A while back I came across two small wooden spools that someone was getting rid of so I grabbed them in hopes of making a craft out of them. They sat in our garage for a while but I finally got around to turning the wooden spools into cute children's stools. The stools are fairly easy to make and affordable. A little trial and error occured but my husband and I finally figured out an easy way to make the stools. The Children's Stools are made to match the No-Sew Outdoor Pillows I made earlier this summer.
Supplies:
- Small Wood Spool
- Spray Paint
- Plastic Shopping Bags
- Outdoor Rectangle Vinyl Tablecloth - I bought my tablecloth for $3.98 at Walmart. They usually have cheap ones at the beginning of every season so if you want a bright design you will have to get it in the spring/summer.
- Staple Gun & Staples
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
How To:
1. Spray paint the wooden spool. Let Dry. The top of the spool will be covered so you do not have to paint it.
NOTE: I ended up having to buy a second can of spray paint to fully cover both of the spools but if you are only making one stool, one can of spray paint should be enough.
NOTE: I ended up having to buy a second can of spray paint to fully cover both of the spools but if you are only making one stool, one can of spray paint should be enough.
2. If you haven't already, cut a piece of cardboard and tablecloth to cover the top of the wooden spool.
The cardboard acts as a base for the cushion. It also covers the bolts and the center hole of the wooden spool.
NOTE: I traced the top of my spool onto a piece of cardboard, then cut it out using an X-Acto Knife. I had saved a piece of the outdoor vinyl tablecloth from when I made the No-Sew Outdoor Pillows and cut it in half to use on my two stools.
3. Tack the cardboard to the top of the wooden spool using a hot glue gun.
4. Form a cushion for the stool by bunching a bunch of plastic shopping bags together. Make sure you have enough to cover the entire top of the spool and that they are a thick enough cushion for the stool. I tested mine out by sitting on it before I covered them up.
NOTE: I chose plastic shopping bags because they are free, I'm recycling them by turning them into cushions and the plastic acts as a water repellent. Since I'm making the Children's Stools for outside I didn't want to use a material that would absorb the water and get moldy over time.
6. Begin folding/rolling the tablecloth over the plastic bags and onto the spool. You can tack the tablecloth with a hot glue gun then go back and secure it with a staple gun OR you can just use a staple gun to secure the tablecloth. Make sure to pull the tablecloth tight as you secure it.
NOTE: This was a two person job. I folded/rolled the tablecloth and held it in place while my husband secured it using the staple gun. I'm sure you can do it by yourself, it may just take longer.
7. Flip the spool over and you have a new Children's Stool!These Children's Spool Stools are great for inside and outside. You can use them as decoration or as a child's seat. They would make a great addition to a reading corner, a classroom or any patio. You can make the Children's Spool Stools in any color and pattern you want to match your home.
INSIDE STOOL: If you are planning on keeping your stool inside you can use fabric instead of a tablecloth and fiber fill cotton stuffing or an old pillow instead of plastic bags if you want.
OUTSIDE STOOL: If you are planning on keeping your stool outside, an outdoor vinyl tablecloth and plastic bags are best to use because they will help keep the cushion part of the stool water resistant. You could possibly try a shower curtain or outdoor material but an outdoor vinyl tablecloth will be the cheapest.
NOTE: If you are planning on keeping your stool outside, I also recommend possibly trying to attach a rod or something in the center of the stool. I have yet to do so, but I quickly found out that once it rains, it softens the center of the spool because it is made from a thick cardboard material and if it hasn't had time to dry and your toddler jumps on it, it will cause the stool to bend and possibly break. By attaching a rod to the center of the stool you will help secure the stool and hopefully help prevent the stool from bending like ours did.
