About

Cost
$ $ $ $ $
Difficulty
• • • • •
Time
8h00

Take a Seat
This is a fun and satisfying make. It could provide extra seating at parties and offers useful storage for magazines and books. Old wine crates often feature some lovely branding, notes and numbers to add character.

Posted by GMC Group Published See GMC Group's 304 projects » © 2024 Jemima Schlee / GMC Publications · Reproduced with permission. · Take a Seat by Jemima Schlee, published by GMC (£12.99, available from www.thegmcgroup.com)
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  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 1
    Step 1

    Place the two crates on a piece of paper and butt their bases together. Draw around them to make template A.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 2
    Step 2

    To make the cushion pad, cut two pieces of calico the same measurements as template A plus 1in (2.5cm) all the way around. Pin or tack the two pieces together and stitch a 3/8in (1cm) seam all the way around, leaving a turning gap of 6in (15cm) along one edge. Turn right side out and press with a hot iron. Stuff with the contents of a pillow. Fold the raw edges around the turning gap in by 3/8in (1cm), tack or pin before closing by hand with overstitch.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 3
    Step 3

    Use template A to mark up and cut out a rectangle of MDF or plywood. Sand all the sharp edges and corners with glass paper.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 4
    Step 4

    Paint the base, the four edges and a couple of inches around all sides of the top following the manufacturer’s instructions. Leave to dry fully.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 5
    Step 5

    Turn the wood so that it is base side up. Position the casters at each corner, about 1in (2.5cm) in from either edge. Mark the screw holes with a pencil and drill pilot holes with a 1⁄16in (2mm) drill bit.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 6
    Step 6

    Use a screwdriver and screws to attach the four casters to the piece of wood.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 7
    Step 7

    Cut four 6in (15cm) long pieces of upholsterer’s webbing (or any similar strong tape). Use two strips to join the crates together. With the crates’ bases butting together, screw a piece of webbing 2in (5cm) in from either side and straddling across the join of the two crates’ bases. Turn the crates over and repeat the process with two more pieces of tape on the opposite side.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 8
    Step 8

    Crochet the cushion cover. First make a tension square over 15 sts in dc. Calculate how many stitches you will need for the foundation chain – this will be the long measurement of your template A plus 1½in (4cm) times two. My measurement was 2¾in (7cm), which worked out as 225 ch for my foundation chain.

    Make a slip knot and then make the foundation chain. Carefully lay the work down in a circle, making sure there are no twists in it (pinning it out on an ironing board may help) and join into a large ring with a sl st into the first st. You may want to mark this point to recognize it for changing colours for the stripes later.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 9
    Step 9

    Start working in a spiral, making 1 dc into the top of each st from the previous round.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 10
    Step 10

    Work 5 rows in the first colour, then change to another colour, changing every five rows at the same point. This creates a slight ‘stagger’ in the stripes, but this will be lost when positioned at one end of the cushion.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 11
    Step 11

    When you have completed the crochet to the narrow measurement of template A plus 1½in (4cm), keep the yarn attached and flatten out the work with the ‘staggered’ stripe colour change at one end. Press with a hot iron. Close one of the open sides by using dc and pushing the hook through one stitch from the previous row on the half nearest you, the front, and one from the back.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 12
    Step 12

    When you reach the end, cut the yarn tail to 4in (10cm), pull it through the remaining loop, and use the hook to lose it into the inside of the work.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 13
    Step 13

    With one edge closed, insert the cushion pad into the crocheted cover through the open edge and then close it up in the same way as done in Step 11.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 14
    Step 14

    Place the crates on the base with casters, the two openings facing outwards at either end. Place the cushion on top and measure how long to cut the woven cotton tape by wrapping a measuring tape around fairly snugly and adding about 2in (5cm). Cut two pieces of tape to this length with sharp scissors and seal the ends with fabric glue to reduce fraying.

  • How to make a stool. Wine Crate Stool - Step 15
    Step 15

    Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to attach the clips to the ends of the tape before assembling 
the footstool.

    Tip
    To make a fabric cover, simply repeat step 2 using your choice of outer fabric. Stuff it with the cushion pad through A turning gap and again, close the gap by hand with overstitch.

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