsy customer and is perfectly suited for this project. It has a subtle herringbone tweed as well as a marvelous drape and feel. Tomorrow we begin the buttons! For now... some before and undressing pictures....


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Where has summer gone?



Well it has been weeks since I have been able to sit down for more than 10 minutes to post to the blog... where has the time gone? All I know is the summer was far too short! Our last hurrah was a long weekend in San Diego with some very good friends, which turned out to be a real blessing for the future of thingswithsprings! The good friend we visited happens to be a whiz at all things bought, sold and processed. While visiting we had occasion to check out a very temptingly priced JUKI machine, which has been on my long wish list. Taze not only knew what to look for in general as to the inner mechanisms of the machine, but also happens to have an aunt who teaches sewing classes and travels nationally to do so who was able to answer many questions, such as how to determine if a used machine was cared for properly/has super high mileage etc. In short, he saved me a lot of heartache. This machine had some tell-tale signs of having been abused that I might have overlooked. These machines appear indestructible...but like anything else, can be run into the ground.
On our way home, I checked out another JUKI in Phoenix, one who had been well cared for by a very professional motorcycle mechanic. All told, I was able to purchase, for well below the stated price, the sewing machine, a new button-maker complete with a large selection of die sizes and buttons, extra staples, and spools of thread. Score! Truly a steal. Took the machine to Raichert's in Phoenix for a lookover and was told the machine would have cost me almost twice as much had I bought it from them and that it is in splendid condition! So thingswithsprings is in the swing!

Been working on a couple of things- not totally slacking! Have two chairs going at present... one of my own, which will be going on the back burner, and one in a gorgeous zebra print for a customer.